Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 (May 19 Democratic primary)
|
← 2022
|
| Governor of Georgia |
|---|
 |
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 6, 2026 |
| Primary: May 19, 2026 Primary runoff: June 16, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times:
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Tilt Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2026 Impact of term limits in 2026 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
| Georgia executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Seven candidates are running in the Democratic Party primary for governor on May 19, 2026. Four candidates — Keisha Bottoms, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, and Michael Thurmond — lead in polling, fundraising, and media coverage ahead of the primary.
Roy Barnes (D), elected in 1998, was the last Democrat elected governor in the state.[1] The Current's Craig Nelson wrote that at a January 8, 2026, forum, "The candidates hoping to help end that ignominious streak ... gained needed exposure outside the capitol Atlanta, even as most voters are still paying no attention to the race and few even know who they are."[2]
Bottoms was the Mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022.[3] She was also a senior adviser to former President Joe Biden (D) and a member of the Atlanta City Council.[4][5] According to her campaign website, Bottoms is running for governor "to deliver for working families and bring steady leadership to Georgia in the midst of uncertainty and chaos coming from Washington."[5]
In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bottoms said her goals as governor would include expanding Medicaid, improving public education, eliminating state income taxes for teachers, offering free technical and community college, and helping small businesses.[6]
Duncan was a Republican lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2023. On August 5, 2025, he announced in an op-ed that he was switching to the Democratic Party, stating, "My decision was centered around my daily struggle to love my neighbor, as a Republican."[7] Duncan told Axios, "And quite honestly, I'm the only Democrat in this race that can beat a Republican because I've got Democrats, independents and disgusted Republicans that will show up and vote for me."[8]
Duncan's campaign website stated, "As governor, Geoff will fight for Georgia families in all 159 counties — bringing down the cost of childcare, healthcare, and housing while ensuring our state rejects extremism and embraces the values of fairness, opportunity, and love thy neighbor."[9]
Esteves was a public school teacher, lawyer, and Georgia state senator.[10] He was also a member of the Atlanta Public Schools school board.[11] Esteves said, "I’m running for Governor to make Georgia the number one place to work, start a business, and raise a family."[12]
Esteves' campaign website said his priorities included lowering the cost of living, expanding access to healthcare, investing in small businesses, increasing public education funding, and overturning Georgia's abortion ban.[13]
Thurmond is a former DeKalb County executive, state representative, state labor commissioner, and interim DeKalb County School district superintendent.[14] In a statement announcing his candidacy, Thurmond said, "I’m running for Governor to fight for working families, protect and expand access to healthcare, and build an education system that creates multiple pathways to success."[15]
Thurmond is running on his public service record. According to his campaign website, "Today, Mike Thurmond is ready to add a new chapter to Georgia’s story as our next governor. At a time of rising costs and declining trust Mike is exactly what our state needs to grow faster, stronger, safer and more equitable."[16]
Olu Brown, Derrick Jackson, and Ruwa Romman are also running.
This page focuses on Georgia's Democratic Party gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Georgia's Republican gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 (May 19 Republican primary)
- Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026
Recent updates
This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election, such as debates, polls, and noteworthy endorsements. Know of something we missed? Let us know.
- February 19, 2026
All seven candidates attended a forum hosted by the DeKalb County Democratic Committee, DeKalb Young Democrats, and Fulton County Democratic Committee.
- November 5, 2025
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a poll showing Bottoms at 40%, Undecided at 40%, Thurmond at 11%, Duncan at 5%, and Esteves at 3%.
- October 7, 2025
A poll by Frederick Polls showed Bottoms at 43%, Thurmond at 25%, Duncan at 17%, and Esteves at 10%.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 19, 2026.
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ruwa Romman (D)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Georgia
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Mayor of Atlanta (2018-2022)
- Atlanta City Councilmember (2010-2018)
Biography: Bottoms earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1991 and her law degree from Georgia State University in 1994. She worked as an attorney, judge, and chief executive officer of KRLB, LLC.
Show sources
Sources: The 19th, "Keisha Lance Bottoms enters Georgia governor’s race, pledging to fight ‘the chaos of Trump 2.0’," May 20, 2025; Keisha Bottoms 2026 campaign website, "About Keisha," accessed February 5, 2026; WSBTV, "Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms officially announces run for Georgia governor," May 20, 2025; Linkedin, "Keisha Lance Bottoms," accessed February 5, 2026
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Lieutenant Governor of Georgia (2019-2023)
- Georgia House of Representatives, District 26 (2013-2017)
Biography: Duncan was a professional baseball player and business owner. He ran a marketing company and worked in venture capital before serving as the chief executive officer of Wellview Health.
