Georgia voters heading to the polls for the November 3 General Election will be asked to decide three proposed amendments to the Georgia Constitution. The questions involve property tax treatment for agricultural land, how probate court judges are elected, and how the state funds emergency 911 services.

While the amendments will appear on ballots throughout Georgia, their potential effects could also be felt in Chattooga County, particularly among farmers, property owners and those who depend on local emergency services.

Early voting began Tuesday, October 13, and all advance voting in Chattooga County takes place at the Chattooga County Registrar’s Office in Summerville.

Each proposed amendment has already received the required two-thirds approval from the Georgia General Assembly. However, lawmakers cannot change the state constitution on their own. Each proposal must receive approval from a majority of voters casting ballots on that particular question.

Here is a closer look at the three amendments, what they would change and what a YES or NO vote would mean.

Amendment One: Expanding Property Tax Benefits For Agricultural And Timberland

The first proposed constitutional amendment would increase the maximum acreage eligible for Georgia’s Conservation Use Valuation Assessment program, commonly known as CUVA, from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres per qualifying owner.

The program was established to help preserve agricultural land, timberland and other qualifying conservation properties by allowing the land to be assessed for property taxes based on its qualifying use rather than its full fair market value.

Under the existing system, qualifying landowners can receive favorable property tax treatment by agreeing to maintain their property in an approved conservation use for a period of ten years.

For example, farmland that might have a high market value because of potential residential or commercial development can instead be assessed according to its agricultural productivity and qualifying use.

The purpose is to reduce the financial pressure that rising property values can place on farmers and landowners who want to continue using their property for agriculture or timber production.

Currently, the Georgia Constitution limits the amount of qualifying conservation-use property to 2,000 acres for a single owner.

The proposed amendment would double that constitutional limit to 4,000 acres.

What Would Change?

If approved, the amendment would allow qualifying owners with more than 2,000 acres to potentially receive conservation-use assessment on additional acreage, up to the new 4,000-acre limit.

The amendment would not eliminate the program’s existing requirements. Property owners would still have to qualify for the tax treatment and comply with applicable conservation-use agreements.

Those agreements generally require the land to remain in qualifying use for ten years. Breaking the agreement can result in repayment of tax savings and additional penalties.

Arguments Surrounding The Proposal

Supporters, including agricultural organizations, say the higher acreage limit would help preserve family farms and timber operations, particularly as land values and operating costs increase.

They argue that some farming operations require substantial acreage to remain economically viable and that expanding the program could help prevent agricultural land from being converted to other uses.

Critics question whether doubling the acreage limit would primarily benefit larger landowners rather than smaller family farms.

There are also potential implications for local property tax collections. When qualifying property receives a lower taxable assessment, local governments and school systems collect less revenue from that property than they would under ordinary fair-market-value assessment.

The actual effect would depend on how much additional land qualifies for the program.

What Your Vote Means:

• YES: Increase the maximum qualifying conservation-use acreage from 2,000 to 4,000 acres.
• NO: Keep the existing constitutional limit of 2,000 acres.

For Chattooga County, where agriculture, cattle farming, timber production and other rural land uses remain important parts of the local economy, the proposal could be particularly relevant to owners of larger agricultural and timber properties.

Amendment Two: Making All Probate Judge Elections Nonpartisan

The second proposed constitutional amendment would require every probate court judge in Georgia to be elected in a nonpartisan election.

Georgia’s probate courts handle a variety of important legal responsibilities, including administering estates, processing wills, appointing guardians and conservators, and issuing marriage licenses and weapons carry licenses.

Depending on the county and the court’s jurisdiction, probate judges may also handle certain traffic violations and other legal matters.

Probate judges are elected to four-year terms.

Currently, probate judges are an exception to Georgia’s general system of nonpartisan judicial elections. Depending on applicable law, probate judge candidates may run with political party affiliations.

The proposed amendment would establish one statewide requirement: all probate judge elections would be nonpartisan.

What Would Change?

If approved, candidates for probate judge would appear on election ballots without Republican, Democratic or other political party labels.

The change would affect how candidates appear on the ballot and how elections for those positions are conducted.

It would not eliminate elections for probate judges or change the basic responsibilities of probate courts.

Voters would continue choosing their probate judge, but candidates would no longer run under political party designations.

Arguments Surrounding The Proposal

Supporters argue that judges should be elected based on their legal qualifications, experience and ability to administer the law fairly rather than political party affiliation.

They say making probate judge elections nonpartisan would bring those offices into line with the election process used for other judicial positions in Georgia.

Others argue that political party labels can provide useful information to voters, particularly in races where candidates may not be widely known.

Removing party labels would require voters to rely more heavily on information about individual candidates and their qualifications.

