Georgia's state legislature adjourned without extending a July 1 deadline to eliminate QR code voting systems, leaving the state's election infrastructure in limbo just months before the November midterms. The QR code deadline stems from a 2024 law passed by Republicans who claimed, without evidence, that the codes enabled vote manipulation in the 2020 presidential election.

A bill to push the deadline to 2028 passed the House but died in the Senate during the final hours of the legislative session. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger warned that replacing the system would cost millions of dollars that the legislature hasn't funded. The state already uses hand-marked paper ballots for emergencies, but scaling that system statewide presents enormous logistical challenges.

With no legislative fix, Georgia's 159 counties face potential chaos implementing new voting procedures before November. Early voting sites would need to print hundreds of ballot variations, and election workers would require emergency training on new systems. The unresolved dispute threatens to undermine confidence in one of the nation's most closely watched midterm races, where Senator Jon Ossoff faces re-election.