- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay in property and sales taxes, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms in staggered years. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.

Creates new laws and passes the budget for your county

Georgia

2024 Georgia General Elections

Taxes

Public Transportation

Public Services

Economy

Education

Public Safety

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

County Commissioner

The Chief Executive Officer of a county is an elected position that leads the Executive Branch for the county. They have final say on local legislation and great influence over the direction in which their county moves in a wide variety of areas. So much of governing in Georgia happens at the county level, so this position is especially important for your county. Chief Executive Officers also represent their county when interacting with higher forms of government, such as the Georgia General Assembly. Though each county looks a little different, the governing that happens at the county level can have significant impacts on the daily lives of residents in that county. Examples of governing on this level include:
- Budgeting for the county
- Land use planning and urban development
- Zoning for schools and other resources
- Enacting laws at county level
- Completing executive duties

This role does not exist in every county, and there has been discussion for years about reimagining the structure of county government in a way that does not include a county CEO.

DeKalb

County Chief Executive Officer

- The Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission was established in the 1930s after the Georgia Dust Bowl. 
- The Commission is in charge of conserving, improving, and protecting Georgia's natural resources, with a focus on soil and water. They run water quality improvement projects, operate and maintain dams, and conduct inspections anytime someone needs to conduct any land-disturbing activities.
- District Supervisors are responsible for providing local representation. District Supervisors work with the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to voice their local county needs.
- District Supervisors hold monthly meetings in their counties where citizens can give input on local resource priorities from state and federal assistance programs. 
- Each county is represented by at least two district supervisors, one appointed and one elected. SWCD Managers are unpaid. 

Works to ensure the conservation of your county’s natural resources

Administration

Environment

Budget

Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor

- The County Coroner runs the Coroner’s Office, which is responsible for determining the cause, manner, and circumstance of death under the Georgia Death Investigation Act.  
- Deaths that they are responsible for investigating include violent deaths, suicides, sudden deaths, deaths unattended by a physician, suspicious deaths, deaths of children younger than seven years old, executions, deaths of inmates, and deaths of people admitted to a hospital unconscious. 
- The Coroner is responsible for pronouncing someone dead, and for releasing remains to be cremated, transported to another state, or autopsied. 
- All Georgia Coroners are required to attend a 40 hour course at the Georgia State Patrol Training Center and receive 24 hours of in services training on death investigation procedures each year. 
- Coroners are elected to four year terms in nonpartisan elections. 

The chief medical examiner for the county

Decatur

Public Health

Coroner

Tax Commissioners are elected at the county level, and their job is to oversee most phases of the taxing process. These responsibilities include billing, collecting, processing, and distributing taxes. They are generally in charge of property taxes, solid waste fees, public utilities, and renewing your vehicle tag. Notably, the Tax Commissioner does not determine how much taxes you pay. Because taxes are a source of revenue for counties, the tax commissioners’ work is ultimately beneficial to individual cities, education, transportation, and other local services. In addition to administering tax laws, the department is responsible for enforcing laws and  regulations pertaining to the control of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in Georgia as well as motor vehicle license plate and title administration.

2024 Georgia candidates

DeKalb County Commissioner, District 5

1 candidate

How this impacts you

DeKalb County Commissioner, District 6

1 candidate

How this impacts you

DeKalb County Commissioner, District 4

1 candidate

How this impacts you

DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer

1 candidate

DeKalb Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor

1 candidate

DeKalb County Commissioner, District 3

4 candidates

How this impacts you

DeKalb County Commissioner, District 7

4 candidates

How this impacts you

Decatur County Commissioner, District 5

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Decatur Coroner

1 candidate

Decatur Tax Commissioner

1 candidate