---
title: HB 1557. Fayette County; board of elections; revise composition
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1557
cite_as: HB 1557, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1557
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1557.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1557/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74108
date: 2026-05-12
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: 898
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1557.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1557
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-12
last_action: Effective Date 2026-05-12
sponsors:
  - Karen Mathiak
  - Josh Bonner
  - Debra Bazemore
  - Derrick Jackson
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1557/2025
upstream_id: 2134576
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Fayette County government
  - election administration
  - local elections board
  - county appointments
---

# HB 1557. Fayette County; board of elections; revise composition

## Text

House Bill 1557 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Mathiak of the 82nd, Bonner of the 73rd, Bazemore of the 69th, and
Jackson of the 68th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend an Act to provide for the re-creation of the board of elections for Fayette County,
approved March 24, 1994 (Ga. L. 1994, p. 3712), so as to revise the composition of the
board; to revise provisions for appointment of board members; to provide for initial terms;
to provide for current board members to serve out the terms to which they were appointed;
to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
An Act to provide for the re-creation of the board of elections for Fayette County, approved
March 24, 1994 (Ga. L. 1994, p. 3712), is amended by revising Section 2 as follows:
"SECTION 2.
(a) The board of elections shall be composed of five members, each of whom shall be at
least 21 years of age and an elector of Fayette County and each of whom shall be appointed
as provided in this section. Except as provided for in subsection (f) of this section, each
member of the board shall serve terms of four years and until their successors are duly
appointed and qualified. Terms of office shall begin on the first day of February following
the expiration of the immediately preceding term of office.
(b) Four members shall be appointed by the governing authority of Fayette County from
nominations as follows:
(1) Two members shall be appointed from a list of nominees provided by the chairperson
of the county executive committee of the political party whose candidates at the last
preceding general election received the largest number of votes in this state for members
of the General Assembly; and
(2) Two members shall be appointed from a list of nominees provided by the chairperson
of the county executive committee of the political party whose candidates at such election
received the next largest number of votes.
Each nominee by the political parties shall be made and certified as follows: the member
shall be nominated by the chairperson and ratified by the county executive committee of
each of the above designated political parties at least 40 days before the beginning of the
term of office, or within 40 days after the creation of a vacancy in the office, and the
certification of the nomination of each member shall be made by the executive committee
filing an affidavit with the governing authority. The governing authority shall then certify
such appointment of the member such governing authority appoints from such list of
nominees to the clerk of the superior court as provided in this section.
(c) The fifth member of the board shall be appointed by the governing authority of Fayette
County without such individual having been nominated pursuant to subsection (b) of this
section. The appointment of the fifth member of the board shall be made at least 30 days
before the beginning of his or her term of office, or within 30 days after the creation of a
vacancy in the office, and the governing authority shall certify such appointment to the
clerk of the superior court as provided in this section no later than 20 days preceding the
date on which such member is to take office, stating the name and residential address of
the person appointed and certifying that such member has been duly selected and appointed
as provided in this section.
(d) If the nomination of any such member of the board of elections by the political parties
is not made as provided in this section, such member shall be appointed forthwith by the
governing authority of Fayette County and, within five days after such appointment,
certified as provided in this Act.
(e) Those members of the board serving on the effective date of this section shall serve out
the terms to which they were appointed. The current member selected by the governing
authority of the county shall have his or her successor selected as provided for in
subsection (b) of this section.
(f) The initial fourth and fifth members of the board appointed pursuant to this section
shall be appointed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section with one such member being
nominated by each respective political party. Such members shall be appointed to initial
terms ending on January, 31, 2028."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
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.

House Bill 1557 changes how Fayette County's board of elections is put together, expanding it to five members and revising how the county's governing authority and political parties appoint them.

### Plain-language summary

Fayette County's board of elections has been governed by a 1994 state law setting out how its members are chosen. This bill rewrites that law's Section 2 to restructure the board. Instead of the previous makeup, the board will now have five members, each at least 21 years old and a Fayette County voter, serving four-year terms starting February 1 after the prior term ends.
Four members will be appointed by the county's governing authority from nominee lists submitted by the two political parties whose candidates got the most and second-most votes in the last general election for the General Assembly, two nominees from each party. A fifth member is appointed directly by the governing authority without a party nomination. Current board members finish out their existing terms, and the new fourth and fifth members get initial terms ending January 31, 2028. The law takes effect once signed by the Governor or otherwise enacted.

### What it does

- Restructures the Fayette County board of elections to have five members instead of the prior composition, each at least 21 and a county elector.
- Requires four members to be appointed by the county governing authority from nominee lists submitted by the two leading political parties, two nominees per party.
- Allows the governing authority to appoint a fifth member directly, without a party nomination process.
- Sets four-year terms starting February 1 after the previous term ends, with specific deadlines (40 days for party nominees, 30 days for the fifth member) for certifying appointments before a term or vacancy.
- Lets current board members finish the terms they were already appointed to, while setting initial terms ending January 31, 2028 for the new fourth and fifth members.
- Makes the law effective upon the Governor's signature or otherwise becoming law without signature.

### Who it affects

Fayette County residents and voters, the Fayette County board of elections and its members, the county's governing authority, the clerk of the superior court, and the local executive committees of the two leading political parties, who all play roles in appointing or certifying board members.

### Why it matters

The changes determine who controls the makeup of the body that runs elections in Fayette County, including how political parties influence appointments and how quickly vacancies must be filled, which affects public confidence in and accountability of local election administration.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 rewrites Section 2 of the 1994 Fayette County elections board law to set a five-member board with age and residency qualifications and four-year terms beginning February 1.
- Subsection (b) requires the county governing authority to appoint four members from party-nominated lists, two nominees each from the top two parties by vote count in the last General Assembly election.
- Subsection (c) allows a fifth member to be appointed directly by the governing authority, with certification to the clerk of superior court at least 20 days before the term begins.
- Subsection (d) requires immediate appointment by the governing authority if a party fails to nominate a member as required.
- Subsection (e) lets current board members finish their existing terms under the old rules, transitioning to the new system as terms end.
- Subsection (f) sets initial terms for the new fourth and fifth members, ending January 31, 2028.
- Section 2 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without approval.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-05-12)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-05-12 (2026-05-12)
- Sponsors: Karen Mathiak, Josh Bonner, Debra Bazemore, Derrick Jackson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74108

> The history, votes, and amendments (898 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1557.md?full=1