11:30 a.m.
Nearly 120,000 Georgians have cast ballots this morning in the primary runoff, according to Deputy Secretary of State Matthew Tyser.
Tyser said 70% of ballots cast have been for Republican candidates, who have more horses in the runoff race, and 30% for Democrats.
The Secretary of State’s office is predicting 500,000 will cast ballots today in Georgia.
9:40 a.m.
Despite some rain, a little more than 100 people have voted at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in southern Sandy Springs. Polling place volunteers told Rough Draft Atlanta that there has been a steady stream of voters, with little wait.
9:20 a.m.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that one race from the May 19 primary remains in limbo even as voters cast ballots in today’s runoff.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger ordered a recount of the Republican primary for the District 3 Public Service Commission seat. Results from last month’s election show Fitz Johnson narrowly defeated Brandon Martin by fewer than 3,000 votes.
Martin asked for the recount, which must be completed by June 26. The winner will face Democratic incumbent Peter Hubbard, who defeated Johnson in a special election last year, in November.
8:25 a.m.
While much of the runoff focus is on the GOP contests, the Democratic primary runoff for chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners has become contentious over the last few weeks.
Longtime incumbent Robb Pitts is running against former commissioner and attorney Mo Ivory in one of metro Atlanta’s most closely watched local races.
Ivory led the May 19 primary with about 40% of the vote, while Pitts received roughly 35%. The winner is heavily favored in November in Democratic-leaning Fulton County and will oversee the county’s multibillion-dollar budget and key issues, including the troubled county jail, public health services, and infrastructure.
Pitts, who has served as commission chairman since 2017 and has decades of experience in county government, is campaigning on his record and institutional knowledge.
Ivory, who resigned her District 4 commission seat after one year to challenge Pitts, positioned herself as a reform candidate to bring new leadership to Fulton. She has called for greater accountability and has pushed for an independent review of county finances, while arguing that Fulton County needs a fresh approach to longstanding issues.
The campaign has become increasingly contentious, with the candidates clashing in several debates over management of the embattled county jail, spending priorities, and leadership style. Pitts has questioned whether Ivory views the chairmanship as a stepping stone to a higher office, while Ivory has argued that Pitts represents the status quo and that voters are ready for change.
Notably, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Fulton County DA Fanni Willis, and Sheriff Pat Labatt have all endorsed Ivory.
7:45 a.m.
Polls are open across Georgia.
Our media partner, Georgia Recorder, has these reminders if you’re going to vote today in the runoff: Voters will have to select a Democratic or Republican ballot and can only vote on candidates from that party and for non-partisan positions like judges. You can also choose a non-partisan ballot, but then you’ll only be able to vote in the non-partisan races.
If you pulled a Democratic or Republican ballot last month, you can only vote in that party’s primary in the runoff, but if you previously chose a non-partisan ballot or if you didn’t vote last month, you can choose either party’s ballot.
Whichever ballot you select in the primary, you can pick and choose candidates from either party in November.
On Election Day, voters can only cast a ballot at their assigned precincts. You can visit the Georgia secretary of state’s “My Voter Page” to view your precinct information and sample ballots. Bring ID to vote.
6:30 a.m.
Welcome to Rough Draft’s coverage of today’s primary runoff 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.
Today’s runoff includes several high-profile contests, including Republican nominations for governor and U.S. Senate.
The marquee contest is the Republican race for governor, where Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faces businessman Rick Jackson in a battle to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp. Jones, who led the primary field and has the backing of President Donald Trump and Kemp, is seeking to fend off Jackson, a political newcomer who spent heavily on the race. The winner will advance to face Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms in November.
Another closely watched runoff will determine the Republican challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley advanced from a crowded GOP primary after neither secured a majority. Collins, endorsed by Trump, has drawn support from rural and conservative voters, while Dooley has emphasized his appeal to suburban voters and has received support from allies of Kemp.
Republicans outpaced Democrats during last week’s early voting period, with more than 300,000 ballots compared to the Democrats’ 178,000.
Be sure to check back often for updates throughout the day and results this evening.
