ELECTION RESULTS
• Latest election results | May 19
• Voter turnout from Georgia Secretary of State’s Election Data Hub page.
Wednesday, 7:40 a.m.
Georgia voters set the stage for a series of high-stakes runoff elections on Tuesday as crowded Republican contests for governor and U.S. Senate failed to produce outright winners in the state’s primary.
Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare executive Rick Jackson advanced to a June 16 runoff in the GOP race to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp. Jones, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, finished ahead of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr in one of the country’s most closely watched gubernatorial primaries.
On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms blew past six other candidates to secure the nomination for governor without a runoff, going straight to the November ballot.
Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senate primary also headed to a runoff, with U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former college football coach Derek Dooley advancing to the June contest. The winner will challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Several other statewide races also remained unsettled. Democratic candidates Josh McLaurin and Nabilah Islam Parkes advanced to a runoff for lieutenant governor, while Republicans John F. Kennedy and Greg Dolezal moved on in the GOP contest.
In judicial races, incumbent Georgia Supreme Court justices Charlie Bethel and Sarah Warren held off challengers in expensive statewide campaigns.
MORE ELECTION COVERAGE:
• May 19 Election Results
• Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Georgia Democratic gubernatorial primary
• Jones and Jackson set for June 16 runoff in Georgia GOP primary
• Georgia Senate primary heads to runoff between Collins and Dooley
12:25 a.m.
We’re wrapping our coverage of today’s primary election for the night, but be sure to check back tomorrow for updates. You can also check out the latest results here. Thank you for following our live coverage. We’ll have more reporting leading up to the June 16 runoff and throughout the summer as we head toward the crucial midterm elections in November.
12:10 a.m.
With more than 170,000 votes counted, Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Janice Moore is leading incumbent Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall with 58.1% of the vote.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker is leading Nikia Smith Sellers by less than 2,000 votes with more than 170,000 ballots cast. With 138 precincts not yet reporting, the race is too close to call.
12:05 a.m.
NBC is projecting that incumbent Charles Bethel will beat Miracle Rankin in the Georgia Supreme Court race. Bethel has 51.55 percent of the vote (962,803) with 158 out of 159 precincts reporting, while Rankin has 48.45 percent (904,926).
With more than 175,000 votes counted, Miracle Williams, a senior prosecutor in the Fulton County Solicitor General’s Office, is leading incumbent State Court Judge Jay M. Roth with 59.9% of the vote.
12 a.m
Following Keisha Lance Bottoms win of the Democratic primary in the governor race, Jason Esteves – who is currently running in second place in the race with 18.4 percent of the vote and 158 out of 159 precincts reporting – released a statement on Instagram.
“This campaign has always been greater than one person. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to flip Georgia blue this year and change the face of political power for generations to come,” reads the statement. “I remain committed to that work.”
As of midnight on Election Day, 299 out of 437 precincts in Fulton County have partially reported. No precincts have fully reported. According to the county’s dashboard, advance voting ballots are fully reported.
11:50 p.m.
Incumbent Charles Bethel and newcomer Miracle Rankin are in a showdown for the Georgia Supreme Court race, with Bethel leading with 51.4 percent of the vote, or 950,217 votes, with 158 out of 159 precincts reporting. Rankin has 48.6 percent.
In the nonpartisan election for the District 7 seat on the Fulton County Board of Education, incumbent Michelle Morancie is leading John Seeli with 76% of votes and 25 out of 32 precincts reporting.
In the nonpartisan election for the District 5 seat on the Fulton County Board of Education, incumbent Kimberly McCabe is leading Jean Antoine with 67.3% of votes and 20 out of 26 precincts reporting.
In the Democratic primary for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners District 5 seat, only 27 out of 101 precincts are reporting as of 11:50 p.m. With about 28,000 votes counted, it appears Helen Zenobia Willis and Sojourner M. Grimmett are headed to a June primary runoff. In the Republican primary for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners District 5 seat, Tiffany A. Henyard is running unopposed.
11:40 p.m.
The Associated Press has reported that Republican Kevin E. Martin will face the incumbent U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath – a Democrat who ran unopposed – in Georgia’s 6th congressional district race come November.
After the heated Democratic primary campaign for Georgia House District 51, incumbent State Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs) leads Aaron Baker with 56.9% of the votes with 11 out of 17 precincts reporting. If the margin holds, Panitch would face Keith Gettmann in November’s general election.
