What steps are required to consolidate counties in Georgia?

What steps are required to consolidate counties in Georgia?

• A. Passage of an act in the General Assembly and approval by a majority vote in each county.
• B. Voter referendum only within the two counties involved.
• C. Governor's executive order without legislative involvement.
• D. Local referendum without state approval.

Answer: (A)

In Georgia, changing the status or boundaries of counties requires both state authorization and local consent. The General Assembly must pass a law authorizing the consolidation, and once that law exists, voters in each of the counties involved must approve the consolidation by a majority vote. This two-step process ensures the change has formal state approval and is supported by residents in every affected county. Voter referendum alone isn’t enough because there must be a statutory framework enacted by the legislature to authorize the consolidation. A governor’s executive order cannot unilaterally create or dissolve counties, since that power is not vested in the executive. A local referendum without state approval also fails because the change affects county boundaries and governance at the state level, requiring legislative authorization.

In Georgia, changing the status or boundaries of counties requires both state authorization and local consent. The General Assembly must pass a law authorizing the consolidation, and once that law exists, voters in each of the counties involved must approve the consolidation by a majority vote. This two-step process ensures the change has formal state approval and is supported by residents in every affected county.

Voter referendum alone isn’t enough because there must be a statutory framework enacted by the legislature to authorize the consolidation. A governor’s executive order cannot unilaterally create or dissolve counties, since that power is not vested in the executive. A local referendum without state approval also fails because the change affects county boundaries and governance at the state level, requiring legislative authorization.