Augusta mayoral vote referendum bill signed by governor

Gov. Brian Kemp has signed legislation allowing a local referendum on whether the mayor of Augusta should be able to vote on the city council.

The legislation, Senate Bill 231, was sent to the governor's office earlier this month. The measure allows for a special referendum where voters would determine whether Mayor Garnett Johnson and his successors should get a vote equal to Augusta's commissioners. At the moment the mayor can only vote to break a tie between Augusta commissioners.

More: Bill allowing referendum on Augusta mayor vote passes Georgia House, heads to Kemp's desk

Previously: Mayor confirms referendum planned to give himself equal vote on Augusta Commission

The Chronicle previously reported that Johnson said the issue would likely be brought in a November special election.

The bill was introduced by Sens. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, and Lee Anderson, R-Grovetown. It passed the Senate by a vote of 32-22 and the House by a vote of 99-70.

“If approved by the voters, the bill would update the charter to allow the Augusta-Richmond commission to be a functioning governing body,” Burns said prior to the Senate vote.

But the bill was not without controversy, and Sen. Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, spoke against it.

“There’s just a split in the community, in the commission on whether we should have a vote, shouldn’t have a vote,” he said. “It’s not even an ideological split, it’s not even a racial split … it basically puts myself and (Burns) in a bad position."

Johnson submitted the resolution, which he said would make the commission more effective.

"The system that we have, sometimes, it just does not work when it relates to actually being able to get things done," he said in February.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta mayoral vote referendum signed by Brian Kemp