EBJ In Georgia

The state of Georgia employs a distinct system where county grand juries participate in the appointment of individuals to various local boards, a practice rooted in the state's historical governance. This extends far beyond the traditional role of indictment, encompassing appointments to positions managing critical infrastructure, election administration, water and sewerage services, and government oversight. Originating from Georgia's colonial era, the grand jury has functioned as a civic body contributing to local oversight and selection.

Each of Georgia's 159 counties convenes a grand jury annually, typically composed of 16 to 23 citizens drawn from voter rolls. These bodies not only investigate criminal matters but also fulfill critical functions in local appointments. This system reflects a form of direct civic involvement where randomly selected community members, through the grand jury, select individuals for key local positions.

Crisp County Power Commission

The most remarkable example of grand jury appointment in Georgia involves the Crisp County Power Commission. The grand jury appoints four of seven commissioners—majority control of the only county-owned electric utility in Georgia that operates its own hydroelectric dam.

The commission has maintained Warwick Dam and Lake Blackshear as a solvent, debt-free asset for nearly 100 years. It provides residential rates lower than Georgia Power, the state's dominant utility. This century of demonstrated competence in managing complex technical infrastructure and millions of dollars in public assets shows that grand jury selection can successfully oversee sophisticated operations requiring both technical expertise and long-term planning.

Election Officials

County Voter Registrars (Statewide)

In Georgia, the selection of county registrars often involves input from the local grand jury, ensuring a level of citizen review in this critical election administration role. State law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-212) mandates that in counties without a consolidated board of elections and registration, the Judge of the Superior Court appoints registrars based on recommendations received from the county's grand jury. The grand jury nominates twice as many candidates as positions to fill, and the judge must appoint from this shortlist.

This mechanism remains active in approximately 32-36 counties across Georgia, representing about 20-23% of all Georgia counties. Specific county practices illustrate this: in Laurens County, the Chief Judge appoints registrars from a list recommended by the grand jury; in Chatham County (Savannah metro, ~295,000 population), the Senior Judge of Superior Court appoints five registrars from a list of ten names submitted by the grand jury; and Hart County maintains an active grand jury submission process.

The 2025 restructuring of Georgia election administration (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-40.1) eliminated grand jury involvement in approximately 25 counties but explicitly preserved existing grand jury mechanisms, demonstrating their continued legitimacy and value.

Boards of Elections

Grand juries in several Georgia counties also play a role in the composition of Boards of Elections, which oversee election conduct. This involvement ranges from direct appointment to nomination.

The Lowndes County Grand Jury, under the guidance of the Chief Judge of the Southern Judicial Circuit, directly appoints all members of the Lowndes County Board of Elections. This practice has operated continuously since 1979 in this county of approximately 118,000 residents.

In Crisp County, the grand jury appoints two of five members of the Board of Elections and Registration under legislation dating to 1965. Combined with the grand jury's majority control over the county's power commission, Crisp County demonstrates a "full stack" implementation where grand juries select both economic infrastructure operators and election referees.

In Haralson County, the grand jury is responsible for appointing one member of the five-person Board of Elections and Registration.

In Towns County, the process involves nomination, where the Judge of the Superior Court appoints one member to the Board of Elections from a list of three names submitted by the grand jury.

These practices highlight diverse methods by which grand jury input shapes the makeup of local election oversight bodies in Georgia.

Water and Sewerage Authorities

Cherokee County Water & Sewerage Authority (CCWSA) Board of Directors

The governing body of the CCWSA, responsible for managing water and sewerage services in Cherokee County, Georgia. The CCWSA is governed by a seven-person board of directors. Six of these seven members are chosen by a vote of the grand jury of Cherokee County. This near-complete grand jury control oversees essential services in one of metro Atlanta's fastest-growing counties.

Towns County Water and Sewerage Authority

The Towns County Water and Sewerage Authority provides another clear example of Election by Jury in practice. Established by law in 1977, the Authority consists of five members, all appointed by the grand jury of Towns County at the March term of Superior Court. This long-standing implementation demonstrates how Election by Jury can be systematically integrated into ongoing county governance.

Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission (BGJWSC) Commissioners

Individuals responsible for governing the joint water and sewer services for Brunswick and Glynn County, Georgia. Georgia legislation specifies that three of the seven seats on the BGJWSC are appointed by the Glynn County grand jury.

Infrastructure & Economic Development

Cherokee County Airport Authority

The Cherokee County Airport Authority manages the county's corporate aviation facility. The grand jury appoints four of seven members of the authority's board. These jury-selected appointees have overseen runway expansions and managed projects that won engineering awards.

Boards of Equalization

County-level bodies that hear appeals regarding property tax assessments. Georgia Code § 48-5-311 stipulates that members of the county boards of equalization are directly elected by the grand jury. The grand jury in each county is responsible for choosing individuals to serve on these boards. This direct selection ensures citizen involvement in the oversight of property tax assessments, with the grand jury's selections bringing community perspectives to the crucial role of ensuring fair property valuations. This process is a standard practice across all 159 Georgia counties.

This Fox 5 news segment profiles a member of a Cherokee County Board of Equalization who was fired by the county grand jury for unfairly siding with property owners:

Government Oversight Commissions

Athens-Clarke County Overview Commission Members

Individuals appointed to review and evaluate the operations of the Athens-Clarke County government. The Athens-Clarke County grand jury is responsible for appointing members to the Athens-Clarke County Overview Commission. The grand jury actively seeks applicants, reviews their qualifications, and evaluates their suitability for the commission. This commission is tasked with reviewing and evaluating the operations of the Athens-Clarke County government. The grand jury's involvement ensures citizen oversight in the selection of those who will scrutinize local government operations.

Ethics Boards

Henry County Board of Ethics Members

Individuals serving on the board responsible for overseeing and enforcing ethical standards within Henry County government. The Henry County Board of Ethics is composed of seven members. Five of these members are elected by the grand jury.

Clayton County Board of Ethics

A similar structure was adopted in Clayton County with the passage of HB 794 in March 2025, which reconstitutes the Clayton County Board of Ethics with five of eight members elected by the grand jury.

Healthcare Governance

Floyd County Hospital Authority

In Floyd County, the Hospital Authority submits three nominees to the grand jury, which then selects one to serve. This "shortlist" model demonstrates a variant where an institutional body creates the nominees but the grand jury exercises final selection authority.

Education Boards

Emanuel County Board of Education Contingency Appointments

In Emanuel County, the code provides that if the standard electoral process fails to fill positions on the Board of Education, the grand jury is authorized to appoint members. While this contingency provision exists in the county code, we have not found evidence of it being activated in practice.

The Georgia Advantage

Georgia's system demonstrates that grand jury appointment isn't theoretical—it's proven practice that has operated successfully for decades, managing everything from century-old hydroelectric dams to elections in metropolitan areas with hundreds of thousands of residents. The mechanism survived major election reforms in 2025, was explicitly preserved by the legislature, and continues to expand with new applications like Clayton County's ethics board, reconstituted in March 2025 with five of eight members elected by the grand jury.

For those interested in expanding this model, Georgia provides multiple templates: full control (Lowndes elections, Towns County water authority), majority control (Crisp power commission, Cherokee water authority), substantial influence (Crisp elections, Henry ethics board), minority representation (Haralson elections, Brunswick water commission), and shortlist nomination (statewide registrar mechanism, Floyd hospital authority).