Bill Text: GA HB1425 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Elections; candidates file nomination petitions for ballot access; remove requirement

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-22 - House Second Readers [HB1425 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HB1425-Introduced.html

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10 LC 28 5194

House Bill 1425

By: Representatives Benfield of the 85th and Lunsford of the 110th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, so as to remove the requirement that political body and independent candidates file nomination petitions in order to gain ballot access; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-50, relating to the duties of the Secretary of State, as follows:

"(a) The Secretary of State shall exercise all the powers granted to the Secretary of State by this chapter and shall perform all the duties imposed by this chapter, which shall include the following:

(1) To determine the forms of nomination petitions, ballots, and other forms the Secretary of State is required to determine under this chapter;

(2) To receive registration statements from political parties and bodies and to determine their sufficiency prior to filing, in accordance with this chapter, and to settle any disputes concerning such statements;

(3) To receive and determine the sufficiency of nomination petitions of candidates filing notice of their candidacy with the Secretary of State in accordance with this chapter Reserved;

(4) To certify to the proper superintendent official lists of all the political party candidates who have been certified to the Secretary of State as qualified candidates for the succeeding primary and to certify to the proper superintendent official lists of all the candidates who have filed their notices of candidacy with the Secretary of State, both such certifications to be in substantially the form of the ballots to be used in the primary or election. The Secretary of State shall add to such form the language to be used in submitting any proposed constitutional amendment or other question to be voted upon at such election;

(5) To furnish to the proper superintendent all blank forms, including tally and return sheets, numbered lists of voters, cards of instructions, notices of penalties, instructions for marking ballots, tally sheets, precinct returns, recap sheets, consolidated returns, oaths of managers and clerks, oaths of assisted electors, voters certificates and binders, applications for absentee ballots, envelopes and instruction sheets for absentee ballots, and such other supplies as the Secretary of State shall deem necessary and advisable from time to time, for use in all elections and primaries. Such forms shall have printed thereon appropriate instructions for their use;

(6) To receive from the superintendent the returns of primaries and elections and to canvass and compute the votes cast for candidates and upon questions, as required by this chapter;

(7) To furnish upon request a certified copy of any document in the Secretary of State's custody by virtue of this chapter and to fix and charge a fee to cover the cost of furnishing same;

(8) To perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law;

(9) To determine and approve the form of ballots for use in special elections;

(10) To prepare and provide a notice to all candidates for federal or state office advising such candidates of such information, to include requirements of this chapter, as may, in the discretion of the Secretary of State, be conducive to the fair, legal, and orderly conduct of primaries and elections. A copy of such notice shall be provided to each superintendent for further distribution to candidates for county and militia district offices;

(11) To conduct training sessions at such places as the Secretary of State deems appropriate in each year, for the training of registrars and superintendents of elections;

(12) To prepare and publish, in the manner provided in this chapter, all notices and advertisements in connection with the conduct of elections which may be required by law;

(13) To prepare and furnish information for citizens on voter registration and voting;

(14) To maintain the official list of registered voters for this state and the list of inactive voters required by this chapter; and

(15) To develop, program, build, and review ballots for use by counties and municipalities for use on direct recording electronic (DRE) voting systems in use in the in this state."

SECTION 2.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-51, relating to opening of election records to members of the public, as follows:

"21-2-51.

Except when otherwise provided by law, the primary and election records of the Secretary of State, including registration statements, nomination petitions, affidavits, certificates, tally papers, returns, accounts, contracts, reports, and other documents in his or her custody shall be open to public inspection and may be inspected and copied by any elector of the state during usual business hours at any time when they are not necessarily being used by the Secretary of State or his or her employees having duties to perform in reference thereto; provided, however, that such public inspection thereof shall only be in the presence of the Secretary of State or his or her employee and shall be subject to proper regulation for the safekeeping of such documents and subject to the further provisions of this chapter."

SECTION 3.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-70, relating to powers and duties of election superintendents, as follows:

"21-2-70.

