MOULTRIE – A Georgia law effective in May of this year states any county that did not have a board of elections and registration, must create one no later than Dec. 15. Colquitt County is one of 13 counties that does not have a board of elections.

At Tuesday night’s county commission meeting, the commissioners adopted an ordinance to create a board of elections and registration for Colquitt County.

Earlier this year, County Administrator Chas Cannon brought the issue before the county commissioners. He said that he and County Attorney Lester Castellow had met with Probate Judge Wes Lewis, who’s currently in charge of election proceedings, and the staff in the registrar’s office to come up with recommendations.

Cannon and Castellow’s recommendations were that the board of elections be comprised of three people who will be selected by the board of commissioners. The board of elections members will serve four-year terms with provision for the first term to be less or more to incorporate staggered terms. They will be W-2 employees of the county, receiving $60 per month and will hold monthly meetings.

“Basically, the reason for this is Colquitt County is one of only 13 counties in the state where our probate court judge serves as the Superintendent of Elections,” Castellow explained. “And the purpose of this law is to say, ‘Every county in the state has got to have a board of elections.’ And it basically, combines what Wes use to do, as the superintendent of elections, and what Paula McCullough has done as the registrar.”

According to the Georgia Code, “Each such board of elections and registration shall assume the duties of the county’s election superintendent, shall have the powers and duties of the election superintendent relating to the conduct of primaries and elections, and shall have the powers and duties of a board of registrars relating to the registration of voters and absentee balloting procedures beginning on January 1, 2025.”

Cannon said that Lewis and the registrar’s office would assist with the transition to the board of elections.

Lewis said, “As far as the board of elections goes, the County Commission will be appointing a three-member board of registration and elections. This will take over the registrar’s office. The Board will appoint a supervisor, who will oversee all election operations.”

Advertisements for the appointments will be posted on Oct. 1 with selections to be made on Nov. 5. The board of elections and registration will become active on Jan. 1, 2025.

“It mirrors the Board of Assessors for the most part,” said Cannon.