May 24 is election day for the 2022 Georgia primaries, although early voting began on May 2. Any primary races that advance to a runoff will hold an election on June 21, and the general election will take place on Nov. 8. Any general election run-offs will be held on Dec. 6.
Georgia primary races are open, meaning that when voters arrive at the polls, they have to choose between a Democratic, Republican or nonpartisan ballot and vote for a general election nominee within their chosen party. Voters will then choose between candidates of different parties during the general election.
Below is a guide outlining the different races and candidates running in the 2022 Georgia elections.
U.S. Senate
There are 100 members of the U.S. Senate, two representing each state. Senators write, sponsor, amend, debate and vote on bills that may become federal law, giving them notable power when it comes to reflecting their individual state’s concerns in national politics. They hold confirmation hearings for most presidential appointees and focus on particular issues within committees. Senators serve six-year terms.
Although Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) was elected in 2020, he is up for re-election this election cycle after completing the remainder of former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s (R-Ga.) term. Isakson resigned from being a senator on Dec. 31, 2019 due to health concerns, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp subsequently appointed former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) to occupy the seat until the next election cycle. Warnock beat Loeffler in a runoff election, resulting in him finishing Isakson’s term and being up for re-election this year. The Democratic Party currently holds the majority in the Senate, as there are 50 Democratic senators plus U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Georgia’s last senate elections helped establish the slim Democratic majority as both Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) beat the Republican incumbents.
Raphael Warnock (D) (incumbent)
Warnock is the current Georgia Senator, assuming office in 2021. During his time in office, Warnock, who is a reverend, cosponsored the Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act and introduced the Preventing Election Subversion Act. Warnock’s campaign for reelection includes ensuring abortion access, ending mass incarceration and advocating for gender inclusive policies for LGBT youth. Warnock also aims to end the use of privatized prisons in immigration, continuing the work he did to combat hate crimes while in office.
Tamara Johnson-Shealey (D)
Beauty salon owner and U.S. Senate Candidate Tamara Johnson-Shealey is the founder and president of The Concerned Beauty and Barber Professionals and Politics Beauty and Barber, through which she has advocated for bills protecting the health and safety of beauty professionals. She hopes to establish a federal agency for the Descendants of Chattel Slavery, cancel all existing student loan debt and abolish the death penalty. Johnson-Shealey ran for the Georgia State Senate in 2014, 2016 and 2018, but lost each time.
Gary Black (R)
Serving as Agriculture Commissioner of Georgia since 2011, U.S. Senate candidate Gary Black’s environmental platform consists of improving relations between farmers and the Environmental Protection Agency. He also views critical race theory as “pure propaganda” and will aim to remove such discussions from classrooms. In terms of illegal immigration, he does not support amnesty and will strive for the border wall to be built.
Josh Clark (R)
After serving two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives, U.S. Senate Candidate Josh Clark’s (R-98) platform considers himself “the only candidate with legislative experience.” He lists his three main issues as the attack on liberty, budget and borders, saying that he wants to “stop the flow of sex traffickers, drugs, criminals and terrorists.” While in office, Clark had a 100% pro-life voting record and helped pass the Fetal Pain Bill, which banned abortions after 20 weeks. Clark also opposes critical race theory, vaccine mandates and defunding the police.
Kelvin King (R)
Construction firm owner and U.S. Senate Candidate Kelvin King, who previously served as a captain in the Air Force and is the founder of the nonprofit Speak Georgia, is running on a platform to “preserve the American dream” by lowering taxes, prioritizing national defense and protecting Constitutional rights, including the second Amendment. If elected, he aims to ban critical race theory and build a border wall. King also supports restricting abortion access under the “right to life.”
Jonathan McColumn (R)
Following a 31 year career in the military, U.S. Senate candidate Jonathan McColumn’s campaign is his first attempt at entering politics. McColumn hopes to complete the border wall and allocate funds for electronic border surveillance. As a U.S. Senator, McColumn will emphasize that “socialism does not thrive in the United States” and support a pro-life agenda.
Latham Saddler (R)
With experience as a Navy Sea, Air and Land Teams (SEAL) Officer and Director of Intelligence in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s White House, U.S. Senate Candidate Latham Saddler’s campaign is to create a “strong, secure and free” America. As a U.S. Senator, Saddler would focus on advocating for a southern border wall, pro-life legislation, eliminating cancel culture and modernizing national defense. He also wants to “prevail over Communist China.”
