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Attorney General of Georgia
| Georgia Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $144,169 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $129,617,039 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Georgia Constitution, Article V, Section 3, Paragraph I |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Attorney General of Georgia
Chris Carr | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Georgia Executive Offices | |
| Governor•Lieutenant Governor•Secretary of State•Attorney General•Treasurer•Auditor•Superintendent of Schools•Agriculture Commissioner•Insurance Commissioner•Natural Resources Commissioner•Labor Commissioner•Public Service Commission | |
The Attorney General of Georgia is a state executive office established in 1797. The Georgia Constitution of 1868 made the attorney general a constitutional officer, and he became the legal adviser to the Governor of Georgia and the other departments of state government.[1] The attorney general is elected to four-year terms during federal midterm election years and does not face term limits.
The department of law's mission statement is "to serve the citizens of the State of Georgia by providing legal representation of the highest quality to the agencies, officers and employees of state government and by honorably and vigorously carrying out the constitutional and statutory responsibilities of the Attorney General."[2]
Georgia has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The current Attorney General of Georgia is Chris Carr (R). Carr assumed office in 2016.
Authority
The office of attorney general is established in the Georgia Constitution.
Georgia Constitution, Article V, Section 3, Paragraph I
|
The.. Attorney General... shall be elected in the manner prescribed for the election of members of the General Assembly and the electors shall be the same. |
Qualifications
Article V, Section 3, Paragraph II of the state constitution describes the qualifications required of the secretary of state:
- Must have been a citizen of the United States for 10 years
- Must have been a legal resident of the state for four years immediately preceding election or appointment
- Must have attained the age of 25 years by the date of assuming office.
- Must have been an active member of the Georgia state bar for seven years.
Elections
The attorney general is elected to four-year terms during federal midterm election years (2018, 2022, 2026, etc.). All Georgia constitutional executive officers take office on the same day the Georgia Legislature begins its session, i.e. the second Monday of January in the year following their election.
Term limits
There are no term limits for the attorney general.
2022
- See also: Georgia Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Georgia
Incumbent Chris Carr defeated Jen Jordan and Martin Cowen in the general election for Attorney General of Georgia on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Chris Carr (R)  | 51.9 | 2,032,500 |
 | Jen Jordan (D) | 46.6 | 1,826,437 | |
 | Martin Cowen (L) | 1.5 | 60,107 | |
| Total votes: 3,919,044 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Attorney General of Georgia
Jen Jordan defeated Christian Wise Smith in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jen Jordan | 77.6 | 533,266 |
 | Christian Wise Smith | 22.4 | 153,928 | |
| Total votes: 687,194 | |||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Charlie Bailey (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Georgia
Incumbent Chris Carr defeated John Gordon in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Chris Carr | 73.7 | 834,383 |
 | John Gordon | 26.3 | 297,037 | |
| Total votes: 1,131,420 | |||
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Past elections
Vacancies
Per Article V, Section 2, Paragraph VIII of the Georgia Constitution, the governor fills vacancies in the office of attorney general by appointment. The appointee must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Georgia Senate and serves out the remainder of the previous officeholder's term.
Duties
The attorney general serves as the attorney and legal advisor for the state of Georgia and provides opinions on legal questions concerning the state and state agencies. The attorney general also represents the state in capital felony appeals before the Georgia Supreme Court, in all civil cases before any court, and in all cases appearing before the United States Supreme Court. The office investigates any public corruption or questionable activity in state agencies and departments or entities doing business with the state.[4]
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, the Florida Attorney General's Office contains the following divisions:
- Regulated Industries and Professions
- Commercial Transactions and Litigation
- Criminal Justice
- General Litigation
- Government Services & Employment
- Prosecutions
- Medicaid fraud
- Consumer Protection
- Solicitor General's Unit
- Operations[5]
State budget
- See also: Georgia state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Law in the 2025 fiscal year was $129,617,039.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salaries of elected executive officials in Georgia are determined by state law as mandated in the Georgia Constitution. Article V of the state constitution indicates that the Georgia State Legislature determines salaries for governor, lieutenant governor and "other elected executives," such as the attorney general.[7]
Article V, Section 3, Paragraph III
| Text of Paragraph III:
Powers, Duties, Compensation, and Allowances of Other Executive Officers Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the General Assembly shall prescribe the powers, duties, compensation, and allowances of the above executive officers and provide assistance and expenses necessary for the operation of the department of each. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $144,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $139,169, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $137,791, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $137,791, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general received a salary of $137,791. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[18]
2010
In 2010, the attorney general received a salary of $137,791.
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of Georgia has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Attorney General Georgia. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Capitol Address:
Office of the Attorney General
40 Capitol Square, SW
Atlanta, Ga 30334
Phone: (404) 656-3300
Fax: (404) 657-8733
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Attorney General of Georgia, "Duties," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Attorney General of Georgia, "Mission Statement," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State - 2010 Attorney General General Election Results
- ↑ The Office of the Attorney General, "Duties," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Attorney General of Georgia, "Organization of the Office," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Georgia.gov, "HB 916 - FY 2025 Appropriations Bill," accessed January 16, 2025
- ↑ Justia, "Georgia Constitution Art. V," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
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