Georgia has mid-term elections coming up on November 6, 2018, and you have until October 9th to register to vote. You can register online by going to https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do and you can also find out where you vote, you can look at a sample ballot, and research candidates.
What am I voting for?
The November 6th election is important, because Georgia is choosing its governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state school superintendent, as well as many Senate seats. You can look up your district to find who’s running for Senate seats by going to https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ and putting in your address. Georgians will also be voting for Insurance Commissioner, Public Service Commission, Labor Commissioner, and Agricultural Commissioner.
Job Duties
Georgia’s governor acts as Commander in Chief of Georgia’s military, and signs bills into law after they have passed the House and Senate. The Lieutenant Governor serves as the president of the Senate, and would assume the duties of the governor in the event that the governor could no longer serve.
There are also offices open for Insurance Commissioner, Public Service Commission, Labor Commissioner, and Agricultural Commissioner. The insurance commissioner plays an important role in Georgia’s health care industry by regulating insurance of all kinds, including health insurance, and making sure premiums are not excessive. The insurance commissioner also regulates workers’ compensation funds, licenses insurance companies and agents, and investigates insurance fraud. The Labor Commissioner oversees unemployment insurance, rehabilitation programs, and researching the job market in Georgia. Another important position is the role of Public Service Commission. The person elected to this office will be responsible for regulating Georgia’s gas, electric, and telecommunications, which means that the Public Service Commissioner makes sure that Georgians are able to get safe, reliable, and reasonably priced telecommunications, electric, and natural gas services.
Your vote is your voice.
Choosing elected officials wisely creates better communities for our families. It’s an investment in the future of Georgia. And voting shows elected officials that citizens are paying attention to what’s going on with our government, which makes elected officials more accountable to the people voting and the issues that are important to them. It’s an important part of the structure of our democracy, and every vote counts! Don’t forget to cast your vote on November 6th!
