This is the lower house of georgias general assembly; there are 180 members.

The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Georgia General Assembly. Alongside the Georgia State Senate, it forms the legislative branch of the Georgia state government and works alongside the governor of Georgia to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Georgia House of Representatives include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The Georgia House of Representatives meets in the state capitol building in Atlanta, Georgia.

On December 30, 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed Georgia's Senate and House district maps into law. The state Senate approved its map on November 9, 2021, with a 34-21 vote followed by the state House voting 96-70 in favor on November 15, 2021.[2] The state House approved its map on Nov. 10 with a 99-79 vote followed by the state Senate voting 32-21 in favor on Nov. 12. These maps take effect for Georgia's 2022 state legislative elections. Click here for more information about redistricting after the 2020 census.

This page contains the following information on the Georgia House of Representatives.

Party control

Current partisan control

The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Georgia House of Representatives as of September 2022:

Members

Leadership

The House of Representatives elects its own speaker as well as a speaker pro tempore. In addition, there is a clerk of the House who is charged with overseeing the flow of legislation through the body. The speaker pro tempore becomes speaker in cases of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of the speaker. In such cases, the speaker pro tempore serves until a new speaker is elected.[3]

Current leadership and members

Salaries

Swearing in dates

Georgia legislators assume office the second Monday in January.[4]

Membership qualifications

Paragraph 3 of Section 2 of Article 3 of the Georgia Constitution states, "At the time of their election, the members of the House of Representatives shall be citizens of the United States, shall be at least 21 years of age, shall have been citizens of this state for at least two years, and shall have been legal residents of the territory embraced within the district from which elected for at least one year."[5]

Historical party control

From 1992 to 2020, the Georgia House of Representatives flipped from Democratic control to a Republican majority, with the chamber changing hands in the 2004 elections. Prior to 2004, the chamber had been under solid Democratic control since the years immediately following the Civil War. The partisan change in the chamber coincided with the American South's shift from nearly 175 years of Democratic dominance to being solid Republican by the early 21st century. The table below shows the partisan history of the Georgia House of Representatives following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Georgia House of Representatives election results: 1992-2020

Before 2004, Democrats had controlled the Georgia House since the end of the Civil War and Reconstruction. From 1888 to 1964, Republicans never controlled more than 10 seats in the chamber after an election. In the late 1960s, Republicans began winning around 20 seats and continued to do so until 1988, when they took 35 seats. Republicans made steady gains after 1988 and eventually won the necessary seats to claim a majority in the chamber.

From 1992 to 1998, Republicans made gains on Democrats in every election. In 2004, Republicans won 94 seats, giving them a slim majority in the chamber. They continued to win seats in 2006 and only lost one seat in 2008.

Republican numbers increased from the 2010 to 2014 elections. 2014 was the first election where Republicans won 120 seats, which is a two-thirds supermajority. However, they experienced losses in elections from 2016 to 2020, bringing them below the two-thirds mark again. The chamber's Republican gains from 2010 through 2014 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats all together.

Trifecta history

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2021, Georgia was under the following types of trifecta control:

• Democratic trifecta: 1992-2002
• Republican trifecta: 2005-2021
• Divided government: 2003-2004

Georgia Party Control: 1992-2022
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas  •  Eighteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Elections

Elections by year

Georgia state representatives serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. Georgia holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2022

Elections for the Georgia House of Representatives will take place in 2022. The general election is on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for May 24, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for June 21, 2022. A general runoff election is scheduled for December 6, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.

2020

Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 9, 2020, and a primary runoff was scheduled for August 11, 2020. A runoff election was scheduled for December 1, 2020. The filing deadline was March 6, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, the Republican majority in the Georgia House of Representatives decreased from 104-75 to 103-76 with one vacancy.

2018

Elections for the Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2018. An open primary election took place on May 22, 2018, and a primary runoff election took place on July 24, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. A general election runoff was scheduled for December 4, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 9, 2018.[6]

In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Georgia House of Representatives was reduced from 114-64 to 105-75.

2016

Elections for the Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on May 24, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 11, 2016. All 180 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Republicans held a 116-61 majority with two vacancies. Democrats gained one seat in the general election. Republicans reclaimed two seats left vacant prior to the election, giving them a 118-62 majority.

