About the Office of the Mayor

Terms & Powers
 Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia operates under a Mayor / Commission / Administrator form of government. The Mayor is the Chief Executive of Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia. The Mayor is elected on a county-wide basis by the electors of the entire county in a non-partisan general election. Each mayor serves a four-year term and is eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms.

Our current mayor, Garnett Johnson, was elected in 2023.  His current term in office lasts until December 31, 2026.

Responsibilities
 The Mayor possesses and exercises the following executive and administrative powers and duties:

  • Presiding at all meetings of the Commission
  • Serving as the official head of Richmond County and the City of Augusta for the service of process and for ceremonial purposes
  • Administering oaths and to take affidavits
  • Signing all written contracts entered into by the Commission on behalf of Richmond County Georgia and the City of Augusta and other contracts and instruments executed by the county and city which by law are required to be in writing
  • Ensuring that all laws, ordinances, and resolutions of Richmond County and the City of Augusta are faithfully executed
  • Exercising such other powers and perform such other duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Commission.

Commission-Related Responsibilities
 The Mayor publishes ordinances of the Augusta-Richmond County Commission, proclamations and official notices of the Commission in the official gazette or newspaper of Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia and performs such other duties as may be required by ordinance or resolution of the Augusta Commission.

As a member of the Augusta-Richmond County Commission, the Mayor may vote only to create or break a tie on all questions before the Commission. The Mayor is not empowered to veto ordinances, resolutions or other actions of the Commission. Likewise, the Mayor does not have the right to vote upon the questions of appointments to various committees of the Augusta-Richmond County Commission.