Georgia voting overhaul could bring big payday to companies | Caleb Groves and Tamar Hallerman/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A vendor set up outside the state Capitol during the General Assembly’s legislative session in March to tout his voting touchscreens and ballot tabulators. Election Systems & Software wasn’t there by chance. The Nebraska-based company was angling for a lucrative statewide contract it expected to go out for bid in early 2027, one that would determine how millions of Georgians cast ballots. On paper, the state isn’t due for new voting equipment until 2029. But after years of headlines about unpatched security flaws, unceasing conspiracy theories and polling showing a sizable chunk of Georgia voters with little confidence in the current system, lawmakers may choose to remedy the situation by taking bids for new machines in time for the 2028 elections. The contours of what that new system may look like could emerge during the June 17 special session. Lawmakers are tasked with redrawing the state’s political maps and finding a way to replace the QR codes currently used to count votes ahead of a self-imposed July 1 deadline. Vendors, however, are quietly positioning themselves for an even bigger prize: the prospect of a rare statewide contract worth upward of $100 million. Georgia voting overhaul could bring big payday to companies
