2026 Special Legislative Session

Georgia’s governor has called for a special session of the Georgia General Assembly to convene starting on June 17.

Unlike traditional sessions, where members can introduce legislation on any topic and meet for a set number of days, special sessions are typically much shorter, members pass significantly fewer bills and are limited to the subject matter in governor’s proclamation.

Regular sessions of the Georgia legislature are limited to 40 non-consecutive days in total every year; special sessions can only meet for a maximum period of 40 days. Special sessions typically meet for a much shorter time.

The special session in 2023 lasted nine legislative days; in 2019, five legislative days.

Lawmakers can only consider issues outlined in the governor’s proclamation. His proclamation limits their work to:

• Redrawing congressional and legislative boundaries for the 2028 election, a move that comes after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act
• Addressing a state law that bans Georgia from using QR codes for official or final ballot counts after July 1
• Legislative work around homestead tax exemptions and extending the state gas suspension

Looking at the recent special sessions, we should expect lawmakers to consider and possibly pass new voting maps.

Lawmakers will act on the QR code deadline. For voters, abrupt changes could cause long lines and confusion at the polls, making voting harder and undermining trust in the process. The best outcome is to extend the deadline until 2028.

Elections in Georgia are moving forward securely, with the May primaries resulting in several runoff races. However, big changes could be ahead for the state’s voting system. The ACLU of Georgia, supporters, and advocacy partners will continue defending Georgians’ votes as lawmakers return to the Capitol on June 17 for a special session.

We’re focused on two issues outlined in the governor’s proclamation that could shape future elections in Georgia: the state’s looming QR code deadline and the redrawing of voting maps after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. While these issues are different, both raise serious concerns about whether voters will continue to have fair, accessible, and trustworthy elections.

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Gather with Georgians from across the state at the Georgia State Capitol to stand together for fair representation and voting rights.