Herschel Walker (R)
Most well known for being a running back for the NFL, U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker has been a staunch supporter of Trump and was appointed chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition by Trump. As senator, Walker wants to lower taxes, reduce regulations on businesses and make the U.S. emergency independent, a way to both lower gas prices and create jobs. Walker also emphasizes defending the police, viewing defunding the police as “a ridiculous idea, ”citing that “crime is out of control in many of our major cities, including Atlanta.”
Chase Oliver (L)
As the only libertarian in the race for Georgia’s Senate seat, U.S. Senate Candidate Chase Oliver says he wants to represent individual people rather than “special interests which thrive on division, gridlock and partisan fighting.” His campaign includes simplifying the immigration system, legalizing cannabis, supporting small businesses and promoting peace instead of war. Oliver aims to reform the criminal justice system by ending qualified immunity for federal law enforcement, mandatory minimum sentencing and the prosecution of “victimless crimes.” He believes the government does respect citizens’ privacy, saying “the worst government abuses come disguised as protection from danger and harm,” citing the Patriot Act as an example.
U.S. House District 5
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is the lower house of Congress, represent the interests and concerns of their specific districts. Like senators, representatives write, sponsor, amend, debate and vote on bills that have the potential to become national laws, and serve on Congressional committees. Representatives serve two-year terms.
Nikema Williams (D) (incumbent)
Currently serving her first term as the representative for Georgia’s fifth congressional district, Nikema Williams supports increasing rehabilitation in the criminal justice system and decriminalizing recreational marijuana use, as well as the Green New Deal and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Her campaign includes Medicare for all and universal family care. While in office, Williams introduced the Striking Workers Healthcare Protection Act, which has not passed the House, and re-launched the bipartisan Congressional Endometriosis Caucus.
Charlotte MacBagito (D)
President of Ivy League Capital and Investments Charlotte MacBagito, who previously founded an upscale vegan restaurant, does not appear to have any political experience. Her campaign includes making Atlanta safer by supporting police and hiring undercover narcotics agents, increasing voting accessibility through means such as mail-in voting and allowing women the choice of abortion. MacBagito said the immigration process should be simplified to help immigrants enter the “economic mainstream,” but also said she stands “with those who believe we must secure our borders and enforce our visa and immigration laws.” She also advocates for an end to illegal drugs, noting that “we must secure our southern border to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.”
Valencia Stovall (D)
Managing Member of the Georgia Youth Career Center, LLC Valencia Stovall previously served in the Georgia House of Representatives and ran for the U.S. Senate in 2020 but lost. While in office, Stovall developed a $45 million grant for local governments and focused on legislation to improve special needs education. She aims to expand medicaid in Georgia, reduce prescription drug costs, develop restitution for Black Americans, increase rehabilitation in the criminal justice system, decriminalize marijuana and end the “inhumane” treatment of immigrants at the border. In terms of the environment, Stovall wants to decrease the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gasses, as well as increase carbon neutral efforts.
Christian Zimm (15Ox, 17C, 20B, 20L) (R)
Christian Zimm (15Ox, 17C, 20B, 20L) is running uncontested to be the Republican nominee for U.S. House District 5. He plans to reduce crime by fully funding, staffing and training the police, and supports lower taxes, the decriminalization of marijuana, less governmental regulation of businesses, the second amendment with state background checks and the elimination of vaccine and mask mandates. Zimm says he supports LGBT adoption, as well as Ukraine and Israel. His Atlanta-specific goals include Buckhead Cityhood and protecting single family zoning.
Governor
Governors are comparable to the U.S. president on a state-scale, as they oversee the executive branch, sign and enforce laws and act as the commander-in-chief for the state military. They can veto state legislation and appoint heads of judicial and state offices. Governors are elected every four years, but if they serve two terms in a row, they have to wait four years to run again.
Stacey Abrams (D)
Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams launched her second campaign after losing the 2018 race against Kemp by 1.5 percentage points. Abrams is the founder of the voting rights organization Fair Fight and previously served in the Georgia House of Representatives. If elected, Abrams aims to defend abortion rights, repeal legislation expanding gun access, create a COVID long-term recovery plan and reform the criminal justice system, which would include decrimilaizing poverty and mandating a minimum salary for law enforcement. She also prioritizes implementing an environmental action plan and bolstering legislation to protect LGBT Georgians. She supportscritical race theory.