Click [show] to see election information dating back to 2000

See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2014 Elections for the Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014, with runoff elections taking place where necessary on July 22, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2014. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 118-60 majority with one vacancy. Republicans gained two seats in the election, giving them a 120-59 majority. Georgia House of Representatives Party As of November 3, 2014 After November 4, 2014      Democratic Party 60 59      Republican Party 118 120      Independent 1 1      Vacancy 1 0 Total 180 180 2012 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2012 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2012. The primary election was held on July 31, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was May 25, 2012. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2012. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 114-63 majority with two vacancies. Republicans gained five seats in the election, giving them a 119-60 majority. Georgia House of Representatives Party As of November 5, 2012 After the 2012 Election      Democratic Party 63 60      Republican Party 114 119      Independent 1 1      Vacancy 2 0 Total 180 180 The table below details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election in 2012. 2012 Margin of Victory, Georgia House of Representatives District Winner Margin of Victory Total Votes Top Opponent District 138 Mike Cheokas 1.3% 15,994 Kevin T. Brown District 105 Joyce Chandler 2.7% 20,568 Renita Hamilton District 12 Eddie Lumsden 2.9% 17,056 Barbara M. Reece District 66 Kimberly Alexander 4.7% 22,572 Bob Snelling District 111 Brian Strickland 5.9% 24,867 Bill Blackmon District 132 Carl Von Epps 7.3% 17,949 Gene King District 145 E. Culver Kidd 7.6% 18,541 Quentin T. Howell District 96 Pedro Marin 10.3% 12,328 Mark Williams District 81 Scott Holcomb 12.1% 15,562 Chris Boedeker District 101 Valerie Clark 12.5% 18,648 Timothy Swiney 2010 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2010 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives took place in 2010. The primary election was held on July 20, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was June 21, 2010. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2010. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 103-73 majority with three vacancies. Republicans gained 10 seats in the election, giving them a 113-66 majority. Georgia House of Representatives Party As of November 1, 2010 After the 2010 Election      Democratic Party 73 66      Republican Party 103 113      Independent 1 1      Vacancy 3 - Total 180 180 In 2010, the total amount of contributions raised in House campaigns was $12,388,358. The top 10 donors were:[7] 2010 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Georgia Association of Realtors $153,700 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association $147,129 Georgia Dental Association $130,050 Ralston for Representative $92,000 Georgia Medical Association $84,950 Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals $81,900 Associated General Contractors of Georgia $81,500 Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia $75,844 Georgia Hospital Association $73,300 Friends of Jan Jones $69,100 2008 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2008 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on July 15, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2008. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $12,277,303. The top 10 contributors were:[8] 2008 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Georgia Association of Realtors $168,900 Georgia Medical Association $142,550 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association $142,000 Georgia Dental Association $121,050 Georgia Hospital Association $117,531 Home Builders Association of Georgia $115,750 Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals $99,200 Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia $88,759 Eric Johnson for Senate $84,800 Georgia Optometric Association $81,700 2006 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2006 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on July 19, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $15,007,813. The top 10 contributors were:[9] 2006 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Georgia Trial Lawyers Association $176,500 Georgia Association of Realtors $155,25 Georgia Dental Association $141,300 Georgia Hospital Association $117,705 Burkhalter, Mark $104,500 Georgia Medical Association $104,000 Georgia Association of Educators $100,900 Home Builders Association of Georgia $98,000 Georgia Optometric Association $88,000 Cmte of Automobile Retail Dealers of Georgia $86,084 2004 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2004 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on July 20, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2004. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $15,667,776. The top 10 contributors were:[10] 2004 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Georgia Trial Lawyers Association $275,250 Georgia Dental Association $164,750 Georgia Association of Educators $133,250 Morris, Gregory Adam $125,000 Georgia Association of Realtors $111,975 Georgia Medical Association $99,000 Mag Mutual Insurance Co $91,050 Carter, Earl Leroy $88,803 Georgia Hospital Association $88,050 Georgia Highway Contractors Association $83,975 2002 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2002 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 20, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2002. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $13,026,625. The top 10 contributors were:[11] 2002 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Walker, Larry $216,932 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association $187,937 Georgia Dental Association $154,650 Georgia Medical Association $130,350 Georgia Association of Realtors $106,125 Coca-Cola $96,400 Georgia Association of Educators $85,300 Georgia Hospital Association $80,000 Georgia House Democratic Caucus $78,750 Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia $76,350 2000 See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2000 Elections for the office of Georgia House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on July 18, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. All 180 House seats were up for election in 2000. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to House candidates was $9,462,955. The top 10 contributors were:[12] 2000 Donors, Georgia House of Representatives Donor Amount Georgia Medical Association $129,850 Georgia Association of Realtors $109,000 Georgia Optometric Association $105,950 Georgia House Democratic Caucus $99,300 House Republican Trust of Georgia $87,900 Georgia Republican Party $86,193 Georgia Dental Association $83,250 Georgia Hospital Association $77,475 Builders PAC $71,000 Irle, Mark S $64,200

