HB 1120: Union County; governing authority; change from a sole commissioner to a five-member board of commissioners; provide advisory referendum

Union County is currently run by a single elected commissioner rather than a multi-member board, which is the setup used in many other Georgia counties. This bill does not change that structure by itself. Instead it requires the county's election superintendent to hold an advisory referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, asking voters a yes-or-no question: should the county's governing authority change from a sole commissioner to a five-member board of commissioners? The bill spells out the exact ballot language, requires the election to be publicly advertised for two weeks beforehand, and puts the cost on Union County. It also makes the election superintendent's duty to hold the vote mandatory, allowing any Union County voter to sue for a court order (a writ of mandamus) forcing the election to happen if the superintendent does not comply.

• Requires Union County's election superintendent to hold an advisory referendum on November 3, 2026 on changing the county's government structure.
• Sets the exact ballot wording asking voters whether to switch from a sole commissioner to a five-member board of commissioners.
• Requires the election to be publicly advertised once a week for two weeks before the vote.
• Assigns the cost of holding the election to Union County and requires results be certified to the Secretary of State.
• Allows any Union County voter to seek a court order compelling the election superintendent to conduct the vote if they fail to do so.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the Act.

Registered voters in Union County, who will decide the referendum question; the Union County election superintendent, who must organize and pay for the vote; and county government officials, whose future structure could depend on the outcome.

The vote itself would not change Union County's government, since the referendum is only advisory, but a strong result could pressure the General Assembly to later pass a law restructuring the county from one commissioner to a five-member board, changing how local decisions get made.

• Section 1 states the legislature's finding that the referendum serves a public purpose and is an essential governmental function justifying public funds.
• Section 2 requires the election superintendent to call and hold the referendum on November 3, 2026 and specifies the required ballot language.
• Section 2 requires two weeks of published notice before the election and places the election's cost on Union County.
• Section 2 makes the superintendent's duty to hold the election mandatory and allows a voter to seek a writ of mandamus, a court order forcing compliance, if the superintendent fails to act.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-06-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 660
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-03Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-20House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2026

   162 yea, 0 nay (9 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #537

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

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

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #600

• local government
• county commissioners
• Union County
• election referendum
• government structure