Changes to the Dawson County commission and school board districts have been approved by the governor.

Gov. Nathan Deal approved the local legislation last week. It now must be approved by the Department of Justice, according to Glenda Ferguson, chair of the Dawson County Board of Elections and Registration.

The county and school board submitted the proposed changes in response to recent census numbers that showed Dawson County's population increased by nearly 40 percent from 2000 to 2010.

Residents did not offer input on the proposal at either of the commission's public hearings held on the matter.

The approved changes are minor and will have little impact on residents since both commission and school board posts are elected countywide, according to Commission Chair Mike Berg.

"Our main interest was to not affect those already in office, and we were successful in doing that," Berg said earlier this summer.

Redistricting, however, could affect residents planning to run for office.

The changes move residents in the Gold Creek subdivision from District 2, the most populated area, to District 1, which includes the Dawson County portion of Big Canoe and surrounding area.

District 2 encompasses the Hwy. 136 area, from Ga. 400 to the Lumpkin County line.