Two weeks away from the midterm elections, the latest polling shows that 96% of Georgia voters know which gubernatorial candidate they’re going to support at the ballot box.
Thanks to voter mobilization efforts and the barrage of campaign ads, many voters may also feel well informed about the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and the many statewide races in contention.
But major races won’t be the only thing on the ballot this fall. Georgia voters will decide on three constitutional amendments, and some metro Atlanta voters will be asked about a new local sales tax.
Capital B Atlanta broke down each constitutional amendment and local tax questions so you can make an informed decision in the voting booth.
Constitutional Amendment 1: choose yes or no
What your ballot will say:
Increases the maximum qualifying acreage for assessment and taxation as bona fide conservation use property.
House Resolution 32 Ga. L. 2025, p. 1081
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia, for the purpose of protecting family farmland, be amended so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres?”
What the question means:
Should the maximum amount of property a landowner can enroll in Georgia’s Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) be increased from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres?
Why this issue matters:
Land enrolled in the CUVA program cannot be developed for 10 years and must be maintained for agricultural, forestry, or conservation use. In exchange, the land is taxed at 40% of its current-use value instead of its fair market value.
Increasing the amount of land that can qualify for CUVA allows more farmland to be preserved for agricultural, forestry, or conservation purposes. Critics say this could shift a larger portion of the property tax burden on to residential and commercial land owners.
Constitutional Amendment 2: choose yes or no
What your ballot will say:
Provides for the nonpartisan election of all probate court judges.
House Resolution 251 Ga. L. 2026, p. 1110
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to require that all probate court judges be elected in nonpartisan elections?”
What the question means:
Should candidates for Probate Court judge be labeled with a political party like Democrat or Republican on the ballot?
Why this issue matters:
Probate judges handle wills, estates, marriage licenses, firearm carry permits, and appoint legal conservators. In some counties they hear traffic and misdemeanor cases. Some probate judges also serve as their county’s elections supervisor.
The majority of Georgia’s probate judges are already elected in nonpartisan elections, including all five counties in the Atlanta metro area. Supporters of this amendment say it would bring uniformity to probate courts across the state and strengthen confidence in what is supposed to be an impartial judiciary. Opponents argue that including party affiliations can be useful for voters who tend to have less information about judicial candidates but may tend to prefer one party over another.
Constitutional Amendment 3: choose yes or no
What your ballot will say:
Authorizes creation of Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund for 9-1-1 systems expansion, maintenance, and operation.
House Resolution 1243 Ga. L. 2026, p. 1109
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate certain existing revenues, including revenues reallocated by law, to a nonlapsing fund to be used exclusively for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of emergency 9-1-1 systems in this state?”
What the question means:
Should the Georgia Legislature be allowed to direct existing tax dollars into a new fund that can be used only for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of 911 systems? This would include transitioning the current system to Next Generation 911.
Why this issue matters:
The efficiency of the 911 system heavily impacts emergency services’ ability to respond quickly to incidents. According to the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority, the current system was designed for landline calls and is not always able to accurately pinpoint the location of mobile callers, which are estimated to make up over 80% of incoming 911 calls.
Fulton County Voters
What your ballot will say:
Special Election
Local Option Sales Tax for Educational Purposes (Vote for One)
What the question means:
For up to five years, can Fulton County impose a 1% sales tax to be spent only on capital projects for the two school districts serving its residents? (Fulton County Schools and Atlanta Public Schools)
Why this issue matters:
This would replace an existing SPLOST without creating a sales tax increase. The revenue generated would be divided between the two school districts based on enrollment. This funding can be spent on additions and renovations to existing schools; purchasing laptops and tablets for students; upgrading athletic equipment and facilities; and other capital improvement projects.
DeKalb County Voters
What your ballot will say:
Special Election
DeKalb County ESPLOST (Vote for One)
What the question means:
For up to five years, can DeKalb County impose a 1% sales tax to be spent only on capital projects for the three school districts serving its residents? (DeKalb County School District, City Schools of Decatur, and Atlanta Public Schools)
Why this issue matters:
This would replace an existing SPLOST without creating a sales tax increase. The revenue generated would be distributed among the three local school districts based on enrollment. Funds can be spent on renovations and improvements to existing schools, athletic facilities, and administrative buildings; replacing and upgrading school buses and support vehicles; and installing new hardware and software to improve technology in school facilities.
Cobb County Voters
What your ballot will say:
Special Election
Cobb County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (Vote for One)
What the question means:
For up to six years, can Cobb County impose a 1% sales tax to be spent only on capital projects related to transportation, public infrastructure, parks and recreation, and facility and technology improvements?
Why this issue matters:
This would replace an existing SPLOST without creating a sales tax increase. Cobb County has proposed using the funds raised on a new state court building, two fire stations, construction for a larger library in East Cobb, and other infrastructure improvements.
Early voting in the midterms ends on Oct. 30. So far, Black voters have fueled record turnout during this cycle’s early voting period, according to multiple sources.
Polls are set to open at 7 a.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.
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