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 Effingham County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
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.
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.
Georgia › Effingham County › Georgia House District 161
Republican Incumbent
Bill Hitchens is the Republican candidate for Georgia House District 161 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Secretary of State's certified candidate list. Bill Hitchens is the sitting member, per the Secretary of State's certified list and the General Assembly's roster. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.
Democratic
Per the campaign site.
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.
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 Effingham 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 Effingham 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.
Candidate roster from official Effingham County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Georgia election office, or see the full Effingham County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
3 tracked races in Effingham County, Georgia. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.