Brian Kemp (R) (incumbent)
Kemp has served as Georgia’s governor since 2018 and is vying for a second term. He signed the “heartbeat bill” into law in 2019, banning most abortions after about six weeks, but the bill was struck down by a federal judge in 2020 for violating the 14th amendment. While in office, Kemp implemented the largest teacher pay raise in state history and supported mental health resources in schools, in addition to passing the Unmask Georgia Act, which prohibited schools from requiring masks. He opposes critical race theory. Kemp passed legislation repealing citizen’s arrest after the death of Ahmaud Aubrey, whose killers alleged they were implementing a citizen’s arrest.
Catherine Davis (R)
Gubernatorial candidate Catherine Davis is the president of The Restoration Project, which promotes public policy issues impacting the Black community. She supports pro-life legislation and plans to advocate for Georgia to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Davis has voiced her opposition to critical race theory, social emotional learning and diversity, equity and inclusion, and cites stopping human trafficking, protecting small businesses and deterring illegal immigration as major campaign points. She ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and lost in 2004 and 2006.
David Perdue (R)
With his six years of experience as a member of the U.S. Senate coming to an end in 2021 after losing in a runoff to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), gubernatorial candidate David Perdue’s (R-Ga.) campaign includes pushing for stronger abortion bans in Georgia. Perdue, who is endorsed by Trump, aims to completely eliminate state income tax, enact term limits for all statewide executive officers in Georgia and invest in public safety by fully staffing police departments. He does not support critical race theory.
Kandiss Taylor (R)
Appling County Schools Counselor and gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor’s campaign tagline is “Jesus, guns and babies.” She intends to criminalize abortion when there is “any proof of pregnancy at all,” advocate for gun rights and protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Taylor, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2020 and lost, opposes critical race theory, comprehensive sex education and social emotional learning. She also aims to demolish the Georgia Guidestones landmark, which she calls a “Satanic evil,” alleging that the “Global Luciferian Regime” has “demoralized us with humiliation rituals” by removing monuments, persecuting children, enforcing lockdowns and mandating vaccines.
Tom Williams (R)
Gubernatorial candidate Tom Williams previously worked in software engineering and electronics for the Air Force and does not have any political experience. He opposes vaccine requirements, critical race theory and abortion, which he hopes to correct with “the strongest pro-life laws in the country.” Williams is against transgender women in sports, calling it the “intrusion of men and boys.”
Shane Hazel (L)
After running for the U.S. House as a Republican and losing in 2018, podcast host Shane Hazel’s libertarian campaign for governor includes adopting bitcoin as legal tender, claiming that doing so will correct “fraud and abuse” in Georgia elections. He aims to empower Georgians through the “separation of money and state,” noting that citizens have the right to their property, money, health, privacy, beliefs and business. Hazel’s main mode of action would be nullifying current governmental regulations, such as taxes, health mandates, punishments for non-violent crimes and education mandates, which he calls “indoctrination camps.”
Elbert "Al" Bartell (I)
A major point of Certified Mediator Al Bartell’s gubernatorial campaign is his stimulus recovery initiative and stakeholder engagement strategy. He also aims to establish small business development centers throughout Georgia, ensure healthcare is equitably managed and prevent violence by prioritizing collaborative public policy and addressing racial inequities. Bartell ran for the U.S. Senate as an Independent in 2020 and lost.
President R19 Boddie (I)
President R19 Boddie — who claims President and R19 are both his legal name — is running for governor, although he does not appear to have a campaign website. He allegedly declared candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, telling The Champion “I’m already the President of the United States of America. That’s how I move, and that’s how I walk.” Little information is available about Boddie’s personal history or work experience, although Media and American Politics reports that Boddie — who is legally blind — said God told him to run for president. The Champion also writes that Boddie claims he “knows how to relieve Americans of debt, better the healthcare system and help the economy,” but cannot “reveal his plans until he has more followers.”
Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governors can be considered the vice president of their respective state, as they are the second highest elected official in the state behind the governor, whom they replace in the event of a governor becoming incapacitated. The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the State Senate, meaning they play a role in introducing legislation and selecting which bills go up for debate. They cast tie-breaking votes in the State Senate and are elected every four years, although lieutenant governors can run an unlimited number of times.
