What does a Member of Congress do? 

The House of Representatives is one of Congress’ two chambers and is composed of 435 Members that proportionally represent the population of the 50 states. Georgia currently has 14 Representatives in the U.S. House, each representing a distinct geographic district. Serving two-year terms, all seats for U.S. House are up for re-election in 2024. 

The Senate is Congress’ other chamber, comprised of two Senators from each of the 50 states, for a total of 100 Members. Each Senator is elected to a six-year term and represents the entire state. One of two U.S. Senate seats in Georgia is up for election in 2026.

As members of the legislative branch, Senators and Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, vote on pending legislation, offer amendments, and serve on committees.  

What could a Member of Congress do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As policymakers, our U.S. Representatives and Senators can do the following: 

• • • • Write, introduce, and support legislation to expand and improve supports for young  children, families, and the people who care for them  
      • Vote against bills that could negatively impact family or child well-being.  
      • Ensure adequate funding for existing programs and services that serve young children and families, including: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Head Start, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
      • Earmark community project funds to support high-quality early learning and healthy development of young children and their families.

  Click to See the Candidates for U.S. House.

Click to See the Candidates for U.S. Senate.

What does the Governor do?

As the chief executive of Georgia, the Governor has the power to enforce laws, oversee the executive branch, and veto legislation. The Governor is also the director of the state budget and has the power to make decisions about how to fund each department of the state government. Finally, the Governor has the authority to appoint state agency heads. 

What could the Governor do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As the chief executive of the state, the Governor could do the following: 

• Set forth a recommended legislative agenda that expands access to early learning and promotes child well-being via their State of the State Address and through their floor leaders, which are hand-selected Senators and Representatives. 
• Veto legislation that negatively impacts family or child well-being. 
• Increase funding to subsidize child care for low-income, working families and for programs such as home visiting that support healthy development of infants and toddlers. 
• Provide vision and guidance for the Georgia’s child-serving state agencies (e.g., the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning).
• Invest in a child care workforce with tax credits and scholarship programs.  
• Ensure that Georgia is well-positioned to take advantage of federal opportunities, including by approving federal grant applications submitted by state agencies and advancing budget decisions that meet state matching requirements for programs serving young children and their families.
• Allocate funds (e.g., federal relief funds) to programs and services that support family and child well-being.

Click to See the Candidates for Governor.

What does the Lieutenant Governor do?

A member of both the executive and legislative branches of Georgia’s government, the Lieutenant Governor is President of the Georgia Senate, presiding over debate in Senate chambers, naming chairs and other members to Senate committees, makes appointments to study committees, and performs other leadership duties. If the Governor became incapacitated and unable to serve, the Lieutenant Governor would assume the chief executive officer until the next general election. 

What could the Lieutenant Governor do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As President of the Senate and a legislative leader in the General Assembly, the Lieutenant Governor could do the following: 

• • Influence policy and budget priorities to amplify legislation that supports young children. 
  • While the Lieutenant Governor cannot vote or sponsor legislation, the Lieutenant Governor can work with advocates in the Senate to introduce legislation that expands access to high-quality early learning and supports the healthy development of young children. 
  • Appoint Committee Chairs who understand the importance of brain development and high-quality programs for children birth to five. 

Click to See the Candidates for Lieutenant Governor.

What does the State School Superintendent do?

The Georgia State School Superintendent is a state executive and the administrative head of the Georgia Department of Education. The Georgia State School Superintendent is charged with governing the K-12 public education system as well as executing policies set forth by the State Board of Education, which is comprised of thirteen members. 

What could the State School Superintendent do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As Georgia schools’ chief executive, the State School Superintendent’s office does not govern most early learning programs, as does the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), but we rely on the State School Superintendent to do the following:  

• Leverage opportunities in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to support early childhood education across the state by providing districts with clear guidance that emphasizes the importance of early learning. 
• Collaborate with state and local leaders to ensure children start school ready to learn. 
• Improve coordination between early learning programs and local school systems to ensure early learners transition to school successfully. 
• Ensure that G-Kids, the Georgia School Readiness Check, provides useful data that is understood and utilized by parents, teachers, school systems, and policy makers. 
• Strengthen and expand existing programs administered by the Georgia Department of Education that serve young children, including Preschool Special Education Services (also known as Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B) and the Migrant Education Program. 

