11 LC
34 3052
House
Bill 632
By:
Representatives Murphy of the
120th,
Howard of the
121st,
Frazier of the
123rd,
and Smith of the
122nd
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To
amend an Act providing for the consolidation of Richmond County and the City of
Augusta, approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, so as to
provide for partisan elections for the mayor and members of the Augusta-Richmond
County Commission; to provide for preclearance under the federal Voting Rights
Act of 1965; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
An
Act providing for the consolidation of Richmond County and the City of Augusta,
approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, is amended by
revising paragraph (1) of subsection (d) in Section 3 as follows:
"(d)(1)
Except as otherwise provided in this section, all primaries and elections for
the mayor and members of the commission shall be in accordance with the
provisions of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the O.C.G.A., known as the 'Georgia
Election Code,' as now or hereafter amended. Beginning on the effective date of
this Act, all primaries and elections for such offices shall be conducted on a
partisan basis, and candidates in any such primary or election shall be listed
on the ballot according to party affiliation. Any person who is a registered
voter of Richmond County shall be eligible to vote in any election under this
section."
SECTION
2.
The
governing authority of Augusta-Richmond County shall, through its legal counsel,
cause this Act to be submitted for preclearance under the federal Voting Rights
Act of 1965, as amended; and such submission shall be made to the United States
Department of Justice or filed with the appropriate court no later than 45 days
after the date on which this Act is approved by the Governor or otherwise
becomes law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.