Erick Allen (D)
If elected Lieutenant Governor, Georgia State Representative Erick Allen (D-40) will strive to address the economic consequences of COVID-19, including unemployment, businesses closing and the loss of revenue. He is also pro-choice, viewing reproductive rights as human rights. In terms of voting access and rights, Allens wants to ensure that voter suppression does not take place.
Charlie Bailey (D)
Lieutenant Governor Candidate Charlie Bailey previously ran for Attorney General in 2018, but lost to Republican opponent Chris Carr. Bailey is in favor of expanding Medicaid. He supports raising salaries for law enforcement officers and teachers, as well as increasing funding for schools and reducing class sizes. Bailey also wants to allocate funds to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to aid in the processing of backlogged sexual assault kits.
Tyrone Brooks Jr. (D)
After a failed bid at Georgia State Representative for District 55, Lieutenant Governor Candidate Tyrone Brooks Jr. is running for this position in hopes of modernizing law enforcement training and increasing pay for law enforcement, as well as advocating for legislation to close the gender pay gap. Brooks supports tax cuts for retired veterans and the use of clean renewable energy. He also wants to invest in rural Georgia.
Tony Brown (D)
U.S. Air Force Veteran and Military Officer Tony Brown is vying for the position of lieutenant governor with the goal of creating good paying jobs, cutting family costs, strengthening schools, prioritizing safety and honoring veterans. He also aims to “uplift Black Georgians.”
Kwanza Hall (D)
Following a year of experience completing the late Civil Rights icon and Congressman John Lewis’ term in the U.S. House of Representatives coming to an end in 2021, Kwanza Hall, who also served on the Atlanta City Council and Board of Education, has openly condemned Republican politicians, saying “the Republicans are OK with images of Congressman Lewis dancing to ‘Happy,’ but they don’t want us to remember a battered and bruised John Lewis on Bloody Sunday.” If elected, Hall wants to protect parks by ensuring clean water and air, as well as expand Medicaid and reopening closed medical facilities. He also supports Black history in school curriculums and affordable housing.
Jason Hayes (D)
Physician Jason Hayes’ platform includes expanding Medicaid and constructing community health centers in underserved areas of Georgia. He hopes to increase teacher salaries and create a teacher advisory committee to “advocate and advise GA political leadership on a progressive curriculum,” as well as make education more affordable. In terms of the economy, Hayes prioritizes small business tax breaks and getting corporations involved in disenfranchised and rural communities by creating jobs. In 2020, he was the Democratic nominee for House District 49’s state representative but lost.
Derrick Jackson (D)
As Lieutenant Governor, Georgia State Representative Derrick Jackson (D-64) will strive to combat adolescent mental health stigma and opioid addiction. He also wants to implement a liveable minimum wage, address police violence and initiate education reform through increasing educator training and resource equity.
Rashid Malik (D)
Entrepreneur and author Rashid Malik supports a single-payer healthcare program, free college, utilizing renewable energy and common-sense gun laws, as well as universal background checks, genetic tests, psychiatric tests and training to buy a gun. He aims to improve housing and the economy by promoting micro-entrepreneurship and trading with other countries.
Renitta Shannon (D)
Georgia State Representative Renitta Shannon (D-84) has served in office for three terms and aims to take a “balanced approach” to advance the rights of workers and raise minimum wage while also improving businesses. When it comes to healthcare, she wants to increase Medicaid and address healthcare disparities, especially those faced by LGBT individuals and those surrounding contraceptive and abortion care. Shannon also prioritizes the criminal justice system, saying that she will “work to end the systemic racial and economic bias built into many of the policies that govern us today.”
Burt Jones (R)
Current Georgia State Senator Burt Jones (R-25) is a Trump-endorsed candidate for lieutenant governor and has called for a statewide investigation into “documented irregularities” in Georgia’s 2020 elections. He is a proponent of banning critical race theory and improving vocational and technical education to help expand the workforce, such as through funding and grants. In terms of the economy, Burt wants to minimize fees and regulation for small businesses and reduce the state income tax. Burt also believes in increasing funds and improving retirement benefits for law enforcement, as well as widening punishments for sex traffickers, gang members and repeat offenders.
Mack McGregor (R)
Lieutenant Governor Candidate Mack McGrgeor doesn’t not have prior political experience, but has served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1990 to 1993 and is currently a welder. However, he has been “fighting for the Constitution all [his] life from government over reach twenty four seven.” McGregor is pro-life, defends the Second Amendment, and wants to investigate Child Protective Services.