Each superintendent within his or her county or municipality shall exercise all the powers granted to him or her by this chapter and shall perform all the duties imposed upon him or her by this chapter, which shall include the following:

(1) To receive and act upon all petitions presented by electors, the board of registrars, or the county executive committee of a political party for the division, redivision, alteration, change, or consolidation of precincts;

(2) To receive and determine the sufficiency of nomination petitions of candidates filing notice of their candidacy with him or her in accordance with this chapter Reserved;

(3) To prepare and publish, in the manner provided by this chapter, all notices and advertisements, in connection with the conduct of elections, which may be required by law, and to transmit immediately to the Secretary of State a copy of any publication in which a call for a special primary, election, or runoff is issued;

(4) To select and equip polling places for use in primaries and elections in accordance with this chapter;

(5) To purchase, except voting machines, preserve, store, and maintain election equipment of all kinds, including voting booths and ballot boxes and to procure ballots and all other supplies for primaries and elections;

(6) To appoint poll officers and other officers to serve in primaries and elections in accordance with this chapter;

(7) To make and issue such rules, regulations, and instructions, consistent with law, including the rules and regulations promulgated by the State Election Board, as he or she may deem necessary for the guidance of poll officers, custodians, and electors in primaries and elections;

(8) To instruct poll officers and others in their duties, calling them together in meetings whenever deemed advisable, and to inspect systematically and thoroughly the conduct of primaries and elections in the several precincts of his or her county to the end that primaries and elections may be honestly, efficiently, and uniformly conducted;

(9) To receive from poll officers the returns of all primaries and elections, to canvass and compute the same, and to certify the results thereof to such authorities as may be prescribed by law;

(10) To announce publicly, by posting in his or her office, the results of all primaries and elections held in his or her county or municipality;

(11) In any general election at which a proposal to amend the Constitution or to provide for a new Constitution is submitted to the electors for ratification, the election superintendent shall provide copies of the summary of such proposal prepared pursuant to Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution as provided in this paragraph. A reasonable number of copies of such summary shall be conspicuously available in each polling place;

(12) To prepare annually a budget estimate of his or her expenses under this chapter, in which shall be set forth an itemized list of expenditures for the preceding two years and an itemized estimate of the amount of money necessary to be appropriated for the ensuing year and to submit the same at the time and in the manner and form other budget estimates of his or her county or municipality are now or may hereafter be required to be filed;

(13) To conduct all elections in such manner as to guarantee the secrecy of the ballot and to perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law;

(14) To become certified by satisfactorily completing a certification program as set forth in Code Section 21-2-101; and

(15) To take an oath in the following form:

I, ____________________________, do swear (or affirm) that I will as superintendent duly attend the ensuing election (or primary) during the continuance thereof, that I will to the best of my ability prevent any fraud, deceit, or abuse in carrying on the same, that I will make a true and perfect return of the said election (or primary), and that I will at all times truly, impartially, and faithfully perform my duties in accordance with Georgia laws to the best of my judgment and ability."

SECTION 4.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-72, relating to primary and election records to be open to public, as follows:

"21-2-72.

Except when otherwise provided by law or court order, the primary and election records of each superintendent, registrar, municipal governing authority, and committee of a political party or body, including registration statements, nomination petitions, affidavits, certificates, tally papers, returns, accounts, contracts, reports, and other documents in official custody, except the contents of voting machines, shall be open to public inspection and may be inspected and copied by any elector of the county or municipality during usual business hours at any time when they are not necessarily being used by the custodian or his or her employees having duties to perform in reference thereto; provided, however, that such public inspection shall only be in the presence of the custodian or his or her employee and shall be subject to proper regulation for the safekeeping of such documents and subject to the further provisions of this chapter. The custodian shall also, upon request, if photocopying equipment is available in the building in which the records are housed, make and furnish to any member of the public copies of any of such records upon payment of the actual cost of copying the records requested."

SECTION 5.

Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (f) of Code Section 21-2-110, relating to filing of registration statements by political parties or bodies with the Secretary of State, as follows:

"(f) A political party, body, or municipal executive committee failing to file a registration statement as required by subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section at least 60 days before any primary or election at which it shall seek to have candidates on the ballot shall not have its name or the names of its candidates placed on any nomination petition, ballot, or ballot label."

SECTION 6.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-130, relating to procedures for qualification of candidates generally, as follows:

"21-2-130.

