An Augusta Commission appointment and a special election will likely be used to fill resigned Commissioner Alvin Mason’s seat.
Mason stepped down last week during a commission meeting, citing ongoing health issues and a feeling his “mission had been accomplished.”
His resignation, which Mason said was effective immediately, leaves 18 months remaining in his term.
Richmond County Elections Director Travis Doss said Augusta’s Consolidation Act and a 1999 amendment spell out how to fill vacancies on the commission.
The act specifies that a vacancy created by the resignation, death or other removal of a commissioner (or the mayor) “shall be filled by the remaining members of the commission.”
The commission, requiring a majority of six members, is expected to appoint “a qualified person” to the position, it said.
The appointee serves the remainder of the unexpired term, unless it exceeds 12 months. The number was reduced from 28 months to 12 in the 1999 amendment.
If there’s a year or more left on the term, the appointed commissioner serves until a special election can be held.
Qualifications to serve on the commission include being 21 years old, living in the state of Georgia for two years and residing in the commission district for one year.
Mason represented District 4 on the commission. The district, located in the southwest part of the city, includes areas around Tobacco Road and Fort Gordon.
State law provides two potential dates for the election, Sept. 16 and Nov. 4, Doss said.
The November date would coincide with statewide elections for two Georgia Public Service Commission seats and the referendum on Augusta’s version of a floating homestead exemption.
The commission has filled vacancies among its members multiple times. In September 2021, the commission voted 6-1 to name Mason to replace resigned Commissioner Sammie Sias. Mason was elected to a full term the following May.
In Sias’ case, Gov. Brian Kemp had suspended him from office based on a review commission’s determination Sias’ federal indictment negatively impacted performance of his duties.
The commission has made at least four other appointments to fill vacancies in recent years.
The commission appointed former commissioners Ben Hasan in 2014 and John Clarke in 2018 to serve the remaining few months left in their predecessors’ terms. The commission named Louis “Hap” Harris in 2014 and Johnny Few in 2018 to serve as interims until special elections could be held for their seats.
