Voter Registration Deadline Approaching
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Individuals planning to vote in the upcoming primary gubernatorial and county elections should ensure that they are registered to vote, as the deadline for voters to register to cast their ballot in the upcoming election is Monday, April 20.
Local, state, and federal elections are on the ballots on Tuesday, May 19, as citizens will go to the polls to determine their choice in candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state senator, U.S. senators, and more.
Federal Races
At the federal level, Representative Rick Allen (R-12) will take on Tori Brett Brown of Laurens County for the republican nomination for the position, while Brianna Woodson of Hall County, Ceretta Smith of Columbia County, Chris Stephens of Richmond County, Tracell Peace-Nichols of Richmond County, and Traci George of Richmond County are each seeking the democratic nomination. In the senate race, Republicans Derek Dooley of Rabun County, Earl L. “Buddy” Carter of Glynn County, John Francis Coyne III of Fulton County, Jonathan McColumn of Warner Robins, and Michael Allen Collins Jr. of Butts County are seeking a chance at serving in the U.S. Senate, while Senator Ossoff is the only Democrat to qualify in the election.
State Races
In the state races, Citizens in Montgomery, Toombs, Treutlen, and Wheeler Counties will have the same State House Representative as the current term, as Representative Leesa Hagan (R-156) and Representative Larry J. “Butch” Parrish (R-158) qualified unopposed for reelection.
For the District 19 State Senate seat, two Toombs County men – former Toombs County Commission Chairman David Sikes and Travis Hodges – and Chief Superior Court Judge Dwayne Hamilton Gillis, of Coffee County, will face off to represent the region.
Vidalia Native and State Senator Blake Tillery (R) officially qualified for the Lieutenant Governor race, along with six other Republicans – Brenda Lynn Nelson-Porter of Coweta County, David Timothy Clark of Buford, Gregory Robert Dolezal of Alpharetta, John Flanders Kennedy of Macon, Steve Gooch of Dahlonega, and Takosha Misheal Swan of Rockdale. Democratic party candidates for the lieutenant governor race include Josh McLaurin of Fulton County, State Senator Nabilah Parkes of Duluth, and Richard N. Wright of Fulton County. These individuals will face off for the chance to win their respective party nomination for the position on May 19.
The Gubernatorial primary election will also occur on May 19, as Republican candidates – Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Attorney General Chris Carr, Clark Headrick Dean of Fulton County, Gregg Rodne Kirkpatrick of Cherokee County, Ken Yasger of Savannah, Rick Jackson of Alpharetta, and Thomas E. Williams of Wilkinson County – and Democratic candidates – Amanda Duffy of Columbia County, Derrick L. Jackson of Fayette County, Geoffrey Lynn Duncan Jr. of Forsyth County, Jason Fernando Esteves of Atlanta, Keisha R. Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, Michael “Mike” Thurmond of Stone Mountain, and Olu Brown of Fayette County – each vie for the most votes in their party. The individuals with the majority vote will go on to face off for the chance to succeed current Governor Brian Kemp during the Gubernatorial Election on November 3.
Current Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J. Harper (R) was the only republican to qualify for the position, and will move on to the November 3 election. His opponent will be determined during the primary election on May 19, as Democrats Katherine E. Juhan-Arnold of Atlanta and Sedrick Kent Rowe Jr. of Dougherty County face off.
The State School Superintendent race will be on the ballot on May 19, as voters select their pick of candidate to represent each party. During the primary, 6 Republican candidates – Current State School Superintendent Richard Lee Woods, Candler County Schools Superintendent Fred “Bubba” Longgrear, Former State Representative Mesha Mainor of Atlanta, Nelva Melissa Lee of Henry County, and Randell Eugene Trammell of Cartersville – and three Democratic candidates – Hancock County Schools Superintendent Anton Anthony, Lydia Catalina Powell of Fayetteville, and Otha Thornton of Newnan – will vie for the majority vote in hopes of continuing on to the November 3 election.
With Current Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger running for Governor, the race is on for a new Secretary of State, as each party will select their candidates on May 19. Republican candidates on the ticket include Edward Tecumseh Metz of Austell, Kelvin D. King of Fulton County, Robert Gabriel Sterling of Sandy Springs, Timothy Kyle Fleming of Covington, and Vernon Jones of Dekalb County; Democratic candidates are Adrian Consonery Jr. of Marietta, Cam Thi Ashling of Fulton County, Dana Banett of Atlanta, and Penny Brown Reynolds of Fulton County.
The Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner election will also be on the ballot, as Republicans – Current Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John F. King of Atlanta, Court of Appeals Judge Trenton Jones Brown of Eatonton, and Will Wooten of Fulton County – and Democrats – Ambuj “AJ” Jain of Fulton County, Clarence Blalock of Hiram, Deandre Bernard Mathis of Decatur, former State Legislator Keisha Sean Waites, as Thomas Gabriel Dean of Dekalb County – all qualified for a chance at the position.
