BUBBLING IN BALLOTS. In a rare show of election bipartisanship, some Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and state Sen. Elena Parent, are supporting a Republican effort to move toward hand-marked paper ballots.

“It’s time for Georgia elections to be conducted free from the substantial threat of undetectable electronic manipulation,” said Johnson, D-Lithonia. “Hand-marked paper ballots will eliminate that threat.”

The proposal for paper ballots filled out by hand came Tuesday from Republican leaders of a state House election study committee who are seeking to replace Georgia’s touchscreen-based voting system, the AJC’s Mark Niesse reports.

But Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger opposes the idea for a test-run during November’s Public Service Commission election. His office said that state law requires a uniform voting system.

Parent, an Atlanta Democrat, said her support of the pilot project would depend on its feasibility and support from election officials.

“I have long been interested in a system that utilized hand-marked paper ballots and ballot scanners because I think it is more secure and more representative of the voters’ intent because they can’t check a QR code,” she said.

Even if a pilot project doesn’t happen this fall, lawmakers say they’ll consider efforts to change Georgia’s voting equipment during next year’s legislative session.