Governor

• Highest political authority of any of the 50 states. Main function is the sign bills into laws, serve as commander-in-chief to the National Guard and militia forces, convening special sessions of the state legislature, delivering a “state of the state” address to citizens, granting commutations and pardons to prisoners and appointing people to various judicial and state offices.
• A main job duty of a governor is to work with the legislature to ensure that the needs of the state are met through oversight hearings, new laws and the establishment of long-term goals and priorities. When the legislature and the governor are at odds, working collaboratively can be difficult, if not impossible.

Lieutenant Governor

• Highest officer of the state after the Governor, a stand in for the governor if they are out of state or incapasitated. The lieutenant governor is also frequently the presiding officer of the upper house of the state legislature, similar to the Vice President to the United States. In the event that a state governor dies, the Lieutenant Governor will often take over the role of Governor.
• With regards to Georgia, the Lieutenant Governor is elected on a separate ticket from the actual governor. In Georgia, the primary role of the Lieutenant Governor is to preside of the State Senate of Georgia.

Secretary of State

• The Georgia Secretary of State’s primary function is to oversee elections and maintain public records. The integrity of elections and voting procedure fall onto the Georgia SOS. This office is also a four year term.

Attorney General

• The Attorney General of Georgia is the chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the U.S. state of Georgia. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term at the same time as elections are held for Governor of Georgia and other offices. The current Attorney General of Georgia is Christopher M. Carr.
• The electing of the Attorney General is the same time as the governor.
• Other duties:
  • Providing opinions on legal questions concerning the State of Georgia or its agencies, which are binding on all state agencies and departments.
  • Representing the State of Georgia in all capital felony appeals before the Supreme Court of Georgia.
  • Representing the State of Georgia in all civil cases before any court.
  • Representing the State of Georgia in all cases appearing before the Supreme Court of the United States.
  • Prosecuting public corruption cases where criminal charges are filed against any person or business for illegal activity when dealing with the State of Georgia.
  • Initiating civil or criminal actions on behalf of the State of Georgia when requested to do so by the Governor.
  • Preparing and reviewing contracts and agreements regarding matters on behalf of the State of Georgia.

Agriculture Commissioner

• Regulates and promotes the produce of Georgia’s agricultural industry.
• According to the department’s website, “the Georgia Department of Agriculture regulates, monitors, or assists with the following areas: grocery stores, convenience stores, food warehouses, bottling plants, food processing plants, pet dealers and breeders, animal health, gasoline quality and pump calibration, antifreeze, weights and measures, marketing of Georgia agricultural products domestically and internationally, pesticides, structural pest control, meat processing plants, seed quality, Vidalia onions, state farmers markets, plant diseases, nurseries and garden centers, fertilizer and lime, potting soil; feed, boll weevil eradication, apiaries, Humane Care for Equines Act, bottled water, and other responsibilities.”

Insurance Commissioner

• Primary function of Insurance Commissioner is to the Georgia Office of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner, which is responsible for regulating the state’s insurance industry and ensuring fire safety in the state. The commissioner is elected to four-year terms in federal midterm election years.

State School Superintendents

• The superintendent is charged by state law to, Carry out and enforce all the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education and the laws governing the schools receiving state aid.” Additionally, he is directed to make recommendations to the board on matters related to the “welfare and efficiency” of the public school system.

Public Service Commissioners

• Public service commissioners are responsible for making regulations covering Georgia’s electric, gas, telecommunications and intrastate transportation firms. State law also gives the commission the power to hear complaints against public utilities and require utilities to maintain certain services or facilities; commissioners are authorized to “examine the affairs\” of utilities and \”keep informed of their general condition.”

State Senate

• The Georgia State Senate is comprised of 56 elected officials throughout the state who are there to “serve” you. The Chief officer of the State Senate is the LT. Governor
• The Constitution of Georgia requires a Senator to be at least 25 years old, an American citizen, a Georgia citizen for at least two years and a resident of his or her Senatorial District for at least one year immediately preceding election.
• The Legislative Branch of state government is the Georgia General Assembly, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. It makes the general policies and laws by which the needs of our society are met.
• Read more here: http://www.senate.ga.gov/sos/en-US/SenateFacts.aspx

State House

• The State House Currently holds 180 elected officials from all around the state of Georgia. When a new bill (potential law) is presented to the Legislative body, it must come through the State House first before it can proceed to the State Senate.
• It is dubbed the “Lower House” of the State General Assembly. The SGA also includes the State Senate.
• The Speaker of the House of Representatives serves as the presiding officer of this legislative body. He or she is elected by fellow Members of the House to serve as their leader at the beginning of each two year term. The Speaker has traditionally been a member of the Majority Party. He or she is third in line in the gubernatorial succession line.

District Attorney

• District attorneys (DA) are the top prosecuting attorneys for state crimes occurring within their counties’ borders. DAs are typically elected by county residents, or in some cases, are appointed under state law. A District Attorney’s office participates in criminal investigations and determines whether to file criminal charges. DAs work to reach plea deals with criminal defendants, and try criminal cases before judges and juries when negotiation fails.

Appellate Judge

• The Court of Appeals is the court of first review for many civil and criminal cases decided in the trial courts. The purpose of such a review is to correct legal errors or errors of law made at the trial level, not to alter jury verdicts or the outcome of bench trials.

Supreme Court Judge

• The Supreme Court of Georgia, the state’s highest court, reviews decisions made by other courts in civil and criminal cases. This court alone rules on questions involving the constitutionality of state statutes, all criminal cases involving a sentence of death, and petitions from decisions of the Court of Appeals.

State Court Judge

• State courts exercise limited jurisdiction within one county. These judges hear misdemeanors including traffic violations, issue search and arrest warrants, hold preliminary hearings in criminal cases, and try civil matters not reserved exclusively for the superior courts.