QUITMAN, Ga (WALB) - The city of Quitman announced Friday, May 1, that Commissioner Christopher Cole has resigned due to residency issues. Cole represents Quitman’s District 1.

“Due to an unexpected relocation outside of his district, [Cole] no longer meets the residency requirement outlined in the City Charter,” the city wrote in a public statement.

Quitman’s city charter requires councilmembers to reside within their district for the duration of their term.

The city will call for a special election to fill the vacancy. City manager James Lawrence said additional details will be provided later.

This comes amid recent controversy surrounding Quitman’s city charter, after Georgia Rep. John LaHood previously wrote legislation to dissolve it.

>> READ MORE: ‘Give us a chance’: Quitman city leaders work to restore trust; Bill introduced to dissolve the city’s charter <<

The city has dealt with a number of issues over the years, but perhaps the biggest outstanding issue is that the city has not completed an audit since 2017-2018.

The city is operating under it’s current charter for now, with no immediate dissolution deadline. Rep. LaHood’s legislation was changed to include a referendum that will allow people in Quitman and Brooks County to vote on the future of their local governments.

A second referendum in 2027 would consider whether to adopt a detailed unified government charter. The city will continue to update their audits in the meantime.

WALB will continue to provide updates as this story unfolds. Stay with us.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.