While special elections may be held to fill the unexpired terms of any elected officials, the method of succession may be different for each office. OCGA 15-10-20(e) provides that a magistrate judge who leaves office is succeeded on his or her recommendation as a judge to the chief judge of the judicial circuit in which the magistrate court is located. Superior court judges in the circuit vote on the recommendation; Thomas Wilson, chief judge, confirmed the local appointment of Karen Jackson to replace William Thomas. In the case of the superior court clerk, the chief deputy clerk succeeds if there is less than two years left on the unexpired term according to OCGA 15-6-59(b). In any case, by recent law, if there is more than two years left on a term a special election is required to choose a successor.
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