The Green Papers: Georgia State and Local Government

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Governor:1
Senators: 2 (Electoral Classes 2 and 3)
2020 Census: 10,725,274 (3.23% of 331,797,979
- 2024, 2028 Electors: 16 (2.97% of 538)
- 2022-2030 Representatives: 14 (3.22% of 435)
2010 Census: 9,727,566 (3.14% of 309,785,186)
- 2012, 2016, 2020 Electors: 16 (2.97% of 538)
- 2012-2020 Representatives: 14 (3.22% of 435)
Capital: Atlanta

Current Georgia Statewide Office Holders

Official Name/Status All States

The STATE of Georgia
Status: STATE of the Union
Ratified Articles of Confederation: 26 February 1778. this State formally adhered to the Articles on 24 July 1778 when the document was signed by its delegates to the Seventh Continental Congress
Ratified Constitution of the United States: 2 January 1788
The 4th state.

Traditional Sections and Regions All States

Section: SOUTH
Region: Lower ["Deep"] South
Survey: Metes & Bounds

Constitutions All States Links to State Constitutions

Enabling Act: [None. One of the 13 original States which declared their independence from the nascent British Empire on 4 July 1776]
- 1st (1777-1789) [Adopted: 5 February 1777 Convention convened, 1 October 1776, Ratified: 5 February 1777 not submitted to the People]
- 2nd (1789-1798) [Adopted: 24 November 1788 Convention convened, 4 November 1788, Ratified: 4 January 1789 ratified by popular Convention; declared to be in force by a second popular Convention called to consider amendments proposed by the January Convention, 6 May 1789]
- 3rd (1798-1865) [Adopted: 30 May 1798 Convention convened, 4 May 1798, Ratified: 30 May 1798 not submitted to the People]
- 4th (1865-1868) [Adopted: 30 October 1865 Convention convened, 25 October 1865, Ratified: 7 November 1865]
- 5th (1868-1877) [Adopted: March 1868 Convention convened, 9 December 1867, Ratified: 11 March 1868 ratified by vote of 89,007 to 71,309]
- 6th (1877-1945) [Adopted: 25 August 1877 Convention convened, July 1877, Ratified: 5 December 1877]
- 7th (1945-1976) [Adopted: 1945 drafted by a Constitutional Commission which met from 1 October 1943 thru 9 December 1944; the Commission's work was subsequently enacted by the General Assembly and submitted to the People, Ratified: 7 August 1945]
- 8th (1977-1983) [Adopted: 31 March 1976 drafted by a Constitutional Commission; enacted by the General Assembly and submitted to the People on this date, Ratified: 2 November 1976 effective, 1 January 1977]
- 9th (1983-) [Adopted: 1982 enacted by the General Assembly, Ratified: 2 November 1982 effective, 1 July 1983]

Executive Branch All States

Chief Executive
- GOVERNOR
Successor to a Vacancy
- Lieutenant Governor [elected separately from GOVERNOR]

Major Executive Officers Elected Statewide All States
- Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Term Limit: 2 consecutive 4-year terms
- Lieutenant Governor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026. Elected separately from Governor
- Secretary of State: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026
- Attorney General: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026
- Comptroller General/Commissioner of Insurance: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026
- Commissioner of Agriculture: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026
- Superintendent of Education: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026
- Commissioner of Labor: 4 year term, Election Cycle: 2022, 2026

Legislative Branch All States

Legislature
- GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Upper House
- Senate
Lower House
- House of Representatives

Judicial Branch All States

Court of Last Resort
- Supreme Court
Intermediate Appellate Court
- Court of Appeals

Local Government All States

PRIMARY CIVIL DIVISION All States
- County [Type: Strong, Executive and Legislative: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS]
  - MINOR CIVIL DIVISION
    - district [Type: None, Executive and Legislative: no associated governmental structure]

