Substitute
Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Voter Registration & Elections
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All Districts
Establishing Qualifying Fees for Public Office
Body
Information Contact: Erica Hamilton, Voter Registration and Elections
Phone Number: 404.298.4040
PURPOSE:
To set the qualifying fees for each county office to be filled in the upcoming primaries and elections as required by O.C.G.A. § 21-2-131.
NEED/IMPACT:
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-131 requires the governing authority of any county, not later than February 1 of any year in which a primary, nonpartisan election, or general election is to be held, to fix and publish a qualifying fee for each county office to be filled in the upcoming primary or election.
County Commissioners and Chairs
Qualifying fees to run for the offices of Chief Executive Officer and Board of Commissioners must be set at 3% of the base salary set pursuant to the 2018 Salary Ordinance. For purposes of calculating the qualifying fees for these offices, base salaries are not adjusted to include supplements, cost-of-living increases, or longevity increases.
Constitutional County Officers and Magistrates
Qualifying fees to run for the offices of superior court clerk, probate judge, sheriff, tax commissioner and chief magistrate must be set at 3% of the minimum base salary specified by state law based on the county’s 2010 population. For purposes of calculating the qualifying fees for these offices, base salaries are not adjusted to include supplements, cost-of-living increases, or longevity increases.
All Other Elected County Officers
Qualifying fees to run for the office of solicitor, state court judge, and school board member is 3% of the total gross salary of the office paid in 2019, including all supplements authorized by law. If the elected official is not paid a salary, the commissioners must set a fee that is not more than 3 percent of the income that the elected official earned from the office in 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fees collected by the county superintendent are applied to the cost of holding the elections, except that a portion of fees paid by a person qualifying as a candidate of a political party are paid to the political party as set forth in O.C. G.A. § 21-2-131.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
To approve and set the qualifying fees for each county office to be filled in the upcoming elections as set forth in the attached schedule.
Office Salary Qualifying Fee
Chief Executive Office $166,478.40 $4,994.35
Board of Commissioners $ 64,741.60 $1,942.25
Chief Magistrate $109,425.84 $3,282.78
Clerk of Superior Court $109,425.84 $3,282.78
Sheriff $114,040.36 $3,421.21
Tax Commissioner $109,425.84 $3,282.78
Solicitor $167,614.80 $5,028.44
Probate Judge $109,425.84 $3,282.78
Judge, State Court of DeKalb County $167,614.80 $5,028.44
Associate Judge, State Court of DeKalb (Traffic Division) $148,990.92 $4,469.73
Board of Education $ 18,000.00 $ 540.00