ATLANTA — Georgia voters across the state will decide on two amendments and one referendum on the 2020 general election ballot.
While some communities in Georgia will see additional ballot measures, including special local option sales taxes (SPLOST), school board funding initiatives and other measures, depending on where a voter lives, the three larger measures will be seen by voters across the state.
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What is Georgia Amendment 1?
Constitutional Amendment 1 may be listed on your ballot as "Georgia Amendment 1."
The amendment authorizes the dedication of fees and taxes to their intended purposes by general state law.
"Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate revenues derived from fees or taxes to the public purpose for which such fees or taxes were intended?"
What this means, very simply, is that money gathered from taxes and fees would be required to go toward its intended purpose -- except in the case of financial emergency.
In addition, the term "financial emergency" is defined specifically as when the total state revenue in the most recent fiscal year is 3% or more below revenue estimates or when the state has three consecutive months of declining revenues.
Finally, the governor -- by law -- will only be able to do this three times over the course of ten consecutive fiscal years.
According to Ballotpedia, a YES vote by voters during the election will support authorizing the Georgia General Assembly dedicating a tax or fee to the public purpose that the taxes or fees were intended.
Their analysis indicates that a NO vote by voters during the election opposes authorizing the Georgia General Assembly dedicating a tax or fee to the public purpose that the taxes or fees were intended.
The resolution -- House Resolution 164 -- was sponsored by a group of Republican and Democratic representatives: Rep. Jay Powell (R - 171st, Camilla), Andrew Welch (R - 110th, McDonough), Bruce Williamson (R - 115th, Monroe), Ron Stephens (R - 164th, Savannah), Robert Trammell (D - 132nd, Luthersville) and Billy Mitchell (D - 88th, Stone Mountain).
On the Senate side of the Capitol, Sen. William Ligon Jr. (R - 3rd, Brunswick) sponsored the measure.
The measure was initially passed by the Georgia General Assembly as House Resolution 164 -- first passing the House on March 3, 2020, by a vote of 164 to 4. The state Senate voted on the measure a week later -- on March 9. It passed that body by a 53-0 margin.
When will Georgia election results be announced?
The short answer is, that answer is uncertain. It's likely that some of the Georgia races will be called on election night, but tallying for others may not be finished that day.
The state has seen record early voting and absentee voting numbers, which can easy voter gridlock on election day, plus it puts voting data into computer databases more quickly.
While some counties have started opening and processing ballots, the votes can't actually be tabulated until after polls close on election day, per state law.