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the Georgia General Assembly, the vacant seat must be filled by a special election. The governor must declare a special election no later than 10 days after the vacancy happens. The election must be held no less than 30 days and no later than 60 days after the governor calls for the election. The counties representing the vacant district are responsible for conducting the election.[13]

District map

The state of Georgia has 180 state House districts. Each district elects one representative.

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

The map below shows this district's current boundaries, not those enacted as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle.

Georgia House of Representatives District 1<\\\><\\\>

Redistricting

In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority in each chamber is required to approve redistricting plans, which are subject to veto by the governor.[14]

The Georgia Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous. There are no similar requirements for congressional districts.[14][15]

2020

On December 30, 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed Georgia's Senate and House district maps into law. The state Senate approved its map on November 9, 2021, with a 34-21 vote followed by the state House voting 96-70 in favor on November 15, 2021.[16] The state House approved its map on Nov. 10 with a 99-79 vote followed by the state Senate voting 32-21 in favor on Nov. 12. These maps take effect for Georgia's 2022 state legislative elections.

District map after 2020 redistricting

A detailed image of the House district map can be found here. This map takes effect for Georgia's 2022 legislative elections.

2010

On March 16, 2011, the Census Bureau shipped Georgia's local census data to the governor and legislative leaders. The census data showed that the state's population had increased 18.3% between 2000 and 2010, growing to over 9.7 million residents. On August 12, 2011, Republicans released their legislative redistricting plans, and on August 16, 2011, both legislative redistricting plans cleared the House and Senate redistricting committees. The House and Senate approved their respective redistricting plans on August 18. Both chambers approved the other's plan on August 23, with the Senate voting 36-16 to approve, and the House voting 104-56 to approve.[17][18] Governor Nathan Deal signed the maps into law on August 24, 2011, and the Department of Justice pre-cleared the maps on December 23, 2011.

Sessions

Legislation

The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Georgia House of Representatives has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the House to the Senate and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

Dates of legislative sessions in Georgia by year

2022

In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 10, 2022, and adjourn on April 4, 2022.

2021

In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 11, 2021, and adjourn on March 31, 2021.

2020

In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 13, 2020, and adjourn on June 26, 2020.

Effect of coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus pandemic
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Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Georgia State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 14, 2020, through June 15, 2020. The legislature adjourned on June 26, 2020.[19][20]

2019

In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 14, 2019, through April 2, 2019.

2018

In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 8, 2018, through March 29, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, click here.

About legislative sessions in Georgia

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[27] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

Section 4 of Article III of the Georgia Constitution establishes when the Georgia General Assembly, which the House is a part of, is to meet in regular session. The General Assembly must convene annually by the second Monday in January, and its sessions can last for only forty legislative days.[28]

Legislative roles and procedures

Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, and procedures for filling membership vacancies.

Veto overrides

State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Georgia are listed below.

How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers.

How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?

Authority: Article III, Section 5, Paragraph XIII and Article V, Section 2, Paragraph IV of the Georgia Constitution.

Role in state budget

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[31]

1. In July of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year, the governor sends budget instructions to state agencies.
2. In September agencies submit their budget requests to the governor.
3. Budget hearings are held with state agencies in November.
4. In January, the governor submits his or her proposed budget to the state legislature.
5. The legislature adopts a budget in March or April, effective for the fiscal year beginning in July. A simple majority is required to pass a budget.