Show sources
Sources: ABC News, "Geoff Duncan broke with Trump. The former Republican wants Democrats to make him Georgia's governor," February 2, 2026; The Telegraph, "Geoff Duncan plans to use state funds, expand Medicaid to lower Georgia living costs," February 5, 2026; The Telegraph, "Geoff Duncan calls for repeal of Georgia abortion ban during Macon stop," February 3, 2026; Georgia House of Representatives, "Geoff Duncan (R-Cumming) Biography," accessed February 5, 2026
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Georgia State Senate, District 6 (2023-2025), District 35 (2025)
- Atlanta Public Schools school board (2013-2022)
Biography: Esteves earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Miami in 2005 and his law degree from Emory University in 2010. He worked as a vice president of legal and assistant general counsel for Equifax, as an associate with McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, and as a middle school social studies teacher.
Show sources
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- DeKalb County executive (2016-2025)
- Georgia Labor Commissioner (1999-2011)
- Georgia House of Representatives, District 67 (1986-1992)
Biography: Thurmond earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy and religion from Paine College and his law degree from the University of South Carolina. He worked as an attorney, university lecturer, and DeKalb schools superintendent.
Show sources
Sources: Mike Thurmond 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed February 5, 2026; Savannah Now, "Georgia gubernatorial candidate Michael Thurmond campaigns in Savannah," December 4, 2025; Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Mike Thurmond says he brings statewide experience to race for governor," August 13, 2025; 11Alive, "Michael Thurmond talks about decision to run for Georgia governor," August 6, 2025; DeKalb County, "DeKalb County CEO Michael L. Thurmond," accessed February 5, 2026
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Keisha Bottoms
View more ads here:
Geoff Duncan
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Geoff Duncan while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Jason Esteves
View more ads here:
Michael Thurmond
View more ads here:
Debates and forums
This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
| Democratic primary endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Endorser | Keisha Bottoms | Jason Esteves
|
| Government officials | ||
| State Sen. Donzella James (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Sen. Rashaun Kemp (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Sen. Nan Orrock (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Sen. Elena Parent (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Rep. Bryce Berry (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Rep. Saira Draper (D) source | ✔ | |
| State Rep. Phil Olaleye (D) source | ✔ | |
| DeKalb County commissioner Ted Terry (D) source | ✔ | |
| Individuals | ||
| Former state Sen. Jason Carter source | ✔ | |
| Frmr. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis source | ✔ | |
| Frmr. Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman source | ✔ | |
| Frmr. State Sen. Nadine Thomas source | ✔ | |
| Organizations | ||
| American Federation of Government Employees source | ✔ | |
| EMILY's List source | ✔ | |
| Latino Victory Fund source | ✔ | |
| Teamsters Local 528 source | ✔ | |
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[20] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[21] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval. Know of something we're missing? Click here to let us know.
| Poll | Dates | Bottoms | Brown | Duncan | Esteves | Jackson | Romman | Thurmond | Don't know | Sample size | Margin of error | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
– | 40 | -- | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 40 | 1000 LV | ± 3.1% | Atlanta Journal-Constitution | |
– | 43 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 2 | -- | 25 | -- | 1513 LV | ± 2.5% | Center for Strong Public Schools | |
– | 38 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | -- | 12 | 36 | 620 LV | ± 3.9% | Keisha Bottoms | |
| Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters. | ||||||||||||
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[22]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[23][24][25]
| Race ratings: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| 2/24/2026 | 2/17/2026 | 2/10/2026 | 2/3/2026 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. | |||||||||
Election spending
Campaign finance
The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates’ loan totals, if any, by clicking “View More” in the table below and learn more about this data here.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Click here to view satellite spending reports filed with the Georgia State Ethics Commission.