Candidates may qualify for an election by virtue of:

(1) Nomination in a primary conducted by a political party;

(2) Filing a nomination petition notice of candidacy either as an independent candidate or as a nominee of a political body, if duly certified by the chairperson and the secretary of the political body as having been nominated in a duly constituted political body convention as prescribed in Code Section 21-2-172;

(3) Nomination for a state-wide office by a duly constituted political body convention as prescribed in Code Section 21-2-172 if the political body making the nomination has qualified to nominate candidates for state-wide public office under the provisions of Code Section 21-2-180 Reserved;

(4) In the case of an election for presidential electors, nomination as prescribed by rules of a political party;

(5) Substitute nomination by a political party or body as prescribed in Code Sections 21-2-134 and 21-2-155, respectively; or

(6) Candidacy in a special election as prescribed in subsection (e) of Code Section 21-2-132; or

(7) Being an incumbent qualifying as a candidate to succeed such incumbent as prescribed in subsection (e) of Code Section 21-2-132."

SECTION 7.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-132, relating to filing notice of candidacy, nomination petition, and affidavit, as follows:

"21-2-132.

(a) The names of nominees of political parties nominated in a primary and the names of nominees of political parties for the office of presidential elector shall be placed on the election ballot without their filing the notice of candidacy otherwise required by this Code section.

(b) Candidates seeking election in a nonpartisan election shall comply with the requirements of subsections (c) and (f) of this Code section, as modified by subsection (g) of this Code section, by the date prescribed and shall by the same date pay to the proper authority the qualifying fee prescribed by Code Section 21-2-131 in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the nonpartisan election ballots.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this Code section, all candidates seeking election in a nonpartisan election shall file their notice of candidacy and pay the prescribed qualifying fee by the date prescribed in this subsection in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the nonpartisan election ballot by the Secretary of State or election superintendent, as the case may be, in the following manner:

(1) Each candidate for the office of judge of the superior court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or Justice of the Supreme Court, or the candidate's agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the nonpartisan election ballot shall file a notice of candidacy, giving his or her name, residence address, and the office sought, in the office of the Secretary of State no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in June immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the fourth Monday in June, notwithstanding the fact that any such days may be legal holidays; and

(2) Each candidate for a county judicial office, a local school board office, or an office of a consolidated government, or the candidate's agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the nonpartisan election ballot shall file notice of candidacy in the office of the superintendent no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in June immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the fourth Monday in June, notwithstanding the fact that any such days may be legal holidays.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this Code section, all political body and independent candidates shall file their notice of candidacy and pay the prescribed qualifying fee by the date prescribed in this subsection in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the election ballot by the Secretary of State or election superintendent, as the case may be, in the following manner:

(1) Each candidate for federal or state office, or his or her agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the election ballot shall file a notice of his or her candidacy, giving his or her name, residence address, and the office he or she is seeking, in the office of the Secretary of State no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in June immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the fourth Monday in June in the case of a general election and no earlier than the date of the call of the election and no later than 25 days prior to the election in the case of a special election;

(2) Each candidate for a county office, or his or her agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the election ballot shall file notice of his or her candidacy in the office of the superintendent of his or her county no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in June immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the fourth Monday in June in the case of a general election and no earlier than the date of the call of the election and no later than 25 days prior to the election in the case of a special election;

(3) Each candidate for municipal office or a designee shall file a notice of candidacy in the office of the municipal superintendent of such candidate's municipality during the municipality's qualifying period. Each municipal superintendent shall designate the days of the qualifying period, which shall be no less than three days and no more than five days. The days of the qualifying period shall be consecutive days. Qualifying periods shall commence no earlier than 8:30 A.M. on the last Monday in August immediately preceding the general election and shall end no later than 4:30 P.M. on the following Friday; and, in the case of a special election, the municipal qualifying period shall commence no earlier than the date of the call and shall end no later than 25 days prior to the election; and

(4)(A) In extraordinary circumstances as described in Code Section 21-2-543.1, each candidate, or his or her agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the election ballot shall file a notice of his or her candidacy, giving his or her name, residence address, and the office he or she is seeking, with the Office of the Secretary of State no earlier than the date of the call of the special election and not later than ten days after the announcement of such extraordinary circumstances.

(B) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply where, during the 75 day period beginning on the date of the announcement of the vacancy:

(i) A regularly scheduled general election for the vacant office is to be held; or

(ii) Another special election for the vacant office is to be held pursuant to a writ for a special election issued by the Governor prior to the date of the announcement of the vacancy.

The hours of qualifying each day shall be from 8:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. with one hour allowed for the lunch break; provided, however, that municipalities which have normal business hours which cover a lesser period of time shall conduct qualifying during normal business hours for each such municipality. Except in the case of a special election, notice of the opening and closing dates and the hours for candidates to qualify shall be published at least two weeks prior to the opening of the qualifying period.