In the Democratic primary for Georgia House District 53, Beth Fuller leads Tim Dorr with 80.4% of the votes with 20 out of 22 precincts reporting. Fuller will face state Rep. Deborah Silcox (R-Sandy Springs) in November’s general election.
In the Democratic primary for Georgia House District 54, incumbent state Rep. Betsy Holland leads Derrick Tuff II with 83.9% of the votes, with 18 out of 19 precincts reporting. Holland will face Republican Greg Miller in November’s primary.
In the Republican primary for Georgia Senate District 14, there is a three-way race between Mike Dvorscak, Tamara Johnson-Shealey, and Carson McQueen. It appears Dvorscak will win the Republican nomination. He is leading with 63.6% of the votes, with 59 out of 70 precincts reporting. Carson McQueen trails with 23.3% of the vote, followed by Tamara Johnson-Shealey with 10.1%.
In the Democratic primary for Georgia Senate District 14, there is a close three-way race between Kevin Abel, Kay Howell, and Nathalie J. Kanani. Each candidate has between 29% and 37% of the vote, separated by less than 1,000 votes. So far, 59 out of 70 precincts are reporting, and it appears that Abel (37.6%) and Kanani (32.5%) are headed to a primary runoff on June 16.
11:30 p.m.
As of 11:30 p.m., Fulton County has fully reported advanced voting. The county is also partially reporting results from 299 out of 437 precincts. In the Democratic primary for the at-large chair of Fulton County, former Commissioner Mo Ivory leads with 54,076 votes, or about 40% of the vote. Chair Robb Pitts trails with 39% of the vote, and Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. has around 25% of votes.
In the Republican primary for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners District 3 seat, Paul Burton is leading Rebecca King with 63.3% of the votes, with 59 out of 62 precincts reporting.
In the Democratic primary for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners District 3 seat, it appears Lee Morris (32.1%) and Jodi Merriday (28.6%) are headed to a primary runoff on June 16, with 59 out of 62 precincts reporting. Kimberly Bean is in third place with about 21% of the vote, followed by Kiddada Grey and Reed Stillson.
In the Republican primary for the at-large chair of Fulton County, Eric J. Tatum is running unopposed. As of 11:30 p.m., he has received 33,975 votes with 299 out of 437 precincts reporting.
11:25 p.m.
The Associated Press has reported that John F. Kennedy will advance to this summer’s runoff for the Republican race for lieutenant governor, with 27.36 percent of the vote with 158 out of 159 precincts reporting. Greg Dolezal and Blake Tillery are battling it out for second place, with 22.85 percent and 19.25 percent respectively.
11:20 p.m.
According to the AJC, Fulton County prosecutor Will Wooten lost to incumbent Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Trenton Brown.
According to a report from WSB, 21 people are still in line to cast emergency ballots at Ison Springs Elementary in Sandy Springs as a result of an earlier shutdown at the polling station.
11:10 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter conceded in the Republican race for U.S. Senate earlier tonight, leaving football coach Derek Dooley to face off against U.S. Rep. Mike Collins in the runoff later this summer.
10:45 p.m.
The Associated Press has called the Democratic primary for governor for former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, with 57.45 percent of the vote. While 155 out of 159 precincts are reporting, there are still over 200,000 ballots left to count in Fulton County alone. Jason Esteves is trailing Bottoms with 16.87 percent of the vote.
In a statement, Sen. Jon Ossoff congratulated Bottoms on a “well-fought victory.”
“While GOP candidates now face prolonged infighting, united Georgia Democrats enter the General Election with unprecedented momentum and determination,” he said. “Keisha’s powerful campaign mobilized voters statewide, and together we are building a massive and unstoppable winning coalition to deliver decisive victories statewide up and down the ballot in November.”
The Republican Governors Association, an organization that helps elect Republicans to governorships throughout the country, also released a statement about Bottoms’ win.
“Georgia families know the dangers of Keisha Lance Bottoms’ leadership: higher crime and violent illegal immigrants roaming free. Bottoms’ brief tenure as Mayor of Atlanta was a disaster and now she thinks she’s earned a promotion,” said RGA Communications Director Kollin Crompton in the statement. “Nothing has changed with Bottoms – she will destroy the progress Georgia has seen over the past 8 years, just like she did in Atlanta.”
10:30 p.m.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins will advance to the Republican runoff for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Jon Ossoff, with 41.05 percent of the vote. Football coach Derek Dooley and U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter are neck and neck for second place, with 29.13 percent and 25.69 percent respectively, with 154 out of 159 precincts reporting.
