Time for Georgians to cast primary election ballots for Congress, state Supreme Court, local seats

Georgia voters will start casting ballots in person Monday, kicking off a three-week early voting period ahead of the May 21 primary election.

The election will decide nonpartisan judicial races, including a single contested seat on the Georgia Supreme Court. But for the most part, voters will be choosing which candidates appear on the ballot this November for congressional, legislative and local seats across the state.

Or, in some cases, this round of voting will at least narrow the field of candidates. Runoffs are expected in some races, like the conservative 3rd congressional district in west Georgia. Five candidates are running in the open race to replace Republican Congressman Drew Ferguson, who is retiring.

In races where no candidate clinches 50% of the vote next month, a runoff election will be held June 18.

This primary election won’t feature any presidential candidates since Georgians already weighed in on that in March. But the primary election is also important because in many of these down-ballot races, the candidate who wins the partisan primary election will likely go on to coast to victory in the fall.  

Where should you go to vote?

The Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page is a honey hole of helpful individualized voter information, including where to find early voting locations in your county and where your assigned polling place is on Election Day. You can also find sample ballots and see which districts you live in, which may have changed after another round of redistricting last year.  

Want to vote by absentee?

Absentee voting for the May 21 primary election is already underway. Ballots can be requested up to 11 days before election day, but they must arrive at the local registrar’s office by the time polls close on election day to be counted. So, the sooner voters return their absentee paper ballots, the better.

An application for an absentee ballot can be found here. The completed application can be submitted to the local registrar or through the state’s portal. The state’s complete guide to absentee voting can be found here.

Will there be any debates?

Candidates in some of the more competitive races, including some closely watched congressional contests, will face each other Sunday, April 28 as part of the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series.

None of the invited incumbents have agreed to participate, though, which some have called a worrying trend. 

This is the first time in the history of the Atlanta Press Club’s debate series that so many incumbents have failed to take part, the Press Club said in a statement Friday. Each candidate who declines to participate will be represented by an empty podium as part of the organization’s long-standing policy.

“The Atlanta Press Club believes it is the responsibility of people running for public office to answer questions from their local media that will help inform voters before they cast their ballots,” the organization said in the statement.

“If a candidate is running for public office, the candidate should be willing to participate in the democratic process, which includes attending debates and fielding questions from journalists and opponents.”

On the Democratic side, state Rep. Mandisha Ann-Marie Thomas and Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson are competing in the 6th congressional district west of Atlanta. Congresswoman Lucy McBath, who is considered the frontrunner in that race, is not expected to participate.

In the 13th congressional district in Atlanta, several Democrats trying to oust longtime Congressman David Scott are set to make their case to voters – without Scott there. Among the challengers is a familiar face: Marcus Flowers, who ran against conservative firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in 2022. 

On the Republican side, the candidates for the 3rd congressional district are set to square off Sunday. Those candidates include Brian Jack, who was an aide to former President Donald Trump and who now has Trump’s endorsement, and former Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, former state Rep. Philip Singleton and former state Sen. Mike Crane. The winner will face a Democrat later, but the district is considered a safe GOP seat. 

And a handful of Republicans are also competing for a chance to face longtime south Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop this fall. Bishop successfully fought off a GOP challenger in 2022 in a nationally watched race. 

The Press Club is also holding debates for the one contested Georgia Supreme Court race, which features Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s appointee, Justice Andrew Pinson, and challenger John Barrow, a Democrat and former congressman who has said he believes Georgia’s constitution protects abortion rights. 

And there will also be debates for Fulton County District Attorney and DeKalb County CEO, which is an open seat. 

The debates will stream live on The Atlanta Press Club Facebook page and GPB.org. They will also air on GPB-TV and WABE. For more details on the schedule and how to watch the debates (or catch the replay), visit the Atlanta Press Club’s website here.

Not currently registered?

The deadline to register to vote in the May 21 election has already passed, but you can register here to participate this fall when voters head to the polls to help decide who will serve in the White House for the next four years.