Butch Miller (R)
President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate Butch Miller (R-49) wants to eliminate Georgia’s state income tax and the use of ballot drop boxes for voting. He is also against critical race theory and vaccine mandates. In the state senate, Miller has worked to pass the heartbeat bill, banning most abortions after six weeks, and helped pass SB202, which is a restrictive voter law that critics deem as voter suppression. In terms of public safety, Butch will “back the blue and never bow to the Woke Mob’s demands to Defund the Police” and views U.S. President Joe Biden’s immigration policies as inviting “criminal gangs to profit off of deadly drugs and human trafficking.”
Jeanne Seaver (R)
Lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Seaver is the founder and CEO of Jeanne Seaver Consulting Group and worked as the Georgia grassroots coordinator for Trump’s first campaign. Seaver intends to protect pro-life legislation and constitutional carry, as well as abolish the state income tax. As a self-proclaimed “child advocate,” Seaver does not support critical race theory and, if elected, will work to end commercialized gambling in Georgia, which she calls a “public health crisis.”
Ryan Graham (L)
As the only Libertarian vying to be lieutenant governor, Ryan Graham strives to protect educational freedom, noting the importance of “innovative” learning solutions. He calls the criminal justice system “flawed” and prioritizes election reform, saying that “the ballot should be unencumbered for candidates and voters.”
Secretary of State
The secretary of state oversees elections and voting, specifically by managing the voter registration process and preparing ballots. They also head the registration of new businesses and renew businesses and permits. The secretary of state, who serves four-year terms, manages and preserves public records, curates educational programs about the capitol and oversees the state security market. In 2021, Georgia passed SB202 — a law that some view as voter suppression — prohibiting groups from distributing food and water to voters in line and limiting ballot drop boxes to one per 100,000 registered voters in a given county, among other measures.
Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D)
Secretary of State Candidate Dee Dawkins-Haigler previously ran for the position in 2018 but lost. She also served as a Georgia State Representative from the 91st district from 2009 to 2017. Dawkins-Haigler’s key issues include advocating for youth impacted by poverty, fighting against human trafficking and domestic violence and promoting equity in the cannabis industry.
John Eaves (D)
Before launching his campaign for Secretary of State, candidate John Eaves was the Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman from 2007 to 2017 and had an unsuccessful bid for Mayor of Atlanta in 2017. Using education, coordination and restoration, Eaves wants to protect an individual's right to vote. He will also strive to stimulate Georgia’s economy through “including diverse companies in Georgia’s top business pipeline.”
Floyd Griffin (D)
Secretary of State Candidate Floyd Griffin has a history in Georgia politics, including being a Georgia State Senator representing the 25th district from 1994 to 1998, an unsuccessful bid for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 1998 and serving as mayor of Millidgeville, Georgia from 2002 to 2006. Most recently, he was the president and CEO of Slater’s Funeral Home before he retired in 2017. As Secretary of State, Griffin wants to establish a satellite office in Macon, Georgia to increase voter access. He also opposes SB202, which is a restrictive voter law, and supports improving the business licensing process.
Bee Nguyen (D)
As Secretary of State, Georgia State Representative Bee Nguyen (D-89) wants to ensure that Georgia’s elections are fair and secure, such as by enhancing voter education and outreach via text messaging alert systems and through translating election materials. Nguyen also wants to create a public registry and charities and securities known for fraudulent activities in order strengthen consumer protections. Likewise, she will emphasize regulations for “corporations that prey on seniors and other vulnerable Georgians.”
Michael Owens (D)
Secretary of State Candidate Michael Owens previously ran for the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 13th district in 2014 and 2020 but lost. He has advocated for voter participation in the past and founded the South Cobb Voter Empowerment Project. His campaign includes bettering the Georgia election system and increasing voter participation and accessibility, as well as strengthening state cybersecurity to prevent foreign intervention in elections. Owens plans to support small businesses, entrepreneurs and veterans.
Brad Raffensperger (R) (incumbent)
Since his election as the secretary of state in 2018, incumbent Brad Raffensberger has prioritized “election integrity” and championed photo ID requirements and an online portal for absentee ballots, citizenship checks of Georgia’s voter rolls and a statewide audit of the voting system, removing 309,000 people from Georgia’s list of registered voters. He publicly refuted Trump’s claims of fraud during the 2020 election and confirmed Biden’s win. Raffensberger is a vocal advocate against ballot harvesting and noncitizen voting, proposing a Georgia constitutional amendment to reserve the right to vote only for American citizens. His proposal failed to pass in the Georgia Senate. However, Raffensperger has defended SB202, a restrictive voting measure that many Democrats deem as voter suppression.
