A Georgia city council seat is suddenly open after a former councilman pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an incident inside his office at LaGrange College. Former LaGrange City Council member Marquavious “Quay” Boddie resigned after entering guilty pleas to public indecency and obstruction of an officer. According to CBS Atlanta, Troup County court documents show Boddie pleaded guilty to both misdemeanor charges on August 12. The outlet reported that he was sentenced to 24 months of probation and ordered to pay a fine.
The case centers on an encounter at LaGrange College earlier this year. Court documents state that Boddie exposed himself to a female student inside his office on February 6. He was working at the college at the time and was terminated from the school shortly after the incident.
The obstruction charge came from what investigators said happened after the encounter. According to WTVM, court records state that Boddie falsely told an investigator on February 20 that he had not exposed himself to the student. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation later began investigating a complaint connected to the incident. Boddie admitted to lying to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent about his actions.
Boddie’s departure also ends his time representing part of LaGrange on the city council. According to the City of LaGrange, Boddie was appointed to the council in 2023. The city’s official profile identified him as Marquavious “Quay” Boddie and listed him as a District 2 council member.
The resignation became effective immediately, according to an August 15 announcement from the City of LaGrange. Mayor Jim Arrington addressed the resignation in a statement released by the city.
“Serving as an elected official is a position of public trust, and we have a responsibility to uphold the confidence our citizens place in us. I respect Councilmember Boddie’s decision to resign from the LaGrange City Council. I appreciate his service to the City of LaGrange and to the residents of his district. The City Council will continue to serve the people of LaGrange with integrity, accountability, and respect. We will remain focused on the work ahead and on doing what is best for our community.”
Attention has now shifted from Boddie’s resignation to who will take over the vacant seat. According to WTVM, the LaGrange City Council voted 5 to 0 during a called meeting on August 18 to hold a special election for the vacant District 2C seat. The election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, alongside the general election.
Candidate qualifying will open at 8:30 a.m. on August 24 and close at 4:30 p.m. on August 26. According to the city resolution cited by the station, candidates must pay a $288 qualifying fee. The Troup County Board of Elections and Registration will conduct the special election, and a runoff is scheduled for December 1 if one becomes necessary.
The developments bring a rapid political conclusion to a case that moved from an investigation involving Quay Boddie’s former workplace to guilty pleas, probation, his resignation from public office, and now a special election to determine who will represent District 2C next.
