We Can Be Proud of Georgia’s Elections, But That Doesn’t Mean We Stop Improving
I recently had the opportunity to co-author a policy study with Chris McIsaac at the R-Street Institute called “Lessons from the States: Building Trust in Georgia Elections.” You can read it here: Lessons from the States: Building Trust in Georgia Elections
This is part two of a series looking at how swing states run elections and Georgia made the list for obvious reasons. We’ve been at the center of the election policy universe for so many years that we are now to the point where an MLB Baseball Game became a political football. Some of the criticism is fair, some of it not. This paper looks past the noise and focuses on where Georgia is getting things right, and where we can learn from what’s working in other states.
Here are a few highlights:
Voter Roll Maintenance
Georgia uses the ERIC system to keep our voter registration list accurate. In 2025 so far, over 170,000 outdated records were removed. That’s how it’s supposed to work. Unfortunately, some folks out there are pushing a narrative that this tool, which we use regularly to keep our voter files clean, needs to die. We explain ERIC and how it works in the paper, so I won’t bore you here.
Voter ID
We’ve had photo ID requirements in Georgia for nearly two decades. The law was upheld because lawmakers paired it with free voter ID access for anyone who needs it. That’s how you do secure elections without shutting people out and withstand a constitutional challenge to voter ID laws.
Voting Machines
Georgia is one of only a few states that require all in-person voters to use ballot-marking machines. Some folks want to switch to hand-marked paper ballots, and I think voters should have that option, just be smart about it. There’s a difference between letting people hand-mark a paper ballot and forcing counties to hand-count every vote. One adds trust, the other adds chaos.
I know my friends in the legislature get tired of me advocating for the use of hand-marked paper ballots, but the concerns with them are largely overblown. We cover that in the paper.
Runoffs
You already know where I stand on this. Georgia’s runoff system is a mess. It costs taxpayers millions, turnout drops off a cliff, and campaigns get dragged out for weeks. Ranked Choice Voting is a much better way to handle majority elections on a single ballot. The paper makes that case again, backed by data, not slogans.
Law Enforcement Training
Georgia is the first state in the country to require election law training for law enforcement officers. That is a win for voters and for officers. Everyone benefits when the people responsible for enforcing election rules actually understand what the rules are.
A Culture of Continuous Improvement
One of the points that really stood out to me in the Blue Ribbon Committee on Election Process last week was something State Rep. Victor Anderson said. He emphasized the need for the legislature to adopt a posture of continuous improvement when it comes to elections. That mindset is exactly what we need. Instead of pretending everything is fine or tearing the whole thing down, we should be looking at what’s working, asking what’s not, and making thoughtful adjustments along the way. That is responsible governance. That’s how trust is built.
We raise a cobbler in honor of Chairman Anderson.
More seriously, this report is not a partisan defense of Georgia’s election laws. It’s an honest look under the hood. I’m proud of the work we put into it and grateful to R Street for investing time and resources into a serious conversation about election trust. If you care about the future of Georgia’s elections, I hope you’ll give it a read.
Again, here’s the link:
Lessons from the States: Building Trust in Georgia Elections
Let’s keep pushing for a system that’s secure, accessible, and worthy of the voters it serves.