(e) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this Code section, each candidate required to file a notice of candidacy by this Code section shall, no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in June immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the second Tuesday in July immediately prior to the election, file with the same official with whom he or she filed his or her notice of candidacy a nomination petition in the form prescribed in Code Section 21-2-170, except that such petition shall not be required if such candidate is:

(1) A nominee of a political party for the office of presidential elector when such party has held a national convention and therein nominated candidates for President and Vice President of the United States;

(2) Seeking office in a special election;

(3) An incumbent qualifying as a candidate to succeed such incumbent if, prior to the election in which such incumbent was originally elected to the office for which such incumbent seeks reelection, such incumbent filed a notice of candidacy and a nomination petition as required by this chapter;

(4) A candidate seeking election in a nonpartisan election; or

(5) A nominee for a state-wide office by a duly constituted political body convention, provided that the political body making the nomination has qualified to nominate candidates for state-wide public office under the provisions of Code Section 21-2-180 Reserved.

(f) Each candidate required by this Code section to file a notice of candidacy shall accompany his or her notice of candidacy with an affidavit stating:

(1) His or her full name and the name as the candidate desires it to be listed on the ballot. The surname of the candidate shall be the surname of the candidate as it appears on the candidate's voter registration card unless the candidate provides proof that his or her surname as it appears on the candidate's registration card is incorrect in which event the correct name shall be listed. After such name is submitted to the Secretary of State or the election superintendent, the form of such name shall not be changed during the election for which such notice of candidacy is submitted;

(2) His or her residence, with street and number, if any, and his or her post office address;

(3) His or her profession, business, or occupation, if any;

(4) The name of his or her precinct;

(5) That he or she is an elector of the county or municipality of his or her residence eligible to vote in the election in which he or she is a candidate;

(6) The name of the office he or she is seeking;

(7) That he or she is eligible to hold such office;

(8) That the candidate has never been convicted and sentenced in any court of competent jurisdiction for fraudulent violation of primary or election laws, malfeasance in office, or felony involving moral turpitude or conviction of domestic violence under the laws of this state or any other state or of the United States, or that the candidate's civil rights have been restored and that at least ten years have elapsed from the date of the completion of the sentence without a subsequent conviction of another felony involving moral turpitude;

(9) That he or she will not knowingly violate this chapter or rules and regulations adopted under this chapter; and

(10) Any other information as may be determined by the Secretary of State to be necessary to comply with federal and state law.

The affidavit shall contain such other information as may be prescribed by the officer with whom the candidate files his or her notice of candidacy.

(g) A pauper's affidavit may be filed in lieu of paying the qualifying fee otherwise required by this Code section and Code Sections 21-2-131 and 21-2-138 of any candidate who has filed a qualifying petition as provided for in subsection (h) of this Code section. A candidate filing a pauper's affidavit instead of paying a qualifying fee shall under oath affirm his or her poverty and his or her resulting inability to pay the qualifying fee otherwise required. The form of the affidavit shall be prescribed by the Secretary of State and shall include a financial statement which lists the total income, assets, liabilities, and other relevant financial information of the candidate and shall indicate on its face that the candidate has neither the assets nor the income to pay the qualifying fee otherwise required. The affidavit shall contain an oath that such candidate has neither the assets nor the income to pay the qualifying fee otherwise required. The following warning shall be printed on the affidavit form prepared by the Secretary of State, to wit: 'WARNING: Any person knowingly making any false statement on this affidavit commits the offense of false swearing and shall be guilty of a felony.' The name of any candidate who subscribes and swears to an oath that such candidate has neither the assets nor the income to pay the qualifying fee otherwise required shall be placed on the ballot by the Secretary of State or election superintendent, as the case may be.