David Belle Isle (R)
Former Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle aims to champion secure elections, claiming that Georgia did not handle the 2020 election count properly. If elected, Isle wants to reject the Compromise Settlement Agreement reached by Abrams and Raffensperger, as well as use hand-marked paper ballots instead of the current electronic dominion system. He says Georgia has “lost the trust of many of its citizens” due to the dominion system, which Isle believes provides “too much room for fraud; too much room for doubt; too much room for imagination.”
Jody Hice (R)
The Trump-endorsed Georgia State Representative (R-10) Jody Hice opposes provisions to HR 1, which would require Georgia to implement automatic and same-day voter registration and allow ex-felons to vote, which he said would be the “end of our democracy.” He aims to ensure all claims of voter fraud are investigated and supports SB 202, which would enforce ID laws to request and return ballots, as well as further regulate absentee ballots. Hice wants to modernize business registration and licensing through means such as implementing a 15-day licensing period for military spouses stationed in Georgia.
TJ Hudson (R)
Former Treutlen County Probate Judge, Magistrate Judge and Election Superintendent TJ Hudson was the first Black man to be elected as a probate judge in Georgia. He claims that “never in Georgia's history has the Secretary of State had election experience,” and he strives to stop the trend. He wants to address issues with mail-in ballots and dominion voting machines, as well as “push back on attacks on our election integrity.” Hudson wants to bolster voting ID requirements.
Ted Metz (L)
Insurance and Financial Professional Ted Metz previously ran to be Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner in 2014 and governor in 2018, but lost both elections. As secretary of state, Metz would focus on election integrity, saying he supports measures such as voter ID requirements, absentee signature matching, hand marked paper ballots and imprisonment for “unlawful election shenanigans.” He is against ballot drop boxes, electronic voting, third party temporary election staffing and private and corporate election funding.
Attorney General
The attorney general is considered the chief lawyer representing their respective state in legal cases, including all civil cases and felony cases that reach the Georgia Supreme Court or U.S. Supreme Court. They also act as the chief legal advisor to the governor, filing lawsuits against companies and individuals who violate the law. Attorney generals serve four-year terms.
Jennifer “Jen” Jordan (D)
Georgia State Senator Jen Jordan (D-6) plans to defend voting rights, saying Republicans’ claims of voter suppression following the 2020 election were intended to “keep Democrats from winning future elections.” In 2005, she filed a lawsuit to delay the enforcement of a new voter ID law, and in 2015, she brought a suit against Kemp, who was the secretary of state at the time, for the “Peach Breach,” in which she says Kemp’s office “unlawfully” distributed personal voter information. Jordan also aims to enforce environmental laws, hold police accountable and increase healthcare access.
Christian Wise Smith (D)
Attorney Christian Wise Smith, who founded a non-profit dedicated to ending police brutality called the National Social Justice Alliance, aims to protect abortion access and remove bias from the criminal justice system through means such as providing alternatives to incarceration. He opposes the Republican-backed SB 202, which includes provisions like a ban on mobile voting and decreased absentee ballots, and wants to fight fraud schemes impacting vulnerable Georgians, especially seniors. He supports enforcing environmental laws.
Chris Carr (R) (incumbent)
If re-elected, Attorney General Chris Young plans to create a Gang Prosecution Unit, which will help incarcerate more people. Despite being pro-vaccine, Carr also supports stopping vaccine and mask mandates, claiming that they are unconstitutional. Additionally, he wants to continue pushing back against Abrams’ claims that there is voter suppression in Georgia.
John Gordon (R)
Georgia Attorney General Candidate John Gordon has previously worked as a prosecutor in Bibb County. As attorney general, public safety will be one of his biggest priorities, including protecting Georgia against illegal immigration and the influx of fentanyl. Carry also claims that Carr has failed to uphold his duties as attorney general, such as by arguing that “no material fraud” occurred in the 2020 elections. Additionally, Gordon does not support educators teaching critical race theory or “counseling children” under 16 on gender identity.
