---
title: HB 1093. Ware County; nonbinding advisory referendum for the purpose of ascertaining whether the electors support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1093
cite_as: HB 1093, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1093
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1093.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1093/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72609
date: 2026-03-19
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 886
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1093.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1093
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-19
last_action: Effective Date 2026-03-19
sponsors:
  - James Burchett
  - John Corbett
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1093/2025
upstream_id: 2102371
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Ware County
  - Waycross bypass
  - local referendum
  - transportation planning
  - election law
---

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

## Text

House Bill 1093 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Burchett of the 176th and Corbett of the 174th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To provide for a nonbinding advisory referendum for the purpose of ascertaining whether the
electors of Ware County support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross; to provide
for legislative purposes and findings; to provide for a referendum; to provide for mandatory
execution of election and judicial remedies regarding failure to comply; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
(a) It is the purpose of this Act to provide for a nonbinding advisory referendum for the
purpose of ascertaining whether the electors of Ware County support a perimeter highway
bypass around Waycross.
(b) It is found, determined, and declared that the holding of the nonbinding advisory
referendum provided for in this Act is:
(1) In all respects for the benefit of the people of Ware County;
(2) A public purpose; and
(3) An essential governmental function for which public funds may be expended.
SECTION 2.
The election superintendent of Ware County shall call and conduct a nonbinding advisory
referendum election as provided in this section for the purpose of submitting this question
to the electors of Ware County to determine whether a majority of said electors support a
perimeter highway bypass around Waycross. The nonbinding advisory referendum election
shall be held on the date of the 2026 general primary, and the election superintendent shall
issue the call and conduct that election as provided by general law. The election
superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the election to be published once a week
for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof in the manner required by law. The
ballot shall have written or printed thereon the words:
"NONBINDING ADVISORY REFERENDUM
( ) YES Do you support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross?
( ) NO"
All persons desiring to vote for approval of the question shall vote "Yes," and all persons
desiring to vote for rejection of the question shall vote "No." The expense of such election
shall be borne by Ware County. It shall be the election superintendent's duty to certify the
result thereof to the Secretary of State. The provisions of this section shall be mandatory
upon the election superintendent and are not intended as directory. If the election
superintendent fails or refuses to comply with this section, any elector of Ware County may
apply for a writ of mandamus to compel the election superintendent to perform his or her
duties under this section. If the court finds that the election superintendent has not complied
with this section, the court shall fashion appropriate relief requiring the election
superintendent to call and conduct such election on the date required by this section or on the
next date authorized for special elections provided for in Code Section 21-2-540 of
the O.C.G.A.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

A bill passed by the Georgia General Assembly would require Ware County to hold a nonbinding referendum asking voters whether they support building a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross.

### Plain-language summary

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.

### What it does

- 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.

### Who it affects

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.

### Why it matters

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.

### Key provisions

- 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.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-19)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-03-19 (2026-03-19)
- Sponsors: James Burchett, John Corbett
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72609

> The history, votes, and amendments (886 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1093.md?full=1