(h) No candidate shall be authorized to file a pauper's affidavit in lieu of paying the qualifying fee otherwise required by this Code section and Code Section 21-2-138 unless such candidate has filed a qualifying petition which complies with the following requirements:

(1) A qualifying petition of a candidate seeking an office which is voted upon state wide shall be signed by a number of voters equal to one-fourth of 1 percent of the total number of registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for the filling of the office the candidate is seeking and the signers of such petition shall be registered and eligible to vote in the election at which such candidate seeks to be elected. A qualifying petition of a candidate for any other office shall be signed by a number of voters equal to 1 percent of the total number of registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for the filling of the office the candidate is seeking and the signers of such petition shall be registered and eligible to vote in the election at which such candidate seeks to be elected. However, in the case of a candidate seeking an office for which there has never been an election or seeking an office in a newly constituted constituency, the percentage figure shall be computed on the total number of registered voters in the constituency who would have been qualified to vote for such office had the election been held at the last general election and the signers of such petition shall be registered and eligible to vote in the election at which such candidate seeks to be elected;

(2) Each person signing a qualifying petition shall declare therein that he or she is a duly qualified and registered elector of the state entitled to vote in the next election for the filling of the office sought by the candidate supported by the petition and shall add to his or her signature his or her residence address, giving municipality, if any, and county, with street and number, if any. No person shall sign the same petition more than once. Each petition shall support the candidacy of only a single candidate. A signature shall be stricken from the petition when the signer so requests prior to the presentation of the petition to the appropriate officer for filing, but such a request shall be disregarded if made after such presentation;

(3) A qualifying petition shall be on one or more sheets of uniform size and different sheets must be used by signers resident in different counties. The upper portion of each sheet, prior to being signed by any petitioner, shall bear the name and title of the officer with whom the petition will be filed, the name of the candidate to be supported by the petition, his or her profession, business, or occupation, if any, his or her place of residence with street and number, if any, the name of the office he or she is seeking, his or her political party or body affiliation, if any, and the name and date of the election in which the candidate is seeking election. If more than one sheet is used, they shall be bound together when offered for filing if they are intended to constitute one qualifying petition, and each sheet shall be numbered consecutively, beginning with number one, at the foot of each page. Each sheet shall bear on the bottom or back thereof the affidavit of the circulator of such sheet, which affidavit must be subscribed and sworn to by such circulator before a notary public and shall set forth:

(A) His or her residence address, giving municipality with street and number, if any;

(B) That each signer manually signed his or her own name with full knowledge of the contents of the qualifying petition;

(C) That each signature on such sheet was signed within 180 days of the last day on which such petition may be filed; and

(D) That, to the best of the affiant's knowledge and belief, the signers are registered electors of the state qualified to sign the petition, that their respective residences are correctly stated in the petition, and that they all reside in the county named in the affidavit;

(4) No qualifying petition shall be circulated prior to 180 days before the last day on which such petition may be filed, and no signature shall be counted unless it was signed within 180 days of the last day for filing the same; and

(5) A qualifying petition shall not be amended or supplemented after its presentation to the appropriate officer for filing.

No notary public may sign the petition as an elector or serve as a circulator of any petition which he or she notarized. Any and all sheets of a petition that have the circulator's affidavit notarized by a notary public who also served as a circulator of one or more sheets of the petition or who signed one of the sheets of the petition as an elector shall be disqualified and rejected.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, for general elections held in the even-numbered year immediately following the official release of the United States decennial census data to the states for the purpose of redistricting of the legislatures and the United States House of Representatives, candidates in such elections shall qualify as provided in this subsection:

(1) All candidates seeking election in a nonpartisan election shall file their notice of candidacy and pay the prescribed qualifying fee by the date prescribed in this paragraph in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the nonpartisan election ballot by the Secretary of State or election superintendent, as the case may be, in the following manner:

(A) Each candidate for the office of judge of the superior court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or Justice of the Supreme Court, or the candidate's agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the nonpartisan election ballot shall file a notice of candidacy, giving his or her name, residence address, and the office sought, in the office of the Secretary of State no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the last Monday in July immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the last Monday in July, notwithstanding the fact that any such days may be legal holidays; and

(B) Each candidate for a county judicial office, a local school board office, or an office of a consolidated government, or the candidate's agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the nonpartisan election ballot shall file a notice of candidacy in the office of the superintendent no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the last Monday in July immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the last Monday in July, notwithstanding the fact that any such days may be legal holidays; and

(2) All political body and independent candidates shall file their notice of candidacy and pay the prescribed qualifying fee by the date prescribed in this paragraph in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the general election ballot by the Secretary of State or election superintendent, as the case may be, in the following manner:

(A) Each candidate for federal or state office, or his or her agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the general election ballot shall file a notice of his or her candidacy, giving his or her name, residence address, and the office he or she is seeking, in the office of the Secretary of State no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the last Monday in July immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the last Monday in July; and

(B) Each candidate for a county office, or his or her agent, desiring to have his or her name placed on the general election ballot shall file notice of his or her candidacy in the office of the superintendent of his or her county no earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the last Monday in July immediately prior to the election and no later than 12:00 Noon on the Friday following the last Monday in July; and

(3) Candidates required to file nomination petitions under subsection (e) of this Code section shall file such petitions not earlier than 9:00 A.M. on the fourth Monday in July immediately prior to the general election and not later than 12:00 Noon on the first Monday in August immediately prior to the general election.

