Early voting 101 for Georgia's primary runoff
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
/2024/06/07/1717776142300.gif?w=3840)
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Early voting for the June 18 primary runoff begins Monday, so we're highlighting Georgia's statewide races, as well as some key races in metro Atlanta.
Why it matters: A runoff is held a few weeks after a primary election if a candidate fails to get a majority of the votes (50% plus one).
- Runoffs have the two top candidates to ensure only one gets the most votes.
How it works: As an "open primary" state, Georgians can choose to vote on either a Democratic, Republican, or nonpartisan ballot ahead of the Nov. 5 general election. The party choice can be different each time the Georgian votes in a primary election.
- Nonpartisan ballots do not include any of the party races. It only has races that are not determined by party, such as judges.
- You can participate in the runoff only of the party you choose during a primary, but you're not restricted by party during November's general election.
- Primaries also decide the winner of the race in situations where there are no other candidates in the opposing political party.
Congressional candidates
3rd Congressional District: Former Trump aide Brian Jack and former state Sen. Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton) are competing for the GOP nomination.
- They want to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-The Rock).
- The winner will face Democratic nominee Maura Keller in November.
14th Congressional District: Consultant Clarence Blalock faces retired Army general Shawn Harris for the Democratic nomination.
- The winner will face U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in November.
Statehouse candidates
House District 96: Arlene Beckles and Sonia Lopez are running for the seat held by retiring state Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth).
House District 180: Incumbent Rep. Steven Sainz (R-Woodbine) faces retired Naval officer and airline pilot Glenn Cook.
- The winner will face Democrat Defonsio Daniels in November.
Senate District 7: J. Gregory Howard is going against fellow Republican Fred Clayton.
- The winner faces incumbent Nabilah Islam Parkes (D-Duluth) in November.
Senate District 34: Former state Rep. Valencia Stovall and Kenya Wicks are contending to replace retiring state Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale).
- The winner faces Republican Andrew E. Honeycutt in November.
Senate District 38: Democrats RaShaun Kemp and former state Rep. Ralph Long III are vying to replace retiring incumbent Horacena Tate (D-Atlanta).
Senate District 55: Former state Rep. Randal Mangham and Iris Knight-Hamilton face off to replace retiring incumbent Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain).
Local candidates
Clayton County: Incumbent Sheriff Levon Allen faces fellow Democrat and challenger Jeff Turner.
- Allen became the sheriff in a narrow 2023 runoff. He was sworn in as Clayton's interim sheriff in December 2022.
- Turner has been the Clayton County commission chair for more than a decade. He previously served as the county's first Black police chief.
DeKalb County: Democrats Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Larry Johnson are vying for the chief executive officer seat held by outgoing incumbent Michael Thurmond.
- Both Cochran-Johnson and Johnson serve as county commissioners.
Fulton County: Democrat Natalie Hall, the incumbent, will face Mo Ivory for the District 4 commissioner seat.
- Hall was elected in 2020 and won a special election for the seat in 2017.
- Ivory is a Georgia State University law professor and entertainment lawyer.
What's next: Friday is the last day for early voting.