Full Breakdown
Georgia Election Board Seeks Federal Action to Declare QR-Code Voting Machines Unlawful
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Georgia State Election Board (SEB) asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to declare the state’s QR-code ballot-marking devices unlawful under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). In a letter, SEB Executive Director James Mills requested that Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon “prohibit” the machines and set a six-month deadline for a statewide software update before the midterm elections. The request follows a board resolution directing Mills to seek assistance from any federal department, including the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Background and Context
Georgia’s voting system uses electronic devices that encode voter selections in QR codes, later scanned by tabulators. The devices were certified by the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), created by HAVA to test voting equipment. Since the 2020 presidential election, former President Donald Trump and election-denial allies have attacked these machines, alleging fraud despite a lack of evidence. In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing the EAC to decertify QR-code machines, but court orders have blocked that directive.
Key Figures and Groups
- James Mills – SEB Executive Director, author of the DOJ request.
- John Fervier – SEB chairman, Governor Brian Kemp’s appointee, opposed the resolution.
- Carolyn Roddy – Republican appointee who introduced the resolution.
- Janelle King – SEB Vice Chair, supported the resolution.
- Salleigh Grubbs – Appointee of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, supported the resolution while calling herself a “strict constitutionalist.”
- Sara Tindall Ghazal – SEB’s lone Democrat, opposed the resolution.
- Todd Blanche – U.S. Attorney General, recipient of the SEB letter.
- Harmeet Dhillon – Assistant Attorney General, head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
- Markwayne Mullin – DHS Secretary, previously asked the DOJ to determine the legality of QR-code machines.
Official Statements and Responses
- James Mills argued that “unreadable, unverifiable QR-code-based vote tabulation” violates HAVA because voters cannot verify the vote that is actually counted.
- The DOJ’s authority to declare voting equipment unlawful is contested; the Constitution assigns election administration to state and local officials, and the DOJ lacks explicit power to ban machines unilaterally.
- The EAC has maintained certification of Georgia’s devices, and state law prohibits use of equipment not certified by the EAC.
- DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sent a separate letter earlier this month asking the DOJ to assess whether QR-code machines breach HAVA.
Criticism and Opposition
Board chairman John Fervier said he “just fundamentally disagree[s]” with DOJ involvement. SEB’s Democrat Sara Tindall Ghazal added, “no matter who is in office, I do not support federal intervention in state-run elections.” Salleigh Grubbs, while supporting the resolution, reiterated her “strict constitutionalist” stance, saying she does not want federal intervention.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have a fundamental issue with the federal government becoming involved in Georgia elections,” — John Fervier
- “No matter who is in office, I do not support federal intervention in state-run elections,” — Sara Tindall Ghazal
- “I am a strict constitutionalist, and I just want people to leave me the hell alone and let me cast my vote in privacy,” Grubbs said moments before voting for the resolution.” — Salleigh Grubbs
What’s Next
Mills’ letter asks the DOJ to impose a six-month deadline for Georgia to replace the QR-code devices, but no deadline has been set by the federal government. The board’s 3-2 vote suggests the request will be pursued through further correspondence with the DOJ and DHS. Any federal determination must navigate legal constraints and pending court orders that have blocked earlier attempts to decertify the machines.