HB 608: Muscogee County; School District; revise how vacancies on board of education are filled

The Muscogee County School District is governed by a 1949 local law that spells out how the board of education operates, including what happens when a seat becomes vacant. This bill rewrites the vacancy-filling rules in that law. Under the new language, if a vacancy happens more than 90 days before a general election that precedes the election for a new full term, a special election must be held on that earlier general election date to fill the remaining time in the term, and the board appoints someone temporarily until the winner takes office. If the vacancy happens 90 days or fewer before that election, the board simply appoints someone by majority vote to serve out the rest of the term, with no special election. Anyone filling the seat must meet the same qualifications as an elected board member, and the county election superintendent must call any required special election within 30 days of the vacancy being confirmed, following Georgia's election law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 2 of Title 21).

• Rewrites subsection (g) of Section 5 of the 1949 Muscogee County School District Act to change how board vacancies are filled.
• Requires a special election when a vacancy occurs more than 90 days before the relevant general election, held on that same election date.
• Allows the remaining board members to appoint a replacement by majority vote when a vacancy occurs 90 days or fewer before that election, avoiding a special election.
• Requires anyone filling a vacancy, by election or appointment, to meet the same qualifications as someone elected to a full term.
• Directs the Muscogee County election superintendent to call any required special election within 30 days of the vacancy being established.
• Requires special elections to follow Georgia's election law, the Georgia Election Code (O.C.G.A. Chapter 2 of Title 21).

Members and prospective members of the Muscogee County Board of Education, voters within the school district, and the Muscogee County election superintendent, who is responsible for calling any special elections needed to fill vacant board seats.

The timing rule determines whether Muscogee County voters get a say in filling a school board vacancy through a special election or whether the remaining board simply appoints someone to finish the term, affecting how quickly seats are filled and how much public input occurs.

• Section 1 revises subsection (g) of Section 5 of the 1949 Act creating the Muscogee County School District.
• Paragraph (1)(A) requires a special election when a vacancy arises more than 90 days before the relevant general election, held concurrently with that election.
• Paragraph (1)(B) allows board appointment by majority vote, without a special election, when a vacancy arises 90 days or fewer before that election.
• Paragraph (2) requires anyone filling a vacancy to meet the same qualifications as someone elected to a full term, and ties the geographic scope of any special election to the district or sub-district of the vacant seat.
• Paragraph (3) requires the Muscogee County election superintendent to call a special election within 30 days of a confirmed vacancy, under the Georgia Election Code (O.C.G.A. Chapter 2 of Title 21).
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date
2. 2025-05-13Act 155
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-18Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-04House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Tremaine Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2025

   172 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 2 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #148

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 18, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #235

• school board elections
• Muscogee County
• local legislation
• special elections
• education governance