Georgia Ballots in Legal Limbo

Georgia’s election rules are on a collision course: a 2024 law bans using machine-printed QR codes to count votes after July 1, but counties are still legally required to use Dominion touchscreen machines that print those same QR codes. Lawmakers failed to provide a fix or funding before adjourning, leaving election officials warning of “an unresolvable statutory conflict.” Without legislative action, the state could land in court just months before the midterms, forcing counties, campaigns, and vendors into logistical chaos as they scramble to adapt—risking rushed training, chain-of-custody problems, and possible recounts.

But here’s the catch: while states like Georgia face administrative gridlock, tech PAC money is flowing faster than ever. In Texas, AI-aligned super PACs like Leading the Future, bankrolled by over $50 million, are quietly supporting candidates not just with money but with targeted messaging—often avoiding direct mention of AI altogether. At the same time, crypto PACs are raising eye-popping sums and waiting to spend, hinging their strategy on pending legislation that could rewrite financial rules. The stakes: whoever navigates these shifting legal and policy battlefields first could shape not just the election outcome, but the rules of the game for tech and democracy.

Reporting from The Texas Tribune and AdImpact.

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