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SB 514

Primaries and Elections; use of ballot drop boxes; eliminate authorization

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tim Bearden and 4 co-sponsors

SB 514 would prohibit Georgia from using ballot drop boxes, requiring all mail-ballot voters to use postal mail or hand-deliver ballots to election offices.

Senate Read and Referred
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Bill Summary · SB 514

Legislative bill overview

SB 514 would eliminate the authorization for ballot drop boxes in Georgia, effectively prohibiting their use in primary and general elections. This reverses the state's current practice of allowing voters to deposit mail ballots in secure collection boxes outside polling locations and other designated sites.

Why is this important

Ballot drop boxes have become a significant voting method since their introduction, particularly for mail-in voters seeking convenience without using postal services. Eliminating them would force all mail-ballot voters to either hand-deliver ballots to election offices or use mail delivery, potentially reducing voting accessibility and flexibility for working people, elderly voters, and those with mobility challenges.

Potential points of contention

  • Access and convenience trade-off: Supporters argue drop boxes create security vulnerabilities and inconsistent election procedures; opponents contend they expand voting access without documented fraud problems and that eliminating them disproportionately affects working and elderly voters
  • Election administration burden: Removing drop boxes could increase pressure on election offices during early voting periods and create longer lines at polling locations, while proponents may argue it simplifies election security protocols
  • Mail service reliability concerns: Critics note this policy assumes reliable postal service, which may not be consistently available across all Georgia regions, particularly rural areas

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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