10:20 p.m.
While the Republican side of the governor’s race is headed for a runoff, the Democratic race is still pushing on. With 152 out of 159 precincts reporting, Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has 57.45 percent of the vote while former State Sen. Jason Esteves has 16.44 percent. There are still over 200,000 ballots left to count in Fulton County alone, which won’t occur until after 11 p.m.
The Associated Press has called the Democratic primary for Georgia’s 13th Congressional District for Jasmine Clark. This is a special election to fulfill the final two years of the late Rep. David Scott’s term, who died last month at the age of 80.
10:10 p.m.
Democrats Josh McLaurin and Nabilah Parkes, with 146 out of 159 precincts reporting, appear to be heading for a June 16 runoff in the lieutenant governor’s race. McLaurin has snagged almost 41% of the vote, with Parkes in second with 39%. Richard N. Wright, with 20% of the vote, is running a distant third.
It appears, on Republican side, with 146 out of 159 precincts reporting, John F. Kennedy and Greg Dolezal will face each other later this summer, with neither of them able to reach a majority vote. Kennedy grabbed 27% of the vote, while Dolezal got 22%. Steve Gooch and David Clark gathered 12% and 15% of the total votes cast, respectively.
Both sides of the ticket in the Secretary of State race will also be campaigning up to the June 16 primary runoff.
Republican Tim Fleming, with 148 of 159 precincts reporting, had 39% of the votes cast, while Vernon Jones gathered 28%.
On the Democrat side, Dana Barrett and Penny Brown Reynolds, with 152 of 159 precincts reporting, will also head to a runoff. Reynolds gathered about 43% of the vote to Barrett’s 35%.
9:55 p.m.
Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey had a few choice words for GOP gubernatorial candidates Rick Jackson and Burt Jones, who are now headed for a June 16 runoff:
“It looks like the nastiest and most expensive Republican primary in Georgia history is going into overtime. Georgians are already sick and tired of watching a billionaire healthcare executive and a corrupt serial self-dealer fighting to out-MAGA each other – and they’re about to get four more brutal weeks of it. No matter who emerges from this runoff, Georgians won’t be able to unhear just how corrupt, extreme, and out-of-touch those two sorry options are. Bring it on.”
9:20 p.m.
Georgia Supreme Court Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren has defeated a challenge by plaintiff attorney Jen Jordan, according to The Associated Press.
9:05 p.m.
While precincts in DeKalb County have not begun reporting Election Day results, early voting numbers put Whitney McGinniss in the lead for the DeKalb County Board of Education District 2 seat with 53.35% of votes. Tracy Brisson leads the District 4 race with 34.12% of the early vote, followed by Sonja Szubski with 24.47%.
8:45 p.m.
AP has called a runoff between Burt Jones and Rick Jackson for the Republican nominee for Governor. The runoff Election Day is June 16.
In the Republican primary for Secretary of State, Tim Fleming, Kemp’s former chief of staff, is leading over former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones. Fleming has 38% of the votes with 109 of 157 precincts reporting, while Jones has almost 28% of the total. Gabriel “Gabe” Sterling of Sandy Springs has only 12%, or 36,266 votes so far.
On the Democratic side, Fulton County District 3 Commissioner Dana Barrett, is trailing Penny Brown Reynolds with 35%. Reynolds is a Biden administration appointee and former Fulton County state judge who also had a 2008-2009 television show called “Family Court with Judge Penny,” and has tallied 140,961 votes or 43%.
8:35 p.m.
In the Republican lieutenant governor’s primary, with 97 out of 159 precincts reporting, John F. Kennedy, a Mercer University and Mercer University School of Law graduate who has touted a partnership with Gov. Brian Kemp to author legislation targeting a pro-business environment, supporting law enforcement, and expanding school choice, garnered 28% of the vote.
Greg Dolezal, who has aligned with President Donald Trump and targeted Fulton District Attorney Fanni Willis “for her corruption and lies,” is trailing with 21% of the votes.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, it’s a dead heat between Josh McLaurin with 39.51% and Nabilah Parkes with 38.28% of the votes.
8:30 p.m.
AP has called Brian Strickland as the winner of the Republican primary for Attorney General with 71.4% of the vote.
Clay Fuller has won the Republican primary for U.S. House of Representatives District 14 seat with 82.6% of votes. The seat was vacated by Marjorie Taylor Green, who resigned from office in January, and Fuller won the special election to temporarily fill the seat in April. Fuller will run against Democrat Shawn Harris, who ran in the primary uncontested.
