HB 1508: Pembroke, City of; election and terms for mayor and city council members; revise provisions

This bill amends the charter of the City of Pembroke, which the Georgia General Assembly has revised before, most recently in 2025. It rewrites Section 4 to reset the city's election calendar for mayor and five city council members. Under the bill, the next general election for mayor and all five council seats would happen in November 2027, with winners taking office in January 2028. Council members elected from Districts 1, 3, and 5 in that election would serve an initial two-year term, while the mayor and the Districts 2 and 4 council members would serve four-year terms. After that transition, every mayor and council member elected would serve a standard four-year term. General elections would continue to be held in odd-numbered years, and officials currently serving would finish out the terms they were already elected to.

• Sets the next general election for Pembroke's mayor and all five city council members for November 2027, with the winners taking office in January 2028.
• Gives council members elected from Districts 1, 3, and 5 in 2027 a shorter initial two-year term instead of the standard term.
• Gives the mayor and council members from Districts 2 and 4 elected in 2027 a four-year term.
• Establishes that after the 2027 election, all future mayors and council members serve four-year terms.
• Keeps general elections on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd-numbered years, with officials taking office the following January.
• Allows current Pembroke officials to finish serving the terms they were already elected to under prior law.

This bill affects residents and voters of the City of Pembroke, Georgia, along with the city's mayor and five city council members whose election dates and term lengths are being restructured.

Pembroke voters would see a staggered transition where some council seats have shorter terms before the city settles into uniform four-year terms for all elected officials starting after the 2027 election, changing how often residents vote for city leadership.

• Section 1 rewrites Section 4 of Pembroke's charter Act (originally from 1985, amended in 2025) to reset the election and term structure.
• The next general election for mayor and five council members is set for November 2027, with officials taking office in January 2028.
• Council members from Districts 1, 3, and 5 elected in 2027 get an initial two-year term; the mayor and Districts 2 and 4 council members get four-year terms.
• Starting after the 2027 election, all mayor and council positions revert to standard four-year terms.
• General elections continue in odd-numbered years, and current officeholders finish out their existing terms.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 575
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-19Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-16Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-12House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)Primary sponsor
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 12, 2026

   158 yea, 0 nay (10 not voting, 8 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #697

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 19, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #745

• local government
• city elections
• Pembroke Georgia
• municipal terms of office