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
| District | Incumbent | PVI |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia's 1st | Buddy Carter | R+8 |
| Georgia's 2nd | Sanford Bishop | D+4 |
| Georgia's 3rd | Brian Jack | R+15 |
| Georgia's 4th | Hank Johnson | D+27 |
| Georgia's 5th | Nikema Williams | D+36 |
| Georgia's 6th | Lucy McBath | D+25 |
| Georgia's 7th | Rich McCormick | R+11 |
| Georgia's 8th | Austin Scott | R+15 |
| Georgia's 9th | Andrew Clyde | R+17 |
| Georgia's 10th | Mike Collins | R+11 |
| Georgia's 11th | Barry Loudermilk | R+12 |
| Georgia's 12th | Rick Allen | R+7 |
| Georgia's 13th | David Scott | D+21 |
| Georgia's 14th | Marjorie Taylor Greene | R+19 |
2024 presidential results by 2026 congressional district lines
| District | Kamala Harris | Donald Trump  |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia's 1st | 42.0% | 58.0% |
| Georgia's 2nd | 54.0% | 46.0% |
| Georgia's 3rd | 35.0% | 65.0% |
| Georgia's 4th | 76.0% | 23.0% |
| Georgia's 5th | 85.0% | 14.0% |
| Georgia's 6th | 75.0% | 25.0% |
| Georgia's 7th | 38.0% | 60.0% |
| Georgia's 8th | 34.0% | 65.0% |
| Georgia's 9th | 33.0% | 67.0% |
| Georgia's 10th | 39.0% | 60.0% |
| Georgia's 11th | 38.0% | 61.0% |
| Georgia's 12th | 43.0% | 57.0% |
| Georgia's 13th | 71.0% | 28.0% |
| Georgia's 14th | 31.0% | 68.0% |
| Source: The Downballot | ||
2016-2024
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2024 presidential election, 52.2% of Georgians lived in one of the state's 27 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and 46.8% lived in one of 128 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Georgia was Battleground Republican, having voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016, Joe Biden (D) in 2020, and Donald Trump (R) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Georgia following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| Georgia county-level statistics, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Democratic | 27 | 52.2% | |||||
| Solid Republican | 128 | 46.8% | |||||
| New Republican | 3 | 0.7% | |||||
| Trending Republican | 1 | 0.2% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 27 | 52.2% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 132 | 47.8% | |||||
Historical voting trends
Georgia presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 20 Democratic wins
- 11 Republican wins
- 1 other win
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | AI[26] | R | D | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Georgia.
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Georgia
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Georgia.
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Georgia's congressional delegation as of January 2026.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Georgia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Republican | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 14 | 16 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Georgia's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor | Brian Kemp |
| Lieutenant Governor | Burt Jones |
| Secretary of State | Brad Raffensperger |
| Attorney General | Chris Carr |
State legislature
Georgia State Senate
| Party | As of February 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 23 | |
| Republican Party | 31 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 2 | |
| Total | 56 | |
Georgia House of Representatives
| Party | As of February 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 79 | |
| Republican Party | 99 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 2 | |
| Total | 180 | |
Trifecta control
Georgia Party Control: 1992-2025
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
The table below details demographic data in Georgia and compares it to the broader United States as of 2023.
| Demographic Data for Georgia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | United States | |
| Population | 10,711,908 | 331,449,281 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 57,716 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 52.5% | 63.4% |
| Black/African American | 31.3% | 12.4% |
| Asian | 4.4% | 5.8% |
| Native American | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Other (single race) | 4.1% | 6.6% |
| Multiple | 7.2% | 10.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 10.7% | 19% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 89% | 89.4% |
| College graduation rate | 34.2% | 35% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $74,664 | $78,538 |
| Persons below poverty level | 13.5% | 12.4% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Election context
Ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Georgia in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Georgia, click here.
| Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2026 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Georgia | Governor | Ballot-qualified party | One-fourth of 1% of the total number of registered voters | $5,250.00 | 3/6/2026 | Source |
| Georgia | Governor | Unaffiliated | One-fourth of 1% of the total number of registered voters | $5,250.00 | 7/14/2026 | Source |
Election history
See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2030
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 19, 2026.