Incumbent Henry “Hank” Johnson Jr. has won Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives District 4 seat with 80.7% of votes.
8:15 p.m.
Keisha Lance Bottoms currently has a large lead in the Democratic primary for Governor with 60.3% of the vote, followed by Jason Esteves with 14.4%.
Burt Jones and Rick Jackson are currently leading the Republican gubernatorial primary. Jones has a small lead over Jackson with 36.7% of votes, compared to Jackson’s 34.5%.
8 p.m.
AP has called Tanya Miller as the winner of the Democratic primary for Attorney General with 85.2% of votes.
Incumbent Nikema Williams has won the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives District 5 seat with 85.8% of votes.
7:30 p.m.
Returns are beginning to trickle in from counties around Georgia. Only 40 of the 159 counties are reporting as of 7:30 p.m. Check the latest election results here.
7:15 p.m.
Georgia Recorder reports that just before 7 p.m., Democratic voters had maintained their lead over Republicans in overall voter turnout, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Democratic ballots made up 52.8% of total primary election turnout, and Republican ballots accounted for 45.2% of ballots cast. In total, about 1.8 million voted during Georgia’s primary election.
7 p.m.
Polls are closing at the majority of precincts around metro Atlanta, but Cobb County has extended hours at 11 polling places due to technical issues earlier in the day.
Precincts staying open and their times:
- Eastside 02, Sewell Mill Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta. Open until 7:09 p.m.
- Elizabeth 03, Piedmont Road Church of Christ, 1630 Piedmont Rd., Marietta. Open until 8:00 p.m.
- Elizabeth 04, Gracelife Church, 1083 Allgood Rd. NE, Marietta. Open until 7:30 p.m.
- Fair Oaks 04, Milford Recreation Center, 675 Smyrna Powder Springs Rd., Marietta. Open until 7:21 p.m.
- Lassiter 01, Pilgrimage United Church of Christ, 3755 Sandy Plains Rd., Marietta. Open until 7:30 p.m.
- Mableton 1B, Riverside Epicenter, 135 Riverside Pkwy, Austell. Open until 7:13 p.m.
- Mableton 4C, Thompson Community Center, 555 Nickajack Rd. SE, Mableton. Open until 7:28 p.m.
- Marietta 3B, Missionary Church Assembly of God, 1021 Oregon Trl., Marietta. Open until 7:30 p.m.
- Oregon 04, Trinity Fellowship, 2115 Pair Rd. SW, Marietta. Open until 7:06 p.m.
- Pine Mountain 01, Pine Mountain Middle School, 2720 Pine Mountain Cir., Kennesaw. Open until 7:25 p.m.
- Powers Ferry 01, Sewell Mill Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta. Open until 7:09 p.m.
6:45 p.m.
Fulton County has confirmed that the polling place located at Ison Springs Elementary in Sandy Springs will have extended hours until 11:02 p.m. after being closed earlier today due to a public safety incident at nearby Morgan Falls Park. Scroll to the next post for more details on the incident.
6:15 p.m.
The suspicious person dressed in military-style gear who caused the hours-long lockdown at Ison Springs Elementary School today is now in custody, according to a press release from the Sandy Springs Police Department. The school is also serving as a polling station. Voting was temporarily suspended while police conducted a search for the suspect. The polls reopened at Ison Springs just after 4 p.m.
Check back for updates on extended voting hours at the Ison Springs Elementary School polling station.
4:45 p.m.
There was no wait to vote at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Midtown, with six people casting their ballots. Poll workers reported a steady stream all day.
4:15 p.m.
Voting was temporarily suspended just before noon at Ison Springs Elementary School in Sandy Springs after police closed nearby Morgan Falls Overlook Park due to a suspicious person.
The school went into soft lockdown after a report of a male dressed in military-style gear at the park, according to a statement posted on the Sandy Springs Police Department’s social media. A 911 caller reported hearing gunshots in the area, and police said a person “entered a wooded area following an alleged dispute with another citizen.”
The polling station has reopened, but no other details have been released by police.
3:20 p.m.
The judge giveth and the judge taketh away. We reported just before 2 p.m. that a Fulton County judge had granted access to the Secretary of State’s election hub to State Election Board members and Republican observers, but that access has been rescinded.
Georgia election officials say the court order Tuesday was flawed because it was based on misrepresentations, according to reporting from the AJC.