Labor Commissioner Barbara Yolanda Rivera Holmes of Dougherty County is the only Republican to qualify for the position’s election, while Democrats Brett A. Hulme of Savannah, Christian D. Smith of Fulton County, John Matthew Moon of Social Circle, Michelle Michi Sanchez of Hall County, and Nikki Porcher of Atlanta will face off on May 19 to determine Holmes’s opponent.
Two Republicans and three Democrats threw their names in the hat for the Attorney General race, as Robert Brian Strickland of McDonough and William Stone Cowsert of Clarke County will go head-to-head to determine the Republican candidate nomination, while Bob Trammell of Meriwether County, Herbert Adams Jr. of Dekalb County, and Tanya Miller of Atlanta are on the ballot to determine the Democratic candidate nomination.
The Public Service Commission District 3 and 5 primary races will be on the ballot on May 19. Current District 3 Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard of Dekalb County was the only Democrat to qualify for the election, and Republican candidates Brandon Lynn Martin of Atlanta and former Public Service Commissioner Fitz Johnson will be go head-to-head to determine Hubbard’s November opponent. Three Republicans – Bobby Mehan of Haralson County, Carolyn Tatum Roddy of Cobb County, and Joshua Aaron Tolbert of Cobb County – and three Democrats – Angelia Pressley, Craig L. Cupid, and Sheila Edwards, all of Mableton – qualified for the chance to serve as the District 5 Public Service Commissioner.
Court of Appeals Judge Elizabeth Dallas Gobeil of Chatham County will face Fatima Harris Felton of Fulton County in the race to determine who will serve in Gobeil’s position next term.
In addition to this, Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Arthur Land qualified unopposed for reelection, but two other Justice races will be on the ballot. Justice Charles “Charlie” Bethel of Whitfield County will go headto- head with Shamiracle Johnson Ranklin of Douglas County, while Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren of Fulton County will face off with Jennifer Aver Jordan of Fulton County.
County Races
In Montgomery County, in the nonpartisan countywide race for the upcoming term as Magistrate Judge, incumbent Judge Ashley Thornton faces Kimberly M. Wiggs, while voters in Districts 4 and 5 will cast their ballots for their choice of representation on the Board of Education and Board of Commissioners. Current District 5 Board of Education Member John O’Conner qualified unopposed for his reelection, while incumbent Board of Education Member Eugene “Pete” Ward and Sylvia Ann Moore are both seeking the District 4 seat.
The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners District 4 race will not conclude until the General Election on November 3, as Incumbent Commissioner Clarence Thomas (D) faces James Tyler Williamson (R) for the seat. Yet, the race to determine District 5’s commissioner will end on May 19, as Current Commissioner Leland Adams (R) goes against Matthew Taylor Dykes (R) in the primary election.
In Toombs County, a special election will determine who will fulfill the unexpired and upcoming new term for District 4, which was previously vacated by Rollins, three men will face off for the chance to represent their county: Chris Duane Reaves, David M. Beasley, and Timothy Lee Truxel.
Board of Education Chairman Clint M. Williams is now guaranteed to serve another term, as his opponent Joshua Baylor withdrew from the race. Current District 5 Board of Education Member Stephen Hutchison is opposed by Joseph Cecil Potter, as both seek to represent the district.
In addition to these races, two judges qualified to serve the public as Middle Judicial District Superior Court Judges, as Judge Tommy Smith qualified for reelection and Judge John Kendall Gross, of Candler County, qualified to succeed current Superior Court Judge Robert Reeves, who is not seeking reelection.
Current Treutlen County District 2 County Commissioner Phil Jennings IV (R) will face off with Ronnie Strickland (R) to determine who will represent their district and help to govern the county. Incumbent County Commissioner Thalia Gillis (D) is opposed by Freddie Lee Mills Jr. (D) and Samantha Richards (D) in the race to represent District 5.
Treutlen County Board of Education Member Demetria Harden-Noble and Tangaley Rena Strickland are each seeking to represent District 5 on the Board, and will face off during the election on May 19.
Nine citizens qualified for a chance to represent the county on the Wheeler County Board of Education, but only 8 will face off in the election. Current Board of Education Member Henry Thomas Clark and Kerry Edward Williams will face off for the chance to represent District 2 on the Board. Current Board of Education Chairman Michael A. Morrison previously qualified for re-election, but later withdrew from the race. Brian Robert Screws, Julie Elisabeth Bridges, Justin Wayne Kilpatrick, Marvin Jerome Howard, and Rodney Lee Stokes will face off in the race.
How to Register
To register to vote, or to check to see if your voter registration is active, visit the My Voter Page online at mvp.sos.ga.gov or call your local Board of Elections and Registration.
Early voting for the election will be held from April 27 to May 15, election day will be May 19, and if needed, a runoff election will be held on June 16.
