ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers are considering a sweeping overhaul of the state’s elections under new legislation at the Gold Dome.

The bill would move the state fully to hand-marked paper ballots and limit where early voting can take place. It would also put the State Election Board in charge of recounts and election challenges.

Right now, voters can cast an early ballot at any location within their county. The legislation, sponsored by Republican Senator Greg Dolezal, would assign voters an early voting location based on where they live.

“We would assign voters to an early voting location; and so the thinking there is that most people are going to vote at the early voting location closest to their home anyway,” Dolezal said.

Dolezal says the vision of the bill is for it to be implemented for the November 2026 election.

“The advanced voting locations for people would ideally be the closest to them,” he said.

He also defended the proposal, saying, “if you have dirty voting rules you’re going to have dirty elections.”

Senate Democratic Leader Harold Jones opposes the measure.

“Once again the republican party is trying to suppress votes,” Jones said.

He added, “so what we have is the suppression party in the republican party.”

Jones says Democrats will oppose any attempt to overhaul elections.

“Anything that’s presented by this party as far as voting is concerned, we know we’re going to be opposed to it,” he said.

If approved, the changes would go into effect for the November elections.

WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.