The secretary of state’s office disputed Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville’s ruling that state officials had not responded to the lawsuit filed by GOP members. Election officials say they weren’t notified of Tuesday morning’s hearing on the matter.
The election hub – also known as the “emergency operations center” or the “bunker” – is not a polling place, nor do tabulations of votes take place there.
3:00 p.m.
Hopeful voters trickled into the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections Office on May 19. But unless they were dropping off absentee ballots, those visiting the office would need to cast their votes elsewhere. Signs posted on the door feature QR codes leading people to their assigned polling location in DeKalb.
“We’re not a stranger to that in DeKalb. Most jurisdictions in the state are not because we have consecutive three week early voting, and election offices throughout the metro serve as early voting sites. But this [office] is not an election day site,” said Dr. Jesse A. Harris, Deputy Director of Administration and Public Affairs for DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections.
Harris encourages voters to make a plan and go to their assigned polling location. DeKalb County residents can find their assigned polling location here.
2:45 p.m.
The Sandy Springs Police Department closed Morgan Falls Overlook Park before noon. Officials put the nearby Ison Springs Elementary School on a soft lockdown because of the incident and halted voting, according to the AJC.
The Sandy Springs Police Department released a statement at 2:45 p.m. about its search for a suspicious male wearing military-style gear. Officers said the individual entered a wooded area following an alleged dispute with another citizen. A short time later, a 911 caller reported hearing possible gunshots in the area.
Due to the serious nature of this event, Sandy Springs Police Sgt. Giovanni Gomez said officers are investigating this further. At this time, no injuries have been reported.
2:40 p.m.
Voting in Dunwoody was reported to be steady, with little or no wait times. At Peachtree Middle School, about 350 votes were recorded by 2:30 p.m. The noon-time wait times were reported to be minimal at several area polling places, including the Dunwoody Library.
2:25 p.m.
Roughly 10 people were waiting in a slow-moving line at a polling station at John Robert Lewis Elementary School in Brookhaven at around 2 p.m. This in-person polling station, originally located at Ashford Park Elementary, was one of eight in DeKalb County that had to be moved to a new location.
2:00 p.m.
A DeKalb County polling station was moved from its original location at Cross Keys High School to across the street at Woodward Elementary School due to construction.
Around 2 p.m., the small parking lot at the Woodward polling station was busy, prompting some voters to park on the grass in front of the high school. Wayfinding signage was lacking, but volunteers were helpful.
1:55 p.m.
The AJC reports that a Fulton County judge has ordered Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to give State Election Board members access to the election hub tonight as it gathers results from across the state.
State Sen. Greg Dolezal, a GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, and other members of the GOP filed suit late Monday to open the election hub to observers. The state attorney general’s office said the hub wasn’t subject to observation since it wasn’t a polling place or where votes are actually tabulated.
“Public confidence in the integrity of Georgia’s elections — particularly when the chief election official is a candidate in the very election being administered — depends on robust, independent observation of tabulation and aggregation processes,” Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville wrote in his ruling.
1:45 p.m.
Cheers erupted at the Neighborhood Church polling place in Candler Park as a first-time voter turned out. The wait was less than seven minutes and the vote count stood at 721 just before 1:30 p.m.
1:40 p.m.
There was a steady stream of voters at Lynwood Recreation Center in Brookhaven, with a short wait inside to vote. Around 300 votes had been cast by 1 p.m.
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12:40 p.m.
At Gwinnett County’s Best Friend Park along Jimmy Carter Boulevard, volunteers said the pace of voters heading into the polling place was slower than they anticipated. At noon, volunteers reported 62 ballots issued.
12:20 p.m.
The polling place at Beaver Ridge Elementary School, just outside of Norcross along Beaver Ruin Road, reported 49 votes as of noon. Volunteers said voters have been coming in “steady but slow” for most of the day.
12 p.m.
From 11 a.m. to noon, 24 people voted at a polling station at Summerour Middle School in Norcross, putting the total for the day so far at 98 voters.
A volunteer at St. Phillip’s Cathedral said the polling place was busier than one at Piney Grove with a “really good steady stream.”
11:45 a.m.
While it was open for early voting, Bessie Branham Recreation Center in DeKalb County is not open for voters today. A couple of voters tried to come in around 11:15 a.m. and were met with a sign on the door that said, “No Voting Here Today.” To double check your polling place, check the state’s My Voter Page.
11:10 a.m.
From Georgia Recorder: Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who is also a Republican candidate for governor, reassured voters Tuesday morning that despite “wild claims and accusations,” Georgia elections are transparent and that the office is “making sure that election integrity is upheld.”
