| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 47 3115 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Senate Bill 15 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Senators Setzler of the 37th, Dixon of the 45th, Albers of the 56th, Still of the 48th and |
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| 4 | 4 | | Kirkpatrick of the 32nd |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1 |
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| 9 | 9 | | elections and primaries generally, so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by2 |
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| 10 | 10 | | local legislation for nonpartisan elections for county governing authorities; to provide for3 |
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| 11 | 11 | | related matters; and for other purposes.4 |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5 |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1.6 |
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| 14 | 14 | | Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and7 |
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| 15 | 15 | | primaries generally, is amended in Code Section 21-2-139, relating to nonpartisan elections8 |
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| 16 | 16 | | authorized and conduct, by revising subsection (a) as follows:9 |
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| 17 | 17 | | "(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the General10 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Assembly may provide by local Act for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates11 |
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| 19 | 19 | | to fill county judicial offices, offices of local boards of education, offices of county |
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| 20 | 20 | | 12 |
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| 21 | 21 | | governing authorities, and offices of consolidated governments which are filled by the vote13 |
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| 22 | 22 | | of the electors of said county or political subdivision. Except as otherwise provided in this14 |
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| 23 | 23 | | Code section, the procedures to be employed in such nonpartisan elections shall conform15 |
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| 24 | 24 | | as nearly as practicable to the procedures governing nonpartisan elections as provided in 16 |
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| 25 | 25 | | S. B. 15 |
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| 26 | 26 | | - 1 - 25 LC 47 3115 |
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| 27 | 27 | | this chapter. Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, the election procedures |
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| 28 | 28 | | 17 |
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| 29 | 29 | | established by any existing local law which provides for the nonpartisan election of18 |
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| 30 | 30 | | candidates to fill county offices shall conform to the general procedures governing19 |
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| 31 | 31 | | nonpartisan elections as provided in this chapter, and such nonpartisan elections shall be20 |
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| 32 | 32 | | conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of this chapter, notwithstanding the21 |
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| 33 | 33 | | provisions of any existing local law. For those offices for which the General Assembly,22 |
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| 34 | 34 | | pursuant to this Code section, provided by local Act for election in nonpartisan primaries and23 |
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| 35 | 35 | | elections, such offices shall no longer require nonpartisan primaries. Such officers shall be24 |
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| 36 | 36 | | elected in nonpartisan elections held and conducted in conjunction with the general primary25 |
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| 37 | 37 | | in even-numbered years in accordance with this chapter without a prior nonpartisan primary. 26 |
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| 38 | 38 | | This Code section shall apply to all nonpartisan elections for members of consolidated27 |
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| 39 | 39 | | governments. All nonpartisan elections for members of consolidated governments shall be28 |
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| 40 | 40 | | governed by the provisions of this Code section and shall be considered county elections and29 |
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| 41 | 41 | | not municipal elections for the purposes of this Code section. Nonpartisan elections for30 |
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| 42 | 42 | | municipal offices shall be conducted on the dates provided in the municipal charter."31 |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2.32 |
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| 44 | 44 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.33 |
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| 45 | 45 | | S. B. 15 |
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| 46 | 46 | | - 2 - |
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