Republican Hall County Board of Education member Mark Pettitt announced Thursday morning his intention to run for Hall County Clerk of Courts in the May General Primary.
The announcement follows the January announcement that longtime Clerk of Courts, Charles Baker, will retire at the end of his current term in 2024.
“As a Constitutional Conservative, I believe that strong leadership is needed at all levels of government. I am running for Clerk of Court to ensure that the Rule of Law and administration of justice is properly supported in the Hall County Judiciary,” Pettitt said in a release.
Pettitt will see opposition from Chris Slate, the owner of Southern Realty.
Pettitt said he aims to bring new ideas and innovation to the Clerk's Office through his leadership experience in both the private and public sectors.
"Having led people and managed the largest public budgets in Hall County, Pettitt is uniquely qualified to serve in this important role," a release from Pettitt reads.
Pettitt said he will commit to managing a Clerk's Office that is responsible, responsive, respectful and ready to serve the needs of all stakeholders.
“I am excited about this new challenge, and I look forward to operating a Clerk’s Office that provides superior customer service, modern technology solutions, and efficient administration of justice for the People of Hall County,” Pettitt said.
He was first elected to the Hall County Board of Education in 2018 to represent South Hall County. Pettitt became the youngest county-wide elected official in Hall County after winning that seat. He was then re-elected in 2022.
Prior to his role on the school board, he was appointed to the Hall County Library System Board of Trustees in 2013. He was then elected as chair of the board in 2015.
"While serving on the library board, Pettitt spearheaded the implementation of the passport acceptance program at the Blackshear Place library, helped eliminate employee furloughs, worked to increase operating hours at each branch and built up the system’s fund balance by nearly 250%," the release reads.
He also served as the South Hall county appointee to the county's first-ever citizen's SPLOST Oversight Committee from 2013 to 2018 and has been elected twice to the Georgia Republican Party State Committee.
Pettitt currently works as the Director of Government Relations for the University of North Georgia. He lives in Chestnut Mountain with his wife, Molly, and they attend Riverbend Church. He is actively involved with the Gainesville Jaycees and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of West Georgia.
"I humbly ask the voters of Hall County for the opportunity to lead the Clerk’s Office into the 21st century by embracing efficiency, prioritizing modernization, and streamlining services," Pettitt said.