(j)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any elected public officer who is performing ordered military duty, as defined in Code Section 38-2-279, shall be eligible for reelection in any primary or general election which may be held to elect a successor for the next term of office, and may qualify in absentia as a candidate for reelection to such office. The performance of ordered military duty shall not create a vacancy in such office during the term for which such public officer was elected.

(2) Where the giving of written notice of candidacy is required, any elected public officer who is performing ordered military duty may deliver such notice by mail, agent, or messenger to the proper elections official. Any other act required by law of a candidate may, during the time such officer is on ordered military duty, be performed by an agent designated in writing by the absent public officer.

(k) Only those candidates whose notices of candidacy are accompanied by a certificate sworn to by the chairperson and secretary of a political body duly registered with the Secretary of State as required by Code Section 21-2-110, stating that the named candidate is the nominee of that political body by virtue of being nominated in a convention as prescribed in Code Section 21-2-172, shall be listed on the ballot under the name of the political body. All petition candidates not so designated as the nominee of a political body shall be listed on the ballot as an independent."

SECTION 8.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-138, relating to nonpartisan elections for judicial offices, as follows:

"21-2-138.

The names of all candidates who have qualified with the Secretary of State for the office of judge of a superior court, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or Justice of the Supreme Court of this state and the names of all candidates who have qualified with the election superintendent for the office of judge of a state court shall be placed on the ballot in a nonpartisan election to be held and conducted jointly with the general election in each even-numbered year. No candidates for any such office shall be nominated by a political party or by a petition as a candidate of a political body or as an independent candidate. Candidates for any such office shall have their names placed on the nonpartisan portion of each ballot by complying with the requirements prescribed in Code Section 21-2-132 specifically related to such nonpartisan candidates and by paying the requisite qualifying fees as prescribed in Code Section 21-2-131. Candidates shall be listed on the official ballot in a nonpartisan election as provided in Code Sections 21-2-284.1 and 21-2-285.1, respectively. Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, the procedures to be employed in conducting the nonpartisan election of judges of state courts, judges of superior courts, Judges of the Court of Appeals, and Justices of the Supreme Court shall conform as nearly as practicable to the procedures governing general elections; and such general election procedures as are necessary to complete this nonpartisan election process shall be adopted in a manner consistent with such nonpartisan elections."

SECTION 9.

Said chapter is further amended by repealing and reserving Code Section 21-2-170, relating to nomination of candidates by petition.

SECTION 10.

Said chapter is further amended by repealing and reserving Code Section 21-2-171, relating to examination of petitions.

SECTION 11.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-172, relating to nomination of presidential electors and candidates of political bodies by convention, as follows:

"21-2-172.

(a) Any political party desiring to nominate its presidential electors state-wide candidates for public office by state-wide convention, or its local candidates for public office by local convention and any political body desiring to nominate its candidates qualifying with petitions for public office by convention, and any political body desiring to nominate its candidates for state-wide public office by convention by virtue of qualifying under Code Section 21-2-180 shall, through its state executive committee, adopt rules and regulations in conformity with this Code section governing the holding of such conventions for the nomination of candidates for any state, district, or county office. Such rules and regulations shall be filed with the Secretary of State, and no amendment to such rules and regulations shall be effective unless filed with the Secretary of State at least 30 days prior to the date of such convention. The state party or body chairperson of such political party or body and its secretary shall accompany the filing of such rules and regulations with their certificate certifying that the rules and regulations therein filed are a true and correct copy of the rules and regulations of the party pertaining to the nomination of candidates by the convention method.

(b) The Secretary of State shall examine all such rules and all amendments thereto as shall be filed with him or her within 15 days after receipt thereof. If, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, any rule or regulation, or any part thereof, does not meet the requirements prescribed by this Code section, he or she shall notify the state party or body chairperson and secretary of such party or body in writing, stating therein his or her reasons for rejecting such rule or regulation. If, in the judgment of the Secretary of State, such rules and regulations meet the requirements prescribed by this Code section, they shall be approved.

