Why some residents are pushing back against Macon mayor’s efforts for a 3rd term

A group of Macon residents are organizing against Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller’s efforts to secure a third term, arguing that the move would give the mayor too much power.

Concerned locals gathered Tuesday, urging the state legislature to oppose a resolution that would let Miller run again. Miller serves as mayor over the city-county government, and is in his second term. The jurisdiction’s current charter limits him to two terms.

The county commission passed a resolution in January that would let Miller run again, seeking to change the charter. State senators and representatives from Middle Georgia then introduced a bill during the 2025 legislative session to edit the charter. The bill did not pass, meaning Miller currently is still term limited.

However, local organizers and activists are already anticipating that the stalled bill will be re-introduced in January when the state legislature reconvenes.

To show their opposition, residents gathered at Just Tap’d in downtown Macon Tuesday to urge Middle Georgia representatives through postcards to not support changing the mayor’s term limits.

“When we say yes to term limits, we say yes to diversity, we say yes to differing opinions,” said Julia Adele Callahan, vice chair of the Macon-Bibb County Democratic Committee.

The current Macon-Bibb County charter was passed by the Georgia General Assembly in 2014 when the city and county government merged.

Why do residents oppose the mayor having a third term?

There are only 38 combined city-county governments in America, according to Ballotpedia. Of those, eight are in Georgia.

Callahan said combined city-county governments afford the mayor greater power, making it especially important to implement term limits to ensure leadership is representative of the people and that no one person accumulates too much power.

“The mayor really makes the day-to-day operation decisions,” Callahan said. “Having a government that is completely dependent on the opinion and the will of one person is never a government that serves all people.”

The bill that was introduced earlier this year in the Georgia General Assembly would’ve allowed the Macon-Bibb County mayor to run for a third term.

Organizers said opposing the bill, if it resurfaces, is about more than Miller, and ties into defending democratic values.

“It’s important that we continue to have these accountability checks in place so that we, as the people, can have the government that we want to,” Callahan said.

Chris Floore, chief communications officer with Macon-Bibb County, said the resolution passed by the county in January would’ve only edited the language around term limits to allow the mayor a third term. All other aspects of the county’s charter would remain intact.

Floore also said the people of Macon would still be responsible for electing who is mayor.

“There is no other change to the powers, duties and responsibilities for either the Mayor nor the Commissioners,” Floore told The Telegraph on Thursday. “This change would give the voters the power to decide on who would serve as Mayor in the same manner they decide on Commissioners.”

How likely is the bill to pass?

It’s hard to predict the likelihood of the mayor getting a chance at a third term.

The Macon-Bibb County charter can only be changed through the state legislature, meaning lawmakers must first introduce a bill proposing the amendment.

The 2026 legislative session is scheduled to begin in January, according to the Georgia General Assembly’s website. The session will run through April.

Callahan said for hyperlocal issues such as this one, the rest of the legislature takes cues from lawmakers who represent the area. This means much of the power to decide what happens with the bill will be in the hands of state senators and representatives from the Bibb County area.