Most municipal elected offices are currently nonpartisan. This bill would provide the ability for the offices of county commissioner, sheriff, clerk of superior court, tax commissioner, district attorney, solicitor general, coroner, and surveyor to also be nonpartisan if approved by local legislation at the General Assembly.
This process would mirror the one already in place for the offices of school board members and probate judges, which presently have the option to become nonpartisan through local act. In Georgia, 107 counties have chosen to create either a non-partisan county school board and/or a non-partisan county probate judge.
"My local elected officials asked me to introduce this bill so they can more effectively work together and solve problems that matter to local taxpayers," said Representative Allen Peake. "Since Georgia has a long tradition of providing flexibility at the local level for self-government, I think this bill makes sense and I look forward to debating the merits of this legislation with my colleagues during the upcoming General Assembly."
"The issues that county elected officials deal with center around the health, safety and welfare of a community," said ACCG Executive Director Ross King. "Choosing the best form of government to manage those matters should be left up to the local leaders. We appreciate Representative Peake’s initiative to advance this conversation under the Gold Dome."
The legislation will be assigned to a committee for debate and consideration at the start of the General Assembly session in January.