“Votes in Georgia are received, inspected, counted and tabulated at the county level under the supervision of local election officials, under public observation. So, it’s a transparent process,” Raffensperger said at a press conference at the state Capitol.
He said he encourages “anyone, board members of any sort, county or state, if you’re concerned with the integrity of the election, you should visit one or several of the 149 county tabulation centers today, instead of trying to confuse voters.”
Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is running for lieutenant governor, congressional candidate Chris Mora and Cobb County Commissioner Keli Gambrill on Monday filed an emergency motion against Raffensperger seeking to give election observers and State Election Board representatives access to the secretary of state’s election night hub, known as the emergency operations center.
9:50 a.m.
There was a slow, but steady stream of voters and no wait time at a Fulton County polling station at the Mechanicsville Library at around 9:45 a.m., according to reporter Logan C. Ritchie.
9:30 a.m.
Polling stations are strictly enforcing the “no phones” rule this election cycle. If you’ve prepared a sample ballot on your phone, you won’t be allowed to use it.
Poll workers are asking people as they enter precincts, and as they head to voting machines, to leave their phones in their pockets or bags. Paper sample ballots are available on site to fill out and reference while voting. You can also print out a sample ballot prior to arrival at the Georgia My Voter Page.
8:55 a.m.
All 130 polling places in Fulton County are showing wait times of less than 30 minutes. There are no lines at most locations, according to the county’s live portal.
Click here to access the Fulton County Polling Place Wait Time Dashboard.
8:45 a.m.
If you’re heading out to vote in DeKalb this morning. a reminder that eight in-person polling places were moved to new locations. WSB-TV reports that voters were notified by mail ahead of the election.
POLLING CHANGES IN DEKALB
Kingsley Elementary → Kingswood United Methodist, Dunwoody
Cross Keys High School → Woodward Elementary School, Brookhaven
Ashford Park Elementary → John Lewis Elementary, Brookhaven
Champion Theme Middle → St. Michael All Angels Church, Stone Mountain
Wynbrooke Elementary → Stephenson High School, Stone Mountain
Idlewood Elementary → Stone Mountain Middle, Stone Mountain
Murphey Candler Elementary → Arabia Mountain High, Stonecrest
Sagamore Hills Elementary → Outlet Community Church, Atlanta
8:30 a.m.
The Ronald E. McNair High School polling station in DeKalb County was quiet around 8 a.m. as students trickled in for class, with just a few voters at the polls. Midtown polling stations are also relatively quiet, with no lines to be seen.
7:30 a.m.
Polls are open across the state as Primary Day begins.
There’s already been some drama leading up to today’s vote, involving Republicans demanding access to the secretary of state’s election hub. According to the Georgia Recorder, state Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is running for lieutenant governor, congressional candidate Chris Mora, and Cobb County Commissioner Keli Gambrill filed an emergency motion against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Fulton County Superior Court, seeks to give election observers and State Election Board representatives access to the hub, known as the emergency operations center.
However, since no ballot counting takes place on site and the hub is not a polling place or tabulation center, the attorney general’s office said that makes it exempt from state laws requiring poll watchers to have access. Republicans say Raffensperger, who is also running for governor, has a conflict of interest and are concerned about election integrity.
Also making headlines: the Republican-dominated Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) said Tuesday that Georgia Supreme Court candidates Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin violated the judicial code by publicly endorsing each other. The left-leaning candidates are also campaigning to restore abortion rights in Georgia during the non-partisan race. Jordan and Rankin called the JQC’s complaint an attempt to squash their First Amendment rights.
6:30 a.m.
Welcome to Rough Draft’s coverage of today’s primary election. Polls are set to open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. across the state, with high-stakes contests that will decide which candidates will advance to the crucial midterm elections in November.
A record-breaking one million Georgia voters cast ballots during the early voting period, with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting that voting increased by 67% for Democrats compared to 2022, while Republican ballots cast early dropped by 9%.
At the top of the ticket is the race for Georgia governor, with seven Democrats and eight Republicans vying for their party’s nomination to succeed Brian Kemp.
Other closely watched races include the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and Georgia Supreme Court. Republicans will also be choosing a challenger for incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff’s U.S. Senate seat in November.
There is likely to be a large runoff candidate field on June 16, judging by the sheer number of candidates vying for the same seat.
Be sure to bookmark this blog and check back throughout the day for updates from across metro Atlanta and to see returns tonight.
