HB 1093: Ware County; nonbinding advisory referendum for the purpose of ascertaining whether the electors support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross; provide

This bill directs Ware County's election superintendent to hold a nonbinding advisory referendum during the 2026 general primary, asking voters a single yes-or-no question: do they support building a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross? The result would not force any road to be built; it is meant only to gauge public opinion. The bill spells out how the vote must be run, including two weeks of published notice before the election, and requires the election superintendent to certify results to the Georgia Secretary of State. Ware County would pay the cost of the election. If the election superintendent does not hold the vote as required, any Ware County voter could go to court to force it through a writ of mandamus, a court order compelling an official to perform a legal duty.

• Requires Ware County's election superintendent to hold a nonbinding advisory referendum on a Waycross perimeter highway bypass during the 2026 general primary.
• Sets the exact ballot language voters will see, asking a simple yes or no question about supporting the bypass.
• Requires public notice of the referendum once a week for two weeks before the election.
• Makes Ware County responsible for paying the cost of holding the referendum.
• Allows any Ware County voter to seek a court order (writ of mandamus) forcing the election superintendent to comply if the referendum is not held as required.
• Requires the election superintendent to certify the referendum results to the Georgia Secretary of State.

Ware County voters, who will see the referendum question on their 2026 general primary ballot; the Ware County election superintendent, who must organize and pay for the vote; and Ware County government, which bears the election costs and would learn public sentiment on the bypass proposal.

The vote itself would not authorize or fund any highway construction, but it would give Ware County officials a documented measure of public opinion on a proposed bypass around Waycross, which could shape future decisions on transportation planning and funding requests.

• Section 1 states the bill's purpose is a nonbinding advisory referendum on Ware County support for a Waycross perimeter highway bypass, declared a public purpose justifying use of public funds.
• Section 2 requires the referendum to be held on the date of the 2026 general primary and sets the specific ballot wording voters will see.
• Section 2 requires public notice of the referendum once weekly for two weeks before the election and requires certification of results to the Secretary of State.
• Section 2 makes Ware County responsible for election costs and makes the election superintendent's duties mandatory, enforceable through a court-ordered writ of mandamus if not performed.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-19Effective Date 2026-03-19
2. 2026-03-19Act 373
3. 2026-03-19House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-03-19House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-17Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-17Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-09Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-06House Passed/Adopted (House)

• James Burchett (R, HD-176)Primary sponsor
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 6, 2026

   163 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #480

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 17, 2026

   48 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #548

• Ware County
• Waycross bypass
• local referendum
• transportation planning
• election law