Rep. Tim Fleming Appointed by Speaker Jon Burns to Serve on Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee

ATLANTA - State Representative Tim Fleming (R-Covington) was recently appointed by House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) to serve on the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee. Created during the 2026 special legislative session through Senate Bill 3EX, sponsored by State Senator Max Burns (R-Sylvania), the bipartisan committee is charged with developing recommendations for Georgia's next uniform election system.

"I am honored that Speaker Jon Burns has appointed me to serve on the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee," said Rep. Fleming. "Ensuring that every Georgian has confidence in our elections is one of the most important responsibilities we have as public servants. This committee gives us an opportunity to develop recommendations for our state's next generation of election equipment, and our work must prioritize security, transparency, reliability, accessibility and public confidence at every step. I look forward to working with my colleagues, election officials, cybersecurity experts and stakeholders from across Georgia to develop recommendations that are practical, fiscally responsible and focused on protecting the integrity of every vote. I appreciate the confidence Speaker Burns has placed in me, and I look forward to serving the people of Georgia in this important role."

"Georgia has made significant progress in strengthening election integrity, and I look forward to the contributions the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee will make as we transition our elections system to hand-marked paper ballots, strengthen transparency and ensure every Georgian can have confidence in their voice at the ballot box," said Speaker Jon Burns. "I want to thank Co-Chairman Victor Anderson, Rep. Tim Fleming, and Rep. Scott Holcomb for their willingness to serve and lend their expertise to this important work."

Speaker Burns appointed Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) to serve as House co-chair, along with State Representative Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta). As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Assignments, Lt. Governor Burt Jones appointed Sen. Max Burns (R-Sylvania) to serve as Senate co-chair, along with State Senators Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia) and Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville). Governor Brian Kemp appointed Deidre Holden, Paulding County Elections and Voter Registration Supervisor; Chris Harvey, Executive Director of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and former Elections Director and Chief Investigator in the Secretary of State's Office; and Sam Hatcher, Executive Counsel for the Governor's Office, to serve as the committee's public members.

Senate Bill 3EX directs the committee to seek input from election officials, cybersecurity experts, accessibility and disability advocates, and other stakeholders before submitting a report by Jan. 31, 2027. The report will provide recommendations to help state policymakers develop plans for appropriations, procurement, and implementation of a new uniform election system, beginning with the 2028 election cycle. As part of their work, the committee will evaluate the specifications and standards for election equipment that utilizes hand-marked paper ballots produced through ballot-on-demand printing. The legislation also establishes mandatory statewide hand recounts in certain close statewide elections and provides for state reimbursement of eligible county recount costs.

The committee will convene its first meeting on Friday, August 7, 2026, at 10 a.m. in room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta. Additional details forthcoming.

The full text of SB 3EX may be found here.

Representative Tim Fleming represents the citizens of District 114, which includes Morgan County, as well as portions of Newton and Walton counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and currently serves as Secretary of the Governmental Affairs and Information and Audits committees. He also serves on the Higher Education Committee.

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