---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-5-7. Initiation of complaints.
collection: code
id: 21-5-7
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-5-7 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-7
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-7.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-7/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=7e748c96_0#page=98
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-6.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-7.1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: Effective January 1, 2026.
in_force: true
other_versions:
  - version: Effective until January 1, 2026.
    in_force: false
    md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-7.md?version=until+January+1%2C+2026
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ELECTIONS / GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE / GENERAL PROVISIONS
extraction_warnings:
  - bound_version_dropped:None
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-5-7. Initiation of complaints.

(a) The commission shall not initiate any investigation or inquiry into any matter under its jurisdiction based upon the complaint of any person, including a staff attorney employed by the commission, unless that person or staff attorney shall produce the same in writing and verify the same under oath to the best information, knowledge, and belief of such person, the falsification of which shall be punishable as false swearing under Code Section 16-10-71.

(b) The person against whom any complaint is made shall be furnished by hand delivery or statutory overnight delivery or mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy of the complaint by the commission within two business days of the commission’s receipt of such complaint and prior to any other public dissemination of such complaint.

(c) The commission shall not accept or reject a complaint made, nor issue a complaint on its own cognizance, against a candidate in the 60 days immediately prior to an election in which such candidate is seeking nomination for election or election.

## History

Code 1981, § 21-5-7, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 957, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 297, § 6; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1619, § 6; Ga. L. 2005, p. 859, § 6/HB 48; Ga. L. 2022, p. 3, § 6/SB 120; Ga. L. 2025, p. 749, § 1/SB 199, effective January 1, 2026.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, designated the existing provisions of this Code section as subsections (a) and (b) and added subsection (c).

## Delayed Effective Date

Code Section 21-5-7 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.