Athens‑Clarke elections board calls Nov. 3 votes on two 1% sales‑tax questions and a special school election

The Athens‑Clarke County Board of Elections and Voter Registration voted Tuesday to call three elections for Nov. 3, 2026: a 1% floating local option sales tax (FLOST) question proposed by the unified government of Athens‑Clarke County and its partners, a 1% educational local option sales tax (ELOST) proposal from the Clark County School District, and a special election to fill the unexpired District 8 seat on the Clark County Board of Education.

Board staff presented certified resolutions and intergovernmental language asking the elections board to “call” the questions so they appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Lisa, a county elections staff member, read the FLOST resolution and cited the statutory authority included in the text as Article 2B of Chapter 8 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The FLOST proposal would impose a 1% sales and use tax for five years within the special district described in the resolution, with revenues used for property tax relief if voters approve.

A separate resolution from the Clark County School District requests voter consideration of continuing or reimposing a 1% educational local option sales tax and authorizes the issuance of general obligation debt as described in the district’s resolution. The board approved that resolution by voice vote.

The board also approved a notice of call for a special election to fill the unexpired District 8 seat resulting from Nicole Hall’s resignation. The notice sets candidate qualifying from Aug. 19 through Aug. 21, 2026 (qualifying to open 8:30 a.m. Aug. 19 and close at noon Aug. 21), a qualifying fee of $108 (or a nominating petition in lieu), and a voter‑registration deadline of Oct. 5, 2026. The person elected would take office Jan. 1, 2027, and serve the remainder of the term through Dec. 31, 2028.

Motions to call the elections were moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. At one point during the meeting a board member asked who had moved and seconded the FLOST resolution; the record later identified “Doug” and “Ann” as the members who had made those motions. The resolutions will be attested, stamped and forwarded to the appropriate state offices as required.

Why it matters: Calling the questions places multi‑year, 1% sales‑tax measures on a countywide ballot and begins the formal notice and publication process required by Georgia law. If approved by voters, the measures would change local tax levies and, in the case of the school tax, authorize debt issuance tied to educational financing.

The board signed and accepted the resolutions for transmission to state authorities and set procedures for attestation. The board did not adopt ballot language changes; staff noted the ballot language used is the language submitted in the certified resolutions from the mayor and commission and from the school district.