What do they do?

4-year term · 2-term limit

Governor

Georgia's top leader and the most powerful job in state government.

• Signs new laws or rejects them (a "veto"), and can cross out single spending items in the state budget
• Suggests the state budget each year and sets the limit on how much the state can spend
• Picks people to lead state agencies and sit on boards, and fills empty judge seats between elections
• Leads the Georgia National Guard and can declare an emergency
• Can call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special meeting

Unlike most states, Georgia's governor cannot pardon people for crimes. A separate board makes those choices.

4-year term

Lieutenant Governor

Voters pick this person on their own, so they can be from a different party than the governor.

• Leads State Senate meetings and helps decide which bills get a vote
• Helps choose which senators work on which committees
• Takes over as governor if the governor can't finish the term

The real power here is in the Senate: this person can push a bill forward or let it die.

4-year term

Attorney General

The state's top lawyer.

• Speaks for Georgia in court in every case for or against the state, even big cases with many states
• Writes official opinions that tell state agencies what the law means
• Goes after public officials who break the law and fights Medicaid fraud
• Enforces laws that protect shoppers from scams and cheating

Decides whether Georgia joins or fights big national court cases about health care, immigration, elections, and more.

4-year term

Secretary of State

Georgia's top elections official, and much more.

• Runs voter sign-up, elections, and making results official, working with county boards and the State Election Board
• Sets the rules for voting machines across the state
• Keeps the records for businesses that form in Georgia
• Gives out licenses for dozens of jobs, from nurses to barbers
• Watches over the sale of stocks and investments in Georgia

This office shapes how easy or hard it is to sign up, vote, and have your ballot counted.

4-year term

Insurance & Fire Safety Commissioner

Watches over one of the biggest bills most families pay.

• Reviews prices for home, car, health, and life insurance and can push back when companies raise them
• Gives licenses to insurance agents and companies working in Georgia
• Looks into insurance fraud and complaints from customers
• Serves as the State Fire Marshal: fire safety rules for buildings, safety checks, and arson cases

4-year term

Labor Commissioner

Runs the Georgia Department of Labor.

• Handles unemployment benefits: claims, payments, and appeals
• Helps people find jobs and get training at career centers
• Shares the state's facts and numbers about jobs and unemployment
• Enforces the rules about kids and work

When people lose their jobs, this is the office Georgians go to for help and benefits.

4-year term

Agriculture Commissioner

Leads the Department of Agriculture, which touches every grocery store and gas station.

• Checks grocery stores, food plants, and food supplies to make sure food is safe
• Makes sure gas pumps measure correctly and fuel is good quality across the state
• Sets rules for bug and weed sprays, and watches over animal health and sickness on farms
• Runs state farmers markets and promotes food grown in Georgia

4-year term

State School Superintendent

Runs the Georgia Department of Education for 1.7 million kids in public schools.

• Carries out the rules set by the State Board of Education
• Sends billions of dollars in school money to Georgia's 180 school districts
• Watches over what students learn, state tests, and school report cards
• Helps teachers get certified and helps struggling schools get better

Local school boards run schools day to day, but this office sets the statewide rules they follow.