TGDC weighs future of barcodes and QR codes in ballots amid accessibility concerns

The Technical Guidelines Development Committee discussed whether voting‑system barcodes or QR codes that encode voter selections should be allowed in future VVSG revisions and, if so, under what conditions.

Members described divergent concerns: some argued barcodes obscure the human‑readable vote record and create a secondary encoded vote that undermines transparency and voter trust; others, including accessibility specialists, said barcodes can be a practical mechanism to convert printed selections into accessible machine‑readable formats for voters with low vision or other impairments.

Kevin Scogland said barcodes conflict with VVSG transparency principles and should be removed from the standard over time. "Barcodes do need to be removed," he said. Manufacturers told the TGDC they are developing marking devices that do not rely on coded vote encodings, and some systems already exist without barcodes. Several state election directors urged a "soft landing" or runway so jurisdictions depending on current barcode‑based workflows can transition without interrupting certification or election operations.

Access Board staff Kathy Ang told the committee that people with disabilities are generally familiar with QR codes and that accessible digital readbacks are possible if the device or web pages are properly implemented; other members noted limitations such as write‑in handling and the need for OCR or readback systems to capture free text.

The committee did not adopt a new rule at the meeting. Instead, members asked staff to capture the differing positions in a redline draft and circulate it for review so the TGDC can vote on a recommended approach in a future public meeting.