HB788: HB788 Macon County; rename position of chief election official as chief election supervisor

Macon County has a local law from 2003, later amended in 2020, that created a board of elections and registration. HB788 changes several parts of that law. It renames the top election staff position from chief election official to chief election supervisor, and clarifies that while the board oversees election related duties of this person and other election staff, the county manager oversees their nonelection duties. The bill also bars board members from political activities such as distributing campaign literature or displaying partisan signage near polling places, requires board members to take the same oath as county registrars, updates rules for board meetings and record keeping under Georgia's open meetings and open records laws, and shifts responsibility for setting compensation for board members, the chief election supervisor, and election staff to the county's governing authority.

• Renames the position of chief election official as chief election supervisor for Macon County's board of elections and registration.
• Splits oversight of the chief election supervisor: the board supervises election related duties while the county manager supervises nonelection duties.
• Prohibits board members from political activities like distributing campaign literature or displaying partisan signage near polling places or the board office.
• Requires board members to take substantially the same oath required of county registrars before taking office.
• Updates meeting and recordkeeping rules for the board, tying them to Georgia's open meetings law (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 14) and open records law (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 18, Article 4).
• Shifts authority to set compensation for board members, the chief election supervisor, and election staff to the county's governing authority.

Macon County's board of elections and registration, its members, the chief election supervisor (formerly called the chief election official), the county manager, county election staff, and the county's governing authority, which will set pay and oversee some administrative matters.

The changes clarify who is in charge of day-to-day management versus election operations for Macon County's elections office, add explicit rules limiting board members' political activity, and shift pay decisions to the county government, affecting how the local election office is run and staffed.

• Section 1 revises Section 4 to rename the chief election official as chief election supervisor and gives the county manager supervision over that person's nonelection duties.
• Section 1 also revises Section 5 to bar board members from political activities, including distributing campaign material, partisan social media advocacy, and displaying partisan signage within 150 feet of the board office or a polling place.
• Section 2 revises Sections 7 and 8, keeping vacancy-filling rules and requiring board members to take the same oath as county registrars.
• Section 3 revises Section 15 to set meeting requirements (monthly, at specified locations) and require compliance with Georgia's open meetings and open records laws.
• Section 4 revises Section 16(b) so the county's governing authority determines board member compensation and expense reimbursement.
• Section 5 revises Section 17 to have the county's governing authority determine pay for administrative personnel and other board employees.
• Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 229
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Patty Stinson (D, HD-150)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   164 yea, 0 nay (12 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #317

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   49 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #339

• election administration
• Macon County government
• local legislation
• election officials