The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget to the legislature. In turn, the legislature must pass a balanced budget, and any budget signed into law by the governor must be balanced.[31]

Georgia is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.[31]

Committees

Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

• Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
• Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
• Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Georgia House of Representatives has 38 standing committees:

Constitutional amendments

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the Georgia Constitution can be amended:

Article X of the Georgia Constitution establishes two ways in which the constitution can be altered:

• A proposed amendment can be introduced in either the Georgia House of Representatives or the Georgia Senate.
• A proposed amendment must be approved by two-thirds of the membership of each chamber before going to the state's voters.
• The governor is explicitly forbidden from vetoing acts of the legislature to propose amendments or call conventions.
• Proposed amendments are to be voted on during general elections in even-numbered years.
• Article X establishes a Georgia Constitutional Amendments Publication Board, which is charged with ensuring that the state's voters have adequate notification that an election is to occur on a proposed amendment(s).
• The General Assembly is allowed to repeal a previous vote to put a proposed amendment on the ballot if they do so with a two-thirds vote of both chambers and at least two months before the election would have occurred.
• The state legislature can vote to put an entire new constitution on a statewide ballot, rather than just an amendment.

• Unlike in many other states, the state legislature can unilaterally call for a convention as long as two-thirds of the members of each chamber vote in favor of doing so; the people of the state do not have to be further consulted.
• Any proposed amendments or revisions arising out of a convention must be put to the state's voters.

Moreover, the Georgia Constitution contains a prohibition found in very few state constitutions that explicitly restricts the type of amendment that can be proposed. The provision states, "Only amendments which are of general and uniform applicability throughout the state shall be proposed, passed, or submitted to the people." Newly approved amendments or revisions are effective on the first day of January following their approval by the voters.

Historical context:

• A total of 84 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Georgia from 1996 to 2020.
• From 1996 through 2020, the number of measures on statewide ballots during even-numbered years ranged from two to 12.
• From 1996 through 2020, an average of seven measures appeared on the ballot in Georgia during even-numbered election years.
• Between 1996 and 2020, about 85.5% (71 of 84) of the total number of measures that appeared on statewide ballots during even-numbered years were approved, and about 15.5% percent (13 of 84) were defeated.

2023 measures:

Certified:

No measures to list

2022 measures:

Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2022 ballot by the legislature.

Certified:

1. ↑ Georgia General Assembly, "SB 1EX," accessed Nov. 16, 2021
2. ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "Constitution of the State of Georgia," accessed February 12, 2021
3. ↑ Georgia Constitution, "Article III, Section IV, Paragraph I," accessed February 12, 2021
4. ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "Constitution of the State of Georgia," accessed February 12, 2021
5. ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2018 Elections and voter registration calendar," accessed July 25, 2017
6. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia House 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed April 21, 2015
7. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia 2008 Candidates," accessed July 17, 2013
8. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia 2006 Candidates," accessed July 17, 2013
9. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia 2004 Candidates," accessed July 17, 2013
10. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia 2002 Candidates," accessed July 17, 2013
11. ↑ Follow the Money, "Georgia 2000 Candidates," accessed July 17, 2013
12. ↑ The State of Georgia, "Official Code of Georgia," accessed May 22, 2014 (Statute 21-2-544)
13. ↑ 14.0 14.1 All About Redistricting, "Georgia," accessed April 23, 2015
14. ↑ Georgia Constitution, "Article 3, Section 2," accessed April 23, 2015
15. ↑ Georgia General Assembly, "SB 1EX," accessed Nov. 16, 2021
16. ↑ Times-Herald, "Redistricting maps pass both House and Senate," August 19, 2011
17. ↑ Atlanta Business Chronicle, "Ga. lawmakers finalize new legislative district lines," August 23, 2011
18. ↑ Twitter, "Thomas Wheatley on March 12, 2020," accessed March 12, 2020
19. ↑ WALB News 10, "Latest Georgia news, sports, business and entertainment at 9:20 p.m. EDT," May 12, 2020
20. ↑ WRBL, "A preview of the 2015 Georgia legislative session," January 16, 2015
21. ↑ onlineathens.com, "Budget, education among top Georgia legislative issues," January 12, 2014
22. ↑ onlineathens.com, "Some win, some lose in Georgia legislative session," May 30, 2013
23. ↑ The Hill, "Ga. governor signs sweeping gun rights bill," April 23, 2014
24. ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "New AJC poll shows voters disapprove of Georgia’s new gun law," May 9, 2014
25. ↑ ncsl.org, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed April 21, 2015
26. ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
27. ↑ Justia, "Georgia Constitution," accessed April 21, 2015(Article III, Section 4)
28. ↑ 11 Alive, "Lawmakers: No special session for veto override, please," March 31, 2016
29. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Special Sessions," May 6, 2009
30. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2015," accessed February 5, 2021