Kemp calls special session on Georgia voting maps and election system

Governor Brian Kemp says Georgia lawmakers will return under the Gold Dome next month for a special legislative session focused on two major election issues.

(CNN)- Governor Brian Kemp says Georgia lawmakers will return under the Gold Dome next month for a special legislative session focused on two major election issues.

“Listen, we’re going to have to redraw the maps,” Kemp said. “It was not a matter of if, but when.”

The special session is scheduled to begin June 17, one day after Georgia’s primary runoff elections.

One of the biggest issues lawmakers will address is redrawing Georgia’s congressional maps following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

“I think right after the runoff is a good time to do that,” Kemp said.

However, because of the timing, any newly approved maps likely would not take effect until the 2028 election cycle.

Kemp also pointed to the upcoming special election tied to the death of Congressman David Scott as another reason lawmakers need to act quickly.

“We got to deal with the elections issue, because Congressman David Scott passing away, we have a special election for a congressional seat coming up,” Kemp said.

The second major topic expected to dominate the special session involves Georgia’s voting system.

Beginning July 1, Georgia law bans the use of QR codes to tabulate ballots. Georgia’s current voting machines still rely on QR codes, and state leaders have not yet agreed on a replacement system.

“When we changed the voting system, we passed a bill that set out how we would do the procurement, how we would decide what system we went to,” Kemp said. “We passed a bill to do that.”

Kemp added that election officials have had time to prepare for the upcoming changes.

“We gave plenty of time for the procurement, for the implementation, for the local elections officials to deal with that,” he said. “That’s how the process is supposed to work, and that’s what I hope comes out of the legislative session.”

Democrats are already signaling opposition to the expected redistricting effort.

“Let’s be very clear, he is redrawing the maps,” State Senator Josh McLaurin said. “Today’s news proves he is going to redraw the maps under the decision in Calais to reduce black voting power.”

Kemp dismissed criticism from Democrats, saying lawmakers have not yet released any proposed maps.

“I mean, that doesn’t surprise me they’d say that,” Kemp said. “But they haven’t seen the maps yet, so they might want to wait and see what the legislature does.”