Localities All States
- Georgia Civil Divisions and Municipalities

Key Statewide / Federal Officials All States

Georgia Officials

Statutory Election Information All States

General Election All States
- Tuesday after 1st Monday in November, bienially.
  [GA Constitution, Art. III, Section II, paragraph V(c)].
  A run-off election shall be a continuation of the general election ... only those votes cast for the persons designated for the runoff shall be counted .... [GA Constitution, Art. II, Section I. Paragraph II.]
Presidential Primary All States
- (--2007) 1st Tuesday in March of Presidential Election years
  (Official Code of GA 21-2-191)
- (2007-2011) As provided in this article, a presidential preference primary shall be held in 2008 and every four years thereafter for each political party or body which has cast for its candidates for President and Vice President in the last presidential election more than 20 percent of the total vote cast for President and Vice President in the state ... Such primary shall be held on February 5, 2008, and on the first Tuesday in February every four years thereafter. (Official Code of GA 21-2-191)
- (2011--) ... a presidential preference primary shall be held in 2012 and every four years thereafter for each political party ... which has cast for its candidates for President and Vice President in the last presidential election more than 20 percent of the total vote cast for President and Vice President in this state.... Such primary shall be held ... on a date selected by the Secretary of State which shall not be later than the second Tuesday in June .... The Secretary of State shall select such date no later than December 1 of the year immediately preceding such primary. (Official Code of GA 21-2-191)
State Primary All States
- (--2013) 3d Tuesday in July in even-numbered years
  (Official Code of GA 21-2-150(a) )
  except:
  when the above date falls during a week when one of the two Major Parties is holding its National Nominating Convention-- in which case:
  2d Tuesday in July
  (Official Code of GA 21-2-150(b)(1) )
  or
  when the above date (that in OCG 21-2-150(a) ) is in a year immediately following the release of US Census data re: the reapportionment/redistricting of Members of Congress or of the General Assembly (GA's legislature)-- in which case: next to last Tuesday in August
  (Official Code of GA 21-2-150(b)(2) )
  [NOTE: the provision in OCG 21-2-150(b)(2)- the August primary date- is in force in 2002; for 2004, the July primary date will- presumably- be resumed]
  
  If no candidate should receive a majority of the vote in the primary held per the various sections of OCG 21-2-150, a "runoff" will be held on the date 21 days following the date of the State primary.
  (Official Code of GA 21-2-501(a) )
- (2013-2014) On 12 July 2013, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ordered Georgia to move the primary from 15 July 2014 to ~~3 June~~ 20 May. The General Election run off would move from 2 December to 6 January 2015. Find the original order Civil Action No 1:12-cv-2230-SCJ here. Find the order updated 21 August 2013 (changed to avoid having to conduct advance voting during Memorial Day Weekend) here.
  - "The State's federal primary election shall be held on the Tuesday ... 24 weeks before the federal general election." [Civil Action No 1:12-cv-2230-SCJ page 6 of 9]
  - The State's federal primary runoff election shall be held 15 weeks before the federal general election." [Civil Action No 1:12-cv-2230-SCJ page 7 of 9]
  - ... the State's federal general election shall be held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November...." [Civil Action No 1:12-cv-2230-SCJ page 7 of 9]
  - The State's federal general runoff election shall be held on the Tuesday nine (9) weeks after the federal general election." [Civil Action No 1:12-cv-2230-SCJ page 7 of 9]
- (2014-2021) ... Tuesday of the twenty-fourth week prior to the November general election in each even-numbered year....[Official Code of GA 21-2-150]
  ... where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a run-off primary, special primary runoff, run-off election, or special election runoff between the candidates receiving the two highest numbers of votes shall be held. [21-2-501(a)(1)]
  If any candidate ... in a runoff withdraws, dies, or is found to be ineligible, the remaining candidates receiving the two highest numbers of votes shall be the candidates in the runoff. [21-2-501(a)(7)]
  ... a runoff ... shall be held on the Tuesday of the 9th week following such ... primary. [21-2-501 (a)(2) and (5)]
  ... a runoff ... shall be held on the Tuesday of the 9th week following such general election. [21-2-501 (a)(3)]
  ... a runoff ... for an office other than a federal office ... shall be held on the 28th day after the ... general election [21-2-501 (a)(4)]
  ... a runoff ... for an office other than a federal office ... shall be held on the 28th day after the ... special primary or special election. [21-2-501 (a)(6)]
- (2021--) ... Tuesday of the twenty-fourth week prior to the November general election in each even-numbered year....[Official Code of GA 21-2-150]
  ... where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a run-off primary, special primary runoff, run-off election, or special election runoff between the candidates receiving the two highest numbers of votes shall be held. [21-2-501(a)(1)]
  If any candidate ... in a runoff withdraws, dies, or is found to be ineligible, the remaining candidates receiving the two highest numbers of votes shall be the candidates in the runoff. [21-2-501(a)(2)]
  ... a runoff ... shall be held on the twenty-eighth day after the ... election. [21-2-501 (a)(1)]
Polling times All States
- At all primaries and elections the polls shall be opened at 7:00 A.M. eastern standard time or eastern daylight time, whichever is applicable, and shall remain open continuously until 7:00 P.M. eastern standard time or eastern daylight time, whichever is applicable, at which time they shall be closed; provided, however, that, in all cities having a population of 300,000 or more according to the United States decennial census of 1970 or any future such census, the polls shall remain open continuously until 8:00 P.M. eastern standard time or eastern daylight time, whichever is applicable, during the cities' general elections, at which time they shall be closed and provided, further, that, in a special election held to fill a vacancy in an office in which the district represented by such office lies wholly within the boundaries of a city, the polls shall close at the same time as for a municipal general election in such city. [Georgia Code 21-2-403]

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Constitution
- Georgia Constitution
Legislature. All States
- Georgia General Assembly
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State and Local Government Outline

Modified .