Macon-Bibb Commission calls March special election for District 5

Candidate qualifying will run February 11 through February 13 ahead of the March 17 election.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Macon-Bibb County Commission voted Tuesday night to call a special election to fill the unexpired District 5 seat left vacant by the resignation of former Commissioner Seth Clark earlier this month.

Under the resolution approved by the commission, the special election will be held Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with candidate qualifying scheduled to run from noon Wednesday, February 11, through Friday, February 13.

Clark resigned earlier this month after announcing plans to run for Georgia lieutenant governor, leaving more than a year remaining in his term and triggering the need for a special election under the Macon-Bibb County Charter.

During discussion of the resolution, District 8 Commissioner Donice Bryant raised concerns about what she said was voter confusion over commission district boundaries, saying some residents have reported voter cards listing them in District 5 while believing they live in District 8. Mayor Lester Miller told commissioners that any voter registration issues would need to be addressed by the Macon-Bibb Board of Elections.

District 2 Commissioner Paul Bronson suggested additional public outreach to help residents better understand which district they live in. Miller said the county attorney would coordinate with the elections board’s attorney to ensure any discrepancies are addressed.

Next, the Board of Elections will formally issue the call for election and publish the qualifying information in the county’s legal organ.

District 5 has remained without direct representation since Clark’s resignation. At least one candidate, longtime District 5 resident Andrea Cooke, has already announced plans to run for the seat.