General Primary May 21, 2024
Why Down-Ballot Voting Is Important
It’s Voting Season, and many voters plan to cast a ballot in 2024.
In a typical presidential election year, when barely 50 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot, a third or more of those voting won’t fill out the entire ballot.
While voters don’t have to vote for everything on the ballot to cast a vote, it is vital to vote down the ballot.
Down ballot is where you’ll find the state and local representatives who make policy on local issues – schools, parks, roads, safety, and social services. These services directly impact you, your family, and your community. That impact extends back up the ballot as well. Not voting locally doesn’t just leave essential issues up to a small minority of eligible voters; it can have a huge impact on future national elections in ways that may not seem evident at first.
Vote. Your Power. It’s not just about voting for president but using your voting power to reflect your community's best interest.
WHO’S WHO & WHAT THEY DO
President: Article II of the United States Constitution establishes the executive branch of government. The president of the United States is responsible for implementing and enforcing federal law and serves as commander in chief of the U.S. Armed Forces.
U.S. House of Representatives: Members in the House are called representatives. Voters will elect 14 candidates to serve in the U.S. House from each of the state's 14 U.S. House districts. There are currently 435 representatives, a number fixed by law since 1911.
Georgia State Senate: The upper chamber of the Georgia General Assembly. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Georgia State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.
Georgia House of Representatives: The lower chamber of the Georgia General Assembly. 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.
Georgia Supreme Court: Four (4) Georgia Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2024. Justices on the Georgia Supreme Court are elected in nonpartisan elections to serve six-year terms.
Georgia Appellate Court Judges: Six (6) Georgia intermediate appellate court judges will expire on December 31, 2024. Judges on the Georgia Court of Appeals are chosen in nonpartisan elections to serve six-year terms.
School Board Members: School Board Members are elected officials responsible for the oversight of public schools within their district. Their duties include setting and monitoring the educational policy, curriculum standards, and budget allocations to ensure students receive the highest quality education. The county you live in will determine whether you have school board elections this year.
Municipal Officers in Georgia: Municipal officers include mayors, council members, and other city or town officials. They are responsible for governance and administration of their municipalities, focusing on issues like zoning, public safety, community services, and infrastructure. Dekalb and Fulton Counties will have several municipal officials on the ballot this year.