The Ballot Brief
Chatham County, Georgia

Georgia House District 161

Hitchens and Dillie are on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Chatham County election filings.

About this race

Bill Hitchens (Republican), David Dillie (Democratic) meet on the November 3 ballot; Bill Hitchens is the sitting member, per the Secretary of State's certified list. Party nominees were chosen at the May 19 primary and June 16 runoff (majority rule); independents qualified by petition. The field is the Secretary of State's certified November 2026 candidate list (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Bill Hitchens, is on the ballot.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Georgia › Chatham County › Georgia House District 161

Bill Hitchens

Bill Hitchens

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

From the campaign site

  • Standing up for veterans and their families
  • Tax relief and lower costs for families
  • Public safety agencies with the resources they need
Biography

Hitchens is a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran, a 28-year veteran of the Georgia State Patrol and Georgia's first Director of Homeland Security, per the campaign site. The site says Hitchens was twice appointed Commissioner of Public Safety by Governors Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal, and has served at the State Capitol since 2013, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
David Dillie

David Dillie

Democratic

Top priorities

From the campaign site

  • Raise Georgia's state minimum wage to $10.00 per hour
  • Expand career and technical education programs
  • Protect family farms and farmland
Biography

David Dillie works as an aircraft final line mechanic at Gulfstream and also does AWS welding, pipefitting and plumbing work, per his campaign site. He was raised in a farming family and is a student at Savannah Technical College.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Next on your ballotGeorgia House District 162

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Georgia House District 161 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for Georgia House District 161, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Bill Hitchens and David Dillie. Candidate information follows official Chatham County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Georgia House District 161 election in Georgia?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Georgia are on the Georgia election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Chatham County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Chatham County and state election office filings, last verified October 16, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Georgia election office, or see the full Chatham County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Chatham County ballot

10 tracked races in Chatham County, Georgia. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Georgia House District 163Georgia House District 164Georgia House District 165See all 10 Chatham County races
Candidate profiles
Bill Hitchens, full profileDavid Dillie, full profileOfficial Georgia election office