HB 1587: Cobb County; abolish office of elected county surveyor; provide appointment

Cobb County currently elects its county surveyor, an office responsible for official land surveying duties in the county. This bill uses authority granted under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 36-7-2.1) to end that elected office as of January 1, 2029. After that date, the Cobb County governing authority (the county commission) will appoint a qualified person to serve as county surveyor instead of having voters choose one. The appointing resolution can set a term length; if it does not, the surveyor serves an indefinite term at the pleasure of the governing authority, and future successors are appointed the same way. Anyone appointed must meet the same qualifications already required of elected county surveyors under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 36-7-2). The bill takes effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.

• Abolishes the elected office of county surveyor in Cobb County effective January 1, 2029.
• Shifts the selection method for county surveyor from a countywide election to appointment by the Cobb County governing authority.
• Allows the governing authority to set a fixed term in the appointing resolution, or default to an indefinite term at its pleasure.
• Requires future successors to be appointed the same way, ending elections for this office going forward.
• Requires any appointed surveyor to meet the same qualifications currently required of elected surveyors under state law (O.C.G.A. § 36-7-2).

Cobb County voters, who will no longer elect a county surveyor after 2029; the Cobb County governing authority, which gains appointment power; current and future candidates for the office of county surveyor; and anyone relying on official land surveys in Cobb County.

Once this takes effect, Cobb County residents will no longer vote for their county surveyor. Instead, the county commission will pick and can remove that official at will, changing who holds accountability for surveying decisions from the electorate to elected commissioners.

• Section 1 abolishes the elected office of Cobb County surveyor as of January 1, 2029, citing the authority in O.C.G.A. § 36-7-2.1.
• Section 1 directs the Cobb County governing authority to appoint a qualified person to the office after that date.
• Section 1 lets the appointing resolution set a term, defaulting to an indefinite term at the governing authority's pleasure if it does not.
• Section 1 requires appointees to meet the qualifications in O.C.G.A. § 36-7-2(b)(1).
• Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill otherwise becoming law.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 688
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)Primary sponsor
• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)
• Sheila Jones (D, HD-060)
• Lisa Campbell (D, HD-035)
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   153 yea, 0 nay (20 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #772

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

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

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927

• Cobb County government
• local elections
• county surveyor
• appointed officials