Click to See the Candidates for State School Superintendent.

What does a State Senator or State Representative do?

The legislative branch of the state government is the Georgia General Assembly, which makes the general policies and laws of the state. Like Congress, the General Assembly consists of two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives.  

Every year beginning in January, the General Assembly meets for its legislative session, which lasts for 40 days, to discuss bills and vote for proposed laws. The General Assembly must determine the state’s operating budget, which is the only bill they are constitutionally required to pass. Outside of the legislative session, members of the General Assembly meet in committees, where they discuss proposed legislation in greater detail.  

There are currently 56 state senators in the Georgia Senate. The Lieutenant Governor, who is directly elected by Georgia voters, serves as President of the Senate.

There are currently 180 state representatives in the Georgia House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House serves as the chamber’s leader and is responsible for assigning representatives to committees.  

Serving two-year terms, all members of the General Assembly are up for re-election in 2024. 

What could a State Senator or State Representative do to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

As policymakers, our State Senators and Representatives can do the following: 

• Write, introduce, and support bills that support young children, their families, and the people who care for them.  
• Advocate for the importance of a strong foundation in language and literacy skills for young children. 
• Support the early childhood workforce (e.g., through stipends, tax credits, and scholarship programs). 
• Advocate for sufficient funding for programs that support t children aged birth to five and their families (e.g., child care subsidy, Pre-K, home visiting, early intervention, etc.) through appropriations bills.
• Expand access to paid family leave to ensure families have time to welcome new children or care for themselves or a loved one with an illness.   
• Vote against bills that could negatively impact family or child well-being. 

Click to See the Candidates for the Georgia General Assembly.

What does the Attorney General do?

The Attorney General is responsible for upholding the constitution of the State of Georgia and the United States by representing the state in legal cases and providing legal guidance in cases that pertain to the state and all state agencies.  There are certain types of cases that require representation by the Attorney General. These include any civil case that involves the State of Georgia and all cases that are heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Attorney General also serves as prosecutor for people or businesses that commit a variety of crimes associated with the State of Georgia.   

Click to See the Candidates for Attorney General.

What does the Secretary of State do?

The Secretary of State has a wide range of responsibilities that affect voters and business owners.  In Georgia specifically, the Secretary of State is the chief election official. The chief election official ensures that voting laws are being followed, checks and monitors voter registration, confirms that candidates are qualified, and certifies election results. In addition to overseeing voting, the Secretary of State also regulates registration and licensure for businesses. 

Click to See the Candidates for Secretary of State.

What does the Commissioner of Labor do?

The Commissioner of Labor supports the State of Georgia in maintaining a robust economy by aiding both employers and employees. By focusing on workforce readiness, the Commissioner of Labor works to prepare individuals for employment opportunities so that they can be self-sustaining. The Commissioner of Labor also assists businesses in recruiting and training employees, which helps to sustain the market economy. 

Click to See the Candidates for Commissioner of Labor.

Local elected officials, such as mayors, city council members, county commissioners, and school board members, play an important role in building thriving communities that support young children and families.  

The timelines for local races vary, so check your sample ballot on My Voter Page to see if any local races in your community are up for election in 2024.  

What could local elected officials to expand access to early learning and support the healthy development of Georgia’s youngest children? 

• Use the “bully pulpit” to raise awareness and build support for early childhood issues.
• Allocate funds to support early childhood programs and initiatives (e.g., read more about City of Atlanta’s 2022 investment here).  
• Model best practices as an employer and implement family-friendly policies such as flexible time, child care supports, paid leave, etc. Examples include:   
  • Partner to offer on-site, high-quality and/or subsidized child care for employees. 
  • Provide flexibility for parents and caregivers to attend children’s well visits.
  • Provide gap scholarships for essential service employees and families.    
• Support a comprehensive, well-funded early childhood system that connects health, education, and child welfare. 
• Communicate and collaborate with constituents and community partners to understand and address the needs of children and families. 
• Understand, monitor, and respond to the indicators of child and family well-being in local communities.