GA Ballot Questions 101

As we prepare for the first day of early voting on Tuesday, Oct 13th, many people have questions about what’s on the ballot. Voters can review their sample ballot by signing into mvp.sos.ga.gov. At the end of that ballot you will find the 3 constitutional amendments Georgians are being asked to weigh in on. Unlike during the primary, where parties put partisan questions on the ballot to survey their voters, the constitutional amendments on this ballot are legally binding and, if passed, will amend the state constitution.

Often times, the wording of these amendments can be confusing, so below I break down what each amendment does.

Amendment 1: Increasing the Amount of Farmland Eligible for a Tax Break

Currently, if you have up to 2000 acres of farmland in GA, that you plan to use as farmland for at least 10 years, you are eligible for a Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) that allows you to pay property tax on 40% of the value of that land instead of the full fair market value. This amendment would double the amount of acreage that would be eligible to 4000 acres. Since this deals with property taxes, local governments are most impacted as they are the ones that collect those taxes. The overwhelming majority of GA farms are well below 4000 acres and this measure only applies to a very small percentage (≈2%) of farms in the state.

Amendment 2: Changes the Remaining Partisan Probate Judges to Nonpartisan

Probate judges are responsible for cases dealing with estates, wills, and conservatorships. Out of 159 counties, there are 53 counties where probate judges run as either a Democrat or Republican on the November ballot. The remaining 106 run in the nonpartisan elections (held in May at the same time as the primary). Currently it is up to the local representatives to decide whether judges run in nonpartisan races, but this amendment would bypass that process and make the remaining partisan probate judge races in the state nonpartisan races.

Amendment 3: Investing in Next-Gen 911

Emergency response technology has improved over time, but currently many parts of our state are using outdated 911 technology. This constitutional amendment would empower our state to use funds to invest in Next-Gen 911. It does not institute any new fees.

Depending on where you live, you may have additional questions on your ballot that are specific to your county, such as votes for different sales and use taxes for things like education, transportation, and property taxes.

While I will not tell people how to vote on these measures, I do hope you feel more informed when you make your decision at the ballot box.

~Dr. Jasmine Clark, Dem nominee GA-13