Election dates and frequency
- See also: Rules governing school board election dates and timing
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the general election is in the fourth week of May.
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections according to default state law hold a general runoff election 28 days following the May general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the fourth week of June if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the primary election is held in the fourth week of May in even-numbered years.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary runoff elections 28 days following the May primary election if no candidate for a given political party receives a majority of votes in the primary election. This means a primary runoff election is held in the fourth week of June in even-numbered years if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold general runoff elections 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in even-numbered years if needed.
According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district holds its nonpartisan school board general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years.
The Atlanta Public Schools district holds a general runoff election 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in odd-numbered years if needed.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-501 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-152
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-501
and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts with nonpartisan elections held according to default state law Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts with nonpartisan elections held according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
- General election date: May 19, 2026
- General runoff election date: June 16, 2026
Recent or upcoming election dates for school districts that have opted to hold partisan elections according to default state law Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts that have opted to hold partisan elections according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
- Primary election date: May 19, 2026
- Primary runoff election date: June 16, 2026
- General election date: November 3, 2026
- General runoff election date: December 1, 2026
Election system
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a primary election, a primary runoff election if needed, a general election, and a general runoff election if needed.
According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district elects school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
Party labels on the ballot
- See also: Rules governing party labels in school board elections
State law allows for school boards to be elected either in partisan elections with party primaries nominating candidates or in nonpartisan elections without primaries. In partisan elections, the party affiliations of party nominees are displayed on the ballot. In nonpartisan elections, candidates are listed on the ballot without party labels. As of 2021, 109 school districts (61%) had nonpartisan elections. Georgia Statute Section Section 20-2-56 says, "the General Assembly may provide by local law for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill the offices of members of boards of education." Georgia Statue Section 21-2-139 says, "Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the General Assembly may provide by local Act for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill county judicial offices, offices of local boards of education, and offices of consolidated governments which are filled by the vote of the electors of said county or political subdivision."
See law:
Statute Section 20-2-56 and Section 21-2-139
Winning an election
In Georgia, for both primary and general elections, if no school board candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff election. In a primary election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected as the party's nominee in the general election. If not candidate gets a majority of votes, a primary runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine the party's nominee. In a general election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected to office. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general, a general runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine which is elected to office.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Section 21-2-150
Term length and staggering
Georgia Statute provides that public school districts have four-year board member terms except that the General Assembly can provide for shorter or longer terms for specific districts. As of 2022, 172 districts (96%) had four-year school board terms.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52
School boards in Georgia have staggered terms by default, with as close to half of board seats as possible generally elected to four-year terms every two years. Term length and staggering can be changed through special acts. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must have school boards with staggered four-year terms.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1 and Section 20-2-52
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
In Georgia, school board members are elected at large, by sub-district, or through a combination of the two depending on the district. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must elect all of their school board members from single-member districts. As of 2021, 110 districts (61%) elected all board members by single-member sub-districts, 52 districts (29%) elected board members through a combination of at large and by sub-district, and 18 districts (10%) elected board members at large.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in partisan elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
The candidate filing deadline for Atlanta Public Schools district school board elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the district's November odd-year elections, which means the filing deadline is in late August of odd-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
In Georgia, school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
In Georgia, school board candidates running in partisan elections can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
School board candidates running for the Atlanta Public Schools district board can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the November general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in mid-August of odd-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
