HB 1489: Douglasville, City of; require candidates seeking election from a district to reside in such district for a certain amount of time prior to the date of such election

Douglasville's city charter previously required council candidates to have lived in the city for twelve months before an election, but it did not clearly require them to have lived specifically within the district they seek to represent. This bill rewrites Section 2.11 of the charter to add that requirement. Under the revised language, a person running for mayor or city council must still be at least 21 years old and have lived in the city for twelve months before the election. Now, candidates running for a council seat tied to a specific district must also have lived in that district for at least twelve months before the election. The bill states this residency rule applies to write-in candidates as well. The change takes effect once enacted, repealing any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new district residency requirement: council candidates running from a district must live in that district for at least twelve months before the election.
• Keeps the existing citywide rules that council members and the mayor must be at least 21 and have lived in the city for twelve months before the election.
• Requires council members to keep living in the city and stay registered to vote in city elections throughout their term.
• Extends the district residency requirement to write-in candidates seeking a district council seat.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these updated charter provisions.

This affects anyone running for Douglasville City Council from a specific district, including write-in candidates, as well as current and future council members and the mayor, who must meet the charter's age and residency rules.

Voters in a given Douglasville council district would be assured that their representative actually lives among them, not just somewhere in the city. Prospective candidates who recently moved into a district would need to wait twelve months before they could run for that district's seat.

• Section 1 rewrites Section 2.11 of the Douglasville city charter (originally enacted in 1999) covering city council terms and candidate qualifications.
• Sets a four-year term for city council members, who serve until successors are elected and qualified.
• Requires mayoral and council candidates to be at least 21 years old and to have lived in the city for twelve months before the election.
• Adds a new requirement that district council candidates reside in their district for at least twelve months before the election.
• Applies the same district residency rule to write-in candidates.
• Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 568
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-25Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-23Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-20House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Sylvia Baker (D, HD-064)Primary sponsor
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)
• Kimberly New (R, HD-040)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 20, 2026

   153 yea, 0 nay (14 not voting, 9 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #734

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 25, 2026

   50 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #799

• local elections
• Douglasville city charter
• candidate residency requirements
• city council