Importantly, a nonpartisan election does not prohibit candidates from holding personal political views. It simply means their party affiliation would not appear as part of their candidacy on the ballot.

What Your Vote Means:

• YES: Require all Georgia probate court judges to be elected in nonpartisan elections.
• NO: Keep the existing constitutional framework, under which probate judge elections may be partisan or nonpartisan.

The proposal would establish a uniform election requirement for probate judges across all 159 Georgia counties, including Chattooga County.

Amendment Three: Creating A Dedicated Fund For Emergency 911 Services

The third proposed constitutional amendment concerns how Georgia finances emergency 911 systems and future improvements to emergency communications technology.

The proposal would authorize the Georgia General Assembly to establish a dedicated fund known as the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund.

The fund would be used exclusively for the expansion, maintenance and operation of emergency 911 systems throughout the state.

Why Is The Amendment Being Proposed?

Emergency communications systems have changed significantly since traditional 911 service was developed.

Older systems were primarily designed to receive telephone calls and identify the caller’s location through conventional telephone networks.

Modern emergency communications increasingly involve cellular telephones, digital networks, enhanced location information and technology capable of handling additional forms of emergency communication.

Next Generation 911, often called NG911, is an internet-protocol-based emergency communications system intended to replace aging infrastructure and improve the exchange of emergency information.

The technology can support capabilities such as more accurate location data, improved communication between emergency centers and, where supported, the transmission of text, photographs and other digital information.

Developing and maintaining these systems requires investments in equipment, software, network connections, cybersecurity and ongoing operations.

What Would Change?

The proposed amendment would allow state lawmakers to dedicate certain existing revenues, including revenues reallocated under state law, to a special fund for emergency 911 services.

One potential funding source involves existing fees collected on wireless telephone service.

The proposed fund would be described as nonlapsing, meaning money deposited into it would not automatically expire at the end of a state fiscal year.

Instead, funds could remain available for authorized emergency communications purposes.

The constitutional amendment would also restrict the money to the expansion, maintenance and operation of emergency 911 systems.

That restriction is intended to prevent funds dedicated to emergency communications from being redirected to unrelated government expenses.

Would The Amendment Create A New Tax?

The amendment itself would not establish a new tax or automatically increase an existing 911 fee.

Instead, it would give the General Assembly constitutional authority to establish a dedicated funding mechanism using qualifying revenues.

Any specific funding arrangements would depend on legislation implementing the amendment.

What Could It Mean For Chattooga County?

Chattooga County’s emergency 911 system provides a critical connection between residents and emergency responders, including law enforcement, fire departments and emergency medical services.

Reliable communications are particularly important in rural communities, where emergency responders may need to locate callers in remote areas or coordinate responses across large geographic distances.

A statewide funding mechanism could support improvements to emergency communications infrastructure, although the amendment does not guarantee a specific amount of funding for Chattooga County.

The distribution of money and the projects eligible for funding would depend on the laws and procedures established by the state.

Arguments Surrounding The Proposal

Supporters say a dedicated fund would provide a more dependable source of financing for emergency communications and help Georgia modernize aging 911 infrastructure.

They argue that protecting the money for emergency services would make it easier to plan long-term upgrades.

Questions surrounding the proposal include how much money would ultimately be dedicated to the fund, how the state would distribute those dollars and what oversight would be established.

Those details would largely be determined through subsequent legislation.

What Your Vote Means:

• YES: Authorize the Georgia General Assembly to create a dedicated, nonlapsing fund for emergency 911 systems using qualifying existing revenues.
• NO: Leave the proposed constitutional authorization out of the Georgia Constitution.

Chattooga County Voters Will Also Decide Local Ballot Questions

In addition to the three statewide constitutional amendments, Chattooga County voters will see several local questions on the November ballot.

Those include proposed changes to homestead property tax exemptions, renewal of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, commonly called ESPLOST, and a bond proposal affecting the Town of Trion.

The local homestead exemption questions include legislation that would increase the senior school property tax exemption cap from $20,000 to $38,000 and establish a new county homestead exemption.

These questions are separate from the statewide constitutional amendments and will be decided by the voters eligible to participate in each local referendum.

Early Voting Underway At Chattooga County Registrar’s Office

Early voting for the November 3 General Election began Tuesday, October 13, and continues through Friday, October 30.

All early voting in Chattooga County takes place at the Chattooga County Registrar’s Office in Summerville.

Georgia’s statewide advance voting calendar also includes required Saturday voting opportunities on October 17 and October 24.

Voters must present an acceptable form of identification when voting in person.

Residents can review their registration information and individual sample ballots through the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.

Voters are encouraged to review the proposed constitutional amendments and local ballot questions before going to the polls, since each question will require a separate YES or NO vote.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.