A Georgia House bill with the effect of moving Augusta mayor and commission elections to May 20 is the first signed by Gov. Nathan Deal this year. “The General Assembly acted swiftly on this issue, and I have as well, so that local election officials and candidates can prepare,” Deal said in a statement. House Bill 310 aligns state and local nonpartisan elections, such as the mayor and commission races and two state court judgeships, and state party primaries, with the May 20 date of the federal primary, which was set by a federal judge to accommodate military voters.
The bill also moves qualifying for the local and state posts earlier, to the week of March 3.
The bill has statewide impact, and the date shift will be a significant change for Augusta voters, who have elected the city’s mayor and 10 commissioners in November since consolidation. The mayor’s post and commission districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are up for election this year.
Full Article: Governor Deal signs bill moving elections to May | The Augusta Chronicle.