Martin Cowen (L)
Former Clayton County Probate Judge Martin Cowen’s campaign slogan is “don’t hurt people. Don’t take their stuff.” He opposes vaccine mandates and passports, and wants to protect doctors from “persecution by pharmaceutical companies and their government agents.” He aims to end qualified immunity, no-knock warrants and civil asset forfeiture. Cowen also cites interest in combating the war on drugs.
Georgia State Supreme Court Justice
There are nine judges, or Justices, on the Georgia Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the state. Similar to the U.S. Supreme Court, State Supreme Court Justices are the final authority on the state Constitution by majority vote. They hear a variety of civil cases, criminal cases and cases involving the state of Georgia, notably all cases determining if a prisoner is being held by the state in error and any cases involving the death penalty, which is legal in Georgia. Supreme Court Justices, who serve six-year terms, are selected in nonpartisan statewide elections.
Verda Colvin (N) (Incumbent)
Georgia Supreme Court Justice Verda Colvin was appointed by Kemp in 2021, making her the first Black female to be chosen by a Republican governor. Her campaign is based on having a “servant's heart.” She currently serves on the Judicial Qualifications Commission and previously served on former Gov. Nathan Deal’s Criminal Justice Reform Committee and the Law Enforcement Task Force Committee.
Veronica Brinson (N)
Attorney Veronica Brinson, who ran for the Georgia Senate in 2020 but lost, said she wants everyone’s cases to be “considered by the court regardless of power, influence, disability, economic status, or other limiting attributes.” Brinson was charged with contempt of court in 2014 for continuing to file motions and documents for a former client after a judge removed her from the case for ineffective representation, and again in 2018 after she failed to provide financial documents related to a ruling that she filed a frivolous lawsuit. She spent a weekend in jail and filed for bankruptcy soon after.
State School Superintendent
The State School Superintendent is the administrative head of the Georgia Department of Education, which oversees the K-12 public education system. They implement policies and regulations decided by the State Board of Education, as well as provide guidance to the Board and local districts when navigating new state education laws. They can make recommendations to the Board and serve four-year terms.
Alisha Thomas Searcy (D)
During her six terms of experience in the Georgia House of Representatives, Alisha Thomas Searcy helped create the State Charter Schools Commission and authored the state intra-district transfer law, allowing parents to choose any public school within their district, regardless of zip code. She also co-authored the state’s Teacher and Leadership Evaluation system.
Currey Hitchens (09L) (D)
Attorney and educator Currey Hitchens (09L) supports changing Georgia’s school funding formula, as well as implementing a process to help students with disabilities who “fell behind the most during the pandemic” and supporting vulnerable students’ mental health. If elected, she would also work to increase teachers’ salary and introduce Restorative Justice Practices to “protect teaching the truth.”
Jaha Howard (D)
As a Board of Education member representing Cobb County District, Jaha Howard opposes what he calls a “manufactured” outcry over critical race theory and the Board’s June 2021 vote to limit classroom discussions on race. He wants to focus on early literacy and expand dual-language resources and education. Howard does not support Georgia’s “casual safety response” to COVID-19 in schools and has spoken out against instances of racism and antisemitism, condemning the Republican-led discontinuation of “No Place for Hate,” an anti-bullying program. He ran for the Georgia State Senate in 2016 and 2017 but lost.
James Morrow Jr. (D)
Educator James Morrow Jr. ran as a Republican for the Georgia State Senate in 2016 and the Georgia House of Representatives in 2018, but lost both elections. He said he wants to raise awareness for injustices in the classroom, such as teachers being “mentally, physically, verbally and emotionally abused by students, by parents, and sometimes by administrators.” Morrow would also focus on increasing safety in schools through means such as metal detectors and increased student resource officers. He believes masking and vaccines should be choices, not mandates.
John Barge (R)
State School Superintendent Candidate John Barge previously served one term in the position from 2011 to 2015. Barge is opposed to implementing critical race theory in school curriculums and supports greater funding for career and technical education. He also wants to prevent cyber bullying.
Richard Woods (R) (Incumbent)
Georgia Department of Education Superintendent Richard Woods was elected in 2014 and is currently serving his second term. His campaign includes eliminating Common Core — a nationally standardized K-12 curriculum — in favor of “Georgia grown standards,” increasing parent involvement and pushing back against mask and vaccine mandates. During his tenure, Woods issued a one-time bonus of $1,000 for teachers and staff during the pandemic, and decreased the amount of high-stakes standardized testing in Georgia.
