Bill Text: GA SB487 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Elections; provide elected municipal court judges shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-05 - Senate Read Second Time [SB487 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-SB487-Introduced.html
12 LC 28
6057
Senate
Bill 487
By:
Senator McKoon of the 29th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 21-2-139 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the authorization and conduct of nonpartisan elections, so as to provide that
elected municipal court judges shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis; to
provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 21-2-139 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
authorization and conduct of nonpartisan elections, is amended by revising the
Code section as follows:
"21-2-139.
(a)
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the
General Assembly may provide by local Act for the election in nonpartisan
elections of candidates to fill county judicial offices, offices of local school
boards, and offices of consolidated governments which are filled by the vote of
the electors of said county or political subdivision. Except as otherwise
provided in this Code section, the procedures to be employed in such nonpartisan
elections shall conform as nearly as practicable to the procedures governing
nonpartisan elections as provided in this chapter. Except as otherwise provided
in this Code section, the election procedures established by any existing local
law which provides for the nonpartisan election of candidates to fill county
offices shall conform to the general procedures governing nonpartisan elections
as provided in this chapter, and such nonpartisan elections shall be conducted
in accordance with the applicable provisions of this chapter, notwithstanding
the provisions of any existing local law. For those offices for which the
General Assembly, pursuant to this Code section, provided by local Act for
election in nonpartisan primaries and elections, such offices shall no longer
require nonpartisan primaries. Such officers shall be elected in nonpartisan
elections held and conducted in conjunction with the general primary in
even-numbered years in accordance with this chapter without a prior nonpartisan
primary. Nonpartisan elections for municipal offices shall be conducted on the
dates provided in the municipal charter.
Municipal
court judges who are elected by the vote of the electors of the municipality
shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis.
(b)
Either a political party, as defined in this chapter, or a nonpartisan municipal
executive committee duly registered with the city clerk may conduct a municipal
primary for the purpose of electing its own officials or nominating candidates
for municipal elections. Every primary held for such purpose shall be presided
over and conducted in the manner prescribed by the rules and regulations of such
party or nonpartisan municipal executive committee, not inconsistent with the
law and the rules and regulations of the State Election Board; provided,
however, that all such primaries must be conducted in such manner as to
guarantee the secrecy of the ballot.
(c)
Municipalities may provide by their charter or by ordinance that no political
party shall conduct primaries for the purpose of nominating candidates for
municipal elections; provided, however, that the existing provisions of any
charter or ordinance prohibiting primaries by political parties shall not be
repealed by this subsection."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.