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ruwa Romman (D)
Republican primary
Republican primary for Governor of Georgia
The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 19, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Chris Carr | |
 | Clark Dean | |
 | Rick Jackson | |
 | Burt Jones | |
 | Gregg Kirkpatrick | |
| Leland Olinger II | ||
 | Brad Raffensperger | |
| Kenneth Yasger | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Georgia
Incumbent Brian Kemp (R) defeated Stacey Abrams (D), Shane Hazel (L), David Byrne (Independent), and Milton Lofton (Independent) in the general election for Governor of Georgia on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brian Kemp (R) | 53.4 | 2,111,572 |
 | Stacey Abrams (D) | 45.9 | 1,813,673 | |
 | Shane Hazel (L) | 0.7 | 28,163 | |
 | David Byrne (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 18 | |
| Milton Lofton (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 7 | ||
| Total votes: 3,953,433 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Elbert Bartell (Independent)
- President Boddie (Independent)
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
Stacey Abrams (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Stacey Abrams | 100.0 | 727,168 |
| Total votes: 727,168 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for Governor of Georgia
Incumbent Brian Kemp (R) defeated David Perdue (R), Kandiss Taylor (R), Catherine Davis (R), and Tom Williams (R) in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Kemp | 73.7 | 888,078 |
 | David Perdue | 21.8 | 262,389 | |
 | Kandiss Taylor | 3.4 | 41,232 | |
 | Catherine Davis | 0.8 | 9,788 | |
| Tom Williams | 0.3 | 3,255 | ||
| Total votes: 1,204,742 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Vernon Jones (R)
See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018
General election
General election for Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp (R) defeated Stacey Abrams (D) and Ted Metz (L) in the general election for Governor of Georgia on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Kemp (R) | 50.2 | 1,978,408 |
| | Stacey Abrams (D) | 48.8 | 1,923,685 | |
 | Ted Metz (L) | 0.9 | 37,235 | |
| Total votes: 3,939,328 (100% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Larry Odom (Independent)
Republican primary runoff
Republican primary runoff for Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp (R) defeated Casey Cagle (R) in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of Georgia on July 24, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Kemp | 69.5 | 406,703 |
 | Casey Cagle | 30.5 | 178,893 | |
| Total votes: 585,596 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
Stacey Abrams (D) defeated Stacey Evans (D) in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Stacey Abrams | 76.4 | 424,305 |
 | Stacey Evans | 23.6 | 130,784 | |
| Total votes: 555,089 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for Governor of Georgia
Casey Cagle (R) and Brian Kemp (R) advanced to a runoff. They defeated Hunter Hill (R), Clay Tippins (R), and Michael Williams (R) in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Casey Cagle | 39.0 | 236,987 |
| ✔ | | Brian Kemp | 25.5 | 155,189 |
 | Hunter Hill | 18.3 | 111,464 | |
 | Clay Tippins | 12.2 | 74,182 | |
 | Michael Williams | 4.9 | 29,619 | |
| Total votes: 607,441 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eddie Hayes (R)
- Marc Alan Urbach (R)
State profile
| Demographic data for Georgia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 10,199,398 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 57,513 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 60.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 30.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 3.6% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.1% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 9.1% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 28.8% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $49,620 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 21.1% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Georgia. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Georgia
Georgia voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Georgia, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.[28]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Georgia had five Retained Pivot Counties, 2.76 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Georgia coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Georgia
- United States congressional delegations from Georgia
- Public policy in Georgia
- Endorsers in Georgia
- Georgia fact checks
- More...
2026 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2026 battleground elections include:
- Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 30 Democratic primary)
- Michigan's 7th Congressional District election, 2026
- Rhode Island gubernatorial election, 2026 (September 8 Democratic primary)
See also
| Georgia | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Axios, "Geoff Duncan: "I'm the only Democrat" who can beat Republican in governor's race," September 16, 2025
- ↑ The Current, "Dems aim to end 27-year gubernatorial losing streak," January 10, 2026
- ↑ The Albany Herald, "Georgia gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms talks with farmers during Albany campaign stop," September 24, 2025
- ↑ The Augusta Chronicle, "Who is running for Georgia governor in 2026? These 7 Democrats have entered the race," November 7, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Keisha Bottoms 2026 campaign website, "About Keisha," accessed February 3, 2026
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Keisha Lance Bottoms 'Politically Georgia' candidate forum full interview," December 8, 2025
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "From Republican lt. governor to Democrat: Loving my neighbor is easier now," August 5, 2025
- ↑ Axios, "Geoff Duncan: "I'm the only Democrat" who can beat Republican in governor's race," September 16, 2025
- ↑ Geoff Duncan 2026 campaign website," accessed February 3, 2026
- ↑ Jason Esteves 2026 campaign website, "Meet Jason," accessed February 3, 2026
- ↑ Linkedin, " Jason Esteves," accessed February 3, 2026
- ↑ Associated Press, "Georgia Democrat Jason Esteves says he’s running for governor in 2026," April 21, 2025
- ↑ Jason Esteves 2026 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed February 3, 2026
- ↑ Georgia Recorder, "Former DeKalb County CEO and Georgia labor commissioner launches campaign for governor," August 6, 2025
- ↑ Facebook, "Thurmond on August 6, 2025," accessed February 4, 2026
- ↑ Michael Thurmond 2026 campaign website, "Meet Mike," accessed February 4, 2026
- ↑ [https://www.youtube.com/live/IEjkoipDmAU YouTube, " 2026 Georgia Gubernatorial Forum (First Hour)," February 19, 2026]
- ↑ YouTube, "Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Forum: Part 1," January 8, 2026
- ↑ YouTube, "AJC's Politically Georgia Candidates Forum 2025," November 5, 2025
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ American Independent Party
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2010 General Election Results:Governor," accessed January 18, 2013
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
.svg.png){kind=small}
