HB593: HB593 Baker County; probate judge; provide nonpartisan elections

Currently, the probate judge of Baker County is elected in a partisan election, where candidates run as representatives of a political party. This bill would change that by making all future elections for the office nonpartisan, following the process laid out in Georgia's election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139) and the Georgia Election Code. The change would not affect the current probate judge's term. Whoever holds the office when the law takes effect would finish out their current term under the old rules and would be allowed to run again under the new nonpartisan system. The bill also repeals any existing laws that conflict with this change.

• Makes all future elections for Baker County's probate judge nonpartisan, so candidates would not run under a political party label.
• Requires these nonpartisan elections to follow the process set out in Georgia's election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139) and the Georgia Election Code.
• Protects the current probate judge's term, letting them finish their existing term under the old election rules.
• Allows the sitting probate judge to run for reelection under the new nonpartisan system once their current term ends.
• Repeals any prior state laws that conflict with this new nonpartisan election rule for Baker County.

This bill affects voters in Baker County, candidates seeking the office of probate judge there, and the current probate judge, whose existing term is preserved under the old election rules until it expires.

For Baker County voters, this means future candidates for probate judge will no longer appear on the ballot with a political party affiliation, changing how residents choose the local official who oversees matters like wills, estates, and certain licensing decisions.

• Section 1 makes all Baker County probate judge elections after the law takes effect nonpartisan, run under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139 and the Georgia Election Code.
• Section 1 specifies the nonpartisan election will happen at the general nonpartisan election right before the current term expires.
• Section 2 preserves the sitting probate judge's current term and allows that judge to run again under the new nonpartisan rules.
• Section 3 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this change.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 204
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   150 yea, 20 nay (2 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #229

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #250

• local elections
• Baker County
• probate judge
• nonpartisan elections
• election law