Councilmember Sams Resigns For Mayoral Campaign

Monday, July 17th, 2023

Dalton City Councilmember Annalee Harlan Sams resigned her seat on Monday in order to run for mayor. Georgia law requires elected officials to vacate their office before seeking election for another position if their new term would begin more than 30 days before the end of their existing term in office. Sams' seat on the council will be on the ballot in November. 

Sams' resignation from the City Council was effective at 12:00 pm on Monday, July 17th. Councilmember Sams represented Ward 2 of the City of Dalton and her term was set to run through the end of 2025. The agenda for Monday night's meeting of the Mayor and Council includes a resolution to accept her resignation and to declare a special election to fill the vacancy. The unexpired portion of Sams' term as the Ward 2 representative will be on the ballot during the November general election.

Caption: Former councilmember Annalee Harlan Sams resigned her office effective Monday, July 17th at 12:00 pm in order to campaign for the office of mayor

Article II, section 2 of the Georgia state constitution says that, "the office of any state, county, or municipal elected official shall be declared vacant upon such elected official qualifying, in a general primary or general election, or special primary or special election, for another state, county, or municipal elective office or qualifying for the House of Representatives or the Senate of the United States if the term of the office for which such official is qualifying for begins more than 30 days prior to the expiration of such official's present term of office."

Mayor David Pennington's term is set to expire at the end of the year and he has said that he will not seek another term. Pennington also served as Dalton's mayor from 2008 until 2014 when he resigned in accordance with state law to campaign for the Georgia governor's office.