HB759: HB759 Spalding County; board of elections; terms of members; update provisions

Spalding County's board of elections operates under a 1987 state law that has been amended over the years. This bill makes several updates to that law. It revises the term for the board member appointed by the superior court judges, setting an initial term ending January 1, 2025, with the member serving until a successor is appointed. It restates the board's duty to follow Georgia's open meetings and open records laws and to give the public adequate access to meetings. The bill renames the county's elections supervisor position as the elections director and spells out that person's duties, including training poll workers and board employees and appointing poll workers from party-provided lists. It also confirms the elections director must be a full-time Spalding County resident and registered voter, sets rules on outside employment and public office holding, and lets the board hire its own legal counsel instead of relying only on the county attorney.

• Sets the term rule for the fifth board member appointed by the Spalding County superior court judges, ending January 1, 2025 until a successor is named.
• Requires the board to follow Georgia's open meetings and open records laws and ensure adequate public access to meetings.
• Renames the elections supervisor position as the elections director and assigns that person responsibility for training board employees and poll workers.
• Confirms the elections director must live in and be registered to vote in Spalding County and serve as a full-time employee with no outside job.
• Bars elected officials and certain public employees from serving as elections director or elections office staff.
• Authorizes the board to hire its own legal counsel instead of relying solely on the county attorney.

Spalding County's board of elections and its members, the county's elections director (formerly called the elections supervisor) and elections office employees, poll workers, county political party committees, and the superior court judges who appoint a board member.

The changes clarify how long the court-appointed board member serves, who oversees training of poll workers and staff, and who the board can hire as its lawyer. These updates affect how Spalding County runs its elections office and manages legal and personnel matters going forward.

• Section 1 revises Section 5(b) to set the fifth board member's initial term ending January 1, 2025, continuing until a successor is appointed, removable for cause by a majority of superior court judges.
• Section 2 revises Section 9(b) and (e), requiring compliance with Georgia's open meetings and open records laws and giving the elections director responsibility for training staff and poll workers.
• Section 3 revises Section 10, making the elections director responsible for selecting, appointing, and training poll workers, drawn from party committee lists where practicable.
• Section 4 revises Section 12, renaming the position as elections director, requiring county residency and voter registration, full-time status, county-paid compensation, hiring authority for staff, and restrictions on elected officials serving in the role.
• Section 5 revises Section 14(b) to let the board hire its own legal counsel or use the county attorney.
• Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 169
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-28Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-25House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)Primary sponsor
• Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2025

   170 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #302

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 28, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #313

• Spalding County elections
• local government law
• election administration
• open meetings and records