(c) The Secretary of State shall not approve any such rules or regulations unless they provide:

(1) That a notice of the proposed date for the holding of any such convention must be published in a newspaper having a general circulation within the area to be affected at least ten days prior to the date of any such convention. Such notice shall also state the purpose for which the convention has been called;

(2) That delegates to the convention shall be certified pursuant to appropriate party or body rules by the proper party or body officials;

(3) That delegates to the convention shall be apportioned in such manner as will properly reflect the number of electors residing within the political subdivisions or areas affected in accordance with the last United States decennial census, or apportioned according to the number of votes received by the party's candidate for the office of President of the United States in the last presidential election in the areas concerned, or apportioned according to the number of votes received by the party's candidate for the office of Governor of Georgia in the last gubernatorial election in the areas concerned;

(4) In the event that more than one county is involved, each county shall have at least one delegate to the convention, and such additional delegates as shall be allotted thereto shall be apportioned according to paragraph (3) of this subsection; and

(5) That a certified copy of the minutes of the convention, attested to by the chairperson and secretary of the convention, must shall be filed by the nominee with his or her notice of candidacy.

(d) Any candidate nominated by convention shall be required to pay to the person with whom he or she files his or her notice of candidacy the same qualifying fee or the same pauper's affidavit and qualifying petition as that required of other candidates for the same office.

(e) A convention for the purpose of nominating candidates shall be held at least 150 days prior to the date on which the general election is conducted; provided, however, that, in the case of a general election held in the even-numbered year immediately following the official release of the United States decennial census data to the states for the purpose of redistricting of the legislatures and the United States House of Representatives, the convention shall be held at least 120 days prior to the date on which the general election is conducted.

(f) Nothing contained within this Code section shall be construed so as to apply to the nomination of substitute candidates by convention pursuant to Code Section 21-2-134 or to the nomination of candidates in special elections."

SECTION 12.

Said chapter is further amended by repealing Part 4 of Article 4, relating to nomination of candidates of political bodies for state-wide public office by convention.

SECTION 13.

Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (d) of Code Section 21-2-285, relating to form of official election ballot, as follows:

"(d) Unless a candidate has filed with his or her nominating petition notice of candidacy a certificate from a political party or body attesting that such candidate is the nominee of such party or body by virtue of having been nominated in a duly constituted party or body convention, the candidate's name shall appear on the ballot under the as an independent column."

SECTION 14.

Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (d) of Code Section 21-2-379.5, relating to ballot information, as follows:

"(d) Unless a candidate has filed with his or her nominating petition notice of candidacy a certificate from a political party or body attesting that such candidate is the nominee of such party or body by virtue of having been nominated in a duly constituted party or body convention, the candidate's name shall appear on the ballot as an independent."

SECTION 15.

Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (f) of Code Section 21-2-480, relating to caption for ballots, as follows:

"(f) Unless a candidate has filed with his or her nominating petition notice of candidacy a certificate from a political party or body attesting that such candidate is the nominee of such party or body by virtue of having been nominated in a duly constituted party or body convention, the candidate's name shall appear on the ballot as an independent."

SECTION 16.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-563, relating to improper signing or alteration of nomination petitions or affidavits, as follows:

"21-2-563.

Any person who knowingly and willfully:

(1) Signs any nomination qualifying petition without having the qualifications prescribed by this chapter;

(2) Sets any false statement opposite the signature on a nomination qualifying petition;

(3) Signs more nomination petitions than permitted by this chapter Reserved;

(4) Makes a false statement in any affidavit required by this chapter to be appended to or to accompany a nomination qualifying petition;

(5) Signs any name not his or her own to any nomination qualifying petition; or

(6) Materially alters any nomination qualifying petition without the consent of the signers

shall be guilty of a felony."

SECTION 17.

Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-564, relating to willful destruction, fraudulent filing, or suppression of nomination materials, as follows:

"21-2-564.

Any person who willfully makes any false nomination certificate or defaces or destroys any nomination qualifying petition, nomination certificate, or nomination paper, or letter of withdrawal, knowing the same, or any part thereof, to be made falsely, or suppresses any nomination qualifying petition, nomination certificate, or nomination paper, or any part thereof, which has been duly filed shall be guilty of a felony."

SECTION 18.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.