10 LC 28
5050
House
Bill 1141
By:
Representative Reese of the
98th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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 reduce the number of petition
signatures required for ballot access by political body and independent
candidates for public office; to provide for related matters; to provide an
effective date; 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 (b) of Code Section
21-2-170, relating to nomination of candidates by petition, as
follows:
"(b)
A nomination petition of a candidate seeking an office which is voted upon state
wide 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
not fewer than
5,000 voters, 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 nomination petition of a candidate for any
other office shall be signed by a number of voters equal to 5 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
or 5,000
voters, whichever is less, 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."
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laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.