2025 Municipal Election - Qualifying Information
On November 4, 2025, Sandy Springs municipal voters will elect six (6) councilmembers, one for each of the City’s six districts, and a mayor.
The Sandy Springs City Council
Per the City Charter, the mayor and members of the council shall serve for terms of four years and until their respective successors are elected and qualified. Qualifications include:
- A resident of the City of Sandy Springs for a continuous period of at least 12 months immediately prior to the date of the election for mayor or council member;
- Shall continue to reside therein during that person’s period of service;
- Continue to be registered and qualified to vote in municipal election of the City of Sandy Springs;
- Residing in the council district the person seeks to represent for a continuous period of at least six months immediately prior to the date of the election; and
- Continues to reside in such district during the person’s period of service.
The Mayor and City Council meet regularly in the Studio Theatre at Sandy Springs City Hall (1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328) on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Special called meetings are occasionally scheduled throughout the year.
Qualifying for Elected Office at the City of Sandy Springs
The qualifying period for the 2025 municipal election is August 18-22, 2025. Qualifying will take place in the Office of the City Clerk at Sandy Springs City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., on Monday, August 18, 2025, through Thursday, August 21, 2025, and between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025.
The qualifying fee for the office of councilmember is $780, which is 3% of the total gross councilmember salary of the preceding year. The qualifying fee for the office of mayor is $1,260, which is 3% of the total gross mayor salary for the preceding year.
Candidates can qualify for only one office.
Candidates must present a photo ID and submit the following during the qualifying period:
- Notice of Candidacy and Affidavit (including a confirmation of name on ballot and official documents)
- Payment of qualifying fee (cash or check). Bring exact change if paying in cash. Checks should be payable to “The City of Sandy Springs”.
In the event that a candidate pays his or her qualifying fee with a check that is subsequently returned for insufficient funds, the superintendent shall automatically find that such candidate has not met the qualifications for holding the office being sought, unless the bank, credit union, or other financial institution returning the check certifies in writing by an officer's or director's oath that the bank, credit union, or financial institution erred in returning the check. O.C.G.A. § 21-2-6 (d)
Once the qualifying period closes, the names of all qualified candidates will be posted on the City’s website. Be aware that newspapers will generally request this information and publish it as well. Please provide email address information and advise us whether this information is permitted to be listed on our website so that voters may also contact you directly.
State Ethics Commission
The State Ethics Commission administers and enforces the provisions of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act. The Commission collects all campaign finance reports and financial disclosure reports filed by Public Officials, Candidates for Public Office, Campaign and Non Campaign Committees and Lobbyists in the State of Georgia. Commission staff review filings and inform filers of the appropriate methods to disclose expenditures and collect campaign funds, among other items. The Commission assesses late fees against those filers who statutorily are required to file with the Commission and who fail to timely file the required disclosure reports, pursuant to statute.
The Sandy Springs City Clerk is the local filing officer for City of Sandy Springs elected officials and candidates. When due, the following forms are required to be filed at the Sandy Springs City Clerk’s Office:
- Personal Financial Disclosure Statement (Form PFDS)
All candidates must file a Personal Financial Disclosure Statement no later than 15 days after qualifying. - Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions (Form DOI)
Before accepting or expending any campaign funds a DOI must be submitted directly to the local filing officer. - Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report (Form CCDR)
Following the filing of a DOI, Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports are filed by candidates for the following reporting periods during an election year:January 1, 2025 – January 31, 2025
Due - January 31, 2025
End of Grace Period - February 7, 2025February 1, 2025 – April 30, 2025
Due - April 30, 2025
End of Grace Period - May 7, 2025May 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025
Due - June 30, 2025
End of Grace Period - July 8, 2025July 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025
Due - September 30, 2025
End of Grace Period - October 7, 2025October 1, 2025 – October 25, 2025
Due - October 25, 2025
End of Grace Period - November 3, 2025October 26, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Due - December 31, 2025
End of Grace Period - January 8, 2025 - Affidavit Not to Exceed $2,500 in Contributions and/or Expenditures
An Affidavit of Exemption may be filed by those candidates and elected officials who do not intend to accept more than $2,500 in contributions or expend more than $2,500 in expenditures during an election cycle. Only one Affidavit of Exemption is filed per election cycle. - Two Day Business Report of Contributions Received (Form TBDR)
The Two Business Day Report is filed between the date of the last CCDR reporting deadline prior to the date of the election. Contributions must be reported within two business days of report. These contributions must also be reported on the next scheduled CCDR. - Campaign Contribution Disclosure Final Report and Termination Statement (Form FRTS)
Filed within 10 days of the dissolution of the campaign.
The Commission receives certain information directly from Candidates, such as:
To learn more about the Georgia Ethics Commission campaign finance requirements for local candidates, please visit the Candidate Information: Local page on their website.
Information about the Placement of Campaign Signs
The City of Sandy Springs has various sign ordinances which govern the type and number of signs that can be displayed on private property during an election. In order to help you understand how these ordinances apply to the signage on your property, the City has created this guide:
No signs may be placed in the right-of-way. Signs placed within the ROW will be removed.
Detailed information can be found in Sec. 8.4.18 – Temporary Sign. Standard campaign signs no greater than 6 square feet in area (3 feet in height and 2 feet in width) do not require a permit. Staff do not enforce a maximum number of standard campaign signs per lot during the campaign season.
Larger temporary signs require a permit and must follow the restrictions of 8.4.18.D. This restricts signage to a maximum area of 32 square feet, a maximum sign height of 5 feet at ground level or 24 feet when placed on a building (not extending above the roofline) and limits the amount of time the signage may be displayed to a maximum of 3, 14-day periods per calendar year.
Newly Elected Officials Training
The Newly Elected Officials Institute is a state-mandated training program designed to equip new mayors and councilmembers with the knowledge and skills necessary to govern effectively. This training, provided by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, helps local officials understand their roles and responsibilities in municipal government.
For more information visit the Newly Elected Officials Institute webpage on the Georgia Municipal Association website.
Dog Man: The Musical
