District residency mandate for Douglasville council candidates approved by Georgia Legislature

The Georgia Legislature has passed a bill introduced by State Rep. Sylvia Wayfer Baker, which establishes a district residency rule for Douglasville city council candidates, according to the Georgia State House.

The measure was approved in both chambers on Wednesday, March 25, with the House voting 153-0 in favor and the Senate voting 50-0.

Filed as HB1489 on Tuesday, March 3 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the bill’s official description reads: ‘Douglasville, City of; require candidates seeking election from a district to reside in such district for a certain amount of time prior to the date of such election.’

The details below are our summary from the actual bill text and may involve explanatory interpretation of its contents.

The bill, in summary, updates Douglasville’s city charter to require district city council candidates to reside within their specific district for at least 12 months before an election. Current requirements, which still apply, state that candidates for mayor or council must be 21 or older, have resided in the city for the 12 months prior to running, live in the city while serving, and be registered voters in the municipality. The new provision applies to all candidates for council districts, including those running as write-ins.

Among House members, 65 Democrats and 88 Republicans supported the bill, and no members voted against it.

In the Senate, the bill saw 19 Democrats and 31 Republicans vote in favor. There were no opposing votes.

Rep. Kimberly Alexander (Democrat-66th) and Rep. Kimberly New (Republican-40th) also served as sponsors.

Wayer earned her JD from Birmingham School of Law.

Wayer, a Democrat, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2025 to represent the 64th District, succeeding former state representative Kimberly New.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a legislator, sometimes prompted by a constituent, collaborates with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a proposal. Once filed with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, it goes through its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most substantive analysis and discussion occur. Upon committee approval, the bill moves to the floor for final debate, a third reading, and a vote. Passage by both chambers—reconciling versions if needed—sends a bill to the governor, who then has six days during session, or 40 days after Sine Die adjournment, to sign, veto, or allow the measure to become law without a signature. The General Assembly convenes yearly for a 40-day session starting the second Monday of January.

Details in this article were sourced from the Georgia State House. The primary data set is available here.