Georgia's next election takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The ballot includes candidates for governor and other state offices, the Georgia Legislature, Congress and a list of local offices, mostly on the county level.
2018 is a midterm election year, falling between the 2016 and 2020 election years for president.
Georgia’s members of Congress serve two-year terms, as do members of the Georgia House and Senate. Members of the U.S. Senate are elected to 6-year terms. Neither of Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats are on the ballot this year.
In addition to candidates, voters will decide a variety of statewide and local ballot questions, including whether to allow earlier alcohol sales in the so-called Sunday Brunch bill. There are also five proposed amendments to the State Constitution and two more statewide referendum questions, including a proposal to add crime victims' rights (Marsy's Law ) to the State Constitution.
To see what's on your local ballot, a good starting place is the AJC Atlanta Voter Guide, produced by the League of Women Voters.
Learn more about Election Day in Georgia
Registration: Voters must register in their county of residence. The voter registration deadline was Oct. 9, 2018.
Early voting began Oct. 15. Most of the early voting locations are open weekdays, but select locations will offer Saturday and Sunday voting the weekends of Oct. 20-27. Use these links to find early voting information for Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Clayton or another metro Atlanta county.
Voter Guide: The AJC has published an online voter guide in partnership with the League of Women Voters.
Full coverage: Learn more about the candidates and the issues on your local ballot from the AJC Election news section.
Expanded election coverage: Visit PoliticallyGeorgia.com for expanded coverage of Georgia's key election races and issues.
More than just the governor
Georgians will choose a new leaders for lieutentant governor, secretary of state and insurance commissioner. The current officeholders face challengers for the posts of attorney general, agriculture commissioner, state school superintendent, labor commissioner and two seats on the Public Service Commission.
Here are the statewide candidates on the ballot:
Governor: Democrat Stacey Abrams, Republican Brian Kemp and Libertarian Ted Metz are running to replace Republican Nathan Deal.
Lieutenant Governor: Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico and Republican Geoff Duncan are running for an open seat.
Secretary of State: Republican Brad Raffensberger, Democrat John Barrow and Libertarian Smythe Duval.
Attorney General: Republican incumbent Chris Carr and Democrat Charlie Bailey.
Insurance Commissioner: Republican Jim Beck, Democrat Janice Laws and Libertarian Donnie Foster.
Agriculture Commissioner: Republican incumbent Gary Black and Democrat Fred Swann
Labor Commissioner: Republican incumbent Mark Butler and Democrat Richard Keatley.
State School Superintendent: Republican incumbent Richard Woods faces Democrat Otha Thornton Jr.
Public Service Commission: Two seats are on the ballot. Republican Chuck Eaton, Democrat Lindy Miller and Libertarian Ryan Graham are in the first race. Republican Tricia Pridemore, Democrat Dawn Randolph and Libertarian John Turpish are in the second. Eaton and Pridemore are incuments.
Georgia Legislature: Every state House and state Senate seat are the ballot. See the AJC voter guide for the contested House and Senate races in your district.
Local elections in metro Atlanta counties
Quite a few county commission and school board candidates on the ballot are running unopposed, but will still be on the ballot. Among the contested races to be decided:
Cobb County: Commission District 3 and School Districts 4 and 6
Clayton County: School Board District 9
Fayette County: School Board District 2
Gwinnett County: Commission Districts 2 and 4, School Board Districts 2 and 4
Henry County: Commission Districts 3 and 4 and a local referendum for creation of a city of Eagles Landing.
>>READ MORE: Articles and information about metro Atlanta elections and referendums
Local referendums
Brunch Bill: More than 30 cities in metro Atlanta will vote on allowing an earlier start time for Sunday alcohol sales, the so-called Brunch Bill. The change, permitting Sunday alcohol sales at 11 a.m., was allowed by the Georgia Legislature but must also be approved locally by each city and county.
New City of Eagles Landing: Affected voters will decide whether to support creation of a new city in Henry County. The cityhood proposal has been challenged in court. Read more.
Tax referendums in Atlanta and Fulton County: Voters will decided eight proposals that could affect property values or taxes for the owners of about 175,000 owner-occupied homes with homestead exemptions in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park and Roswell as well as residents in the two school districts. Read more.
Gwinnett Bond Referendum: The Gwinnett County Board of Education is asking approval for a bond issue to fund school improvements.
Georgia Congressional districts
Neither of Georgia’s U.S. senators are up for re-election in 2018, but each seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is on the ballot. Republican incumbents Karen Handel (Georgia 6th) and Rob Woodall (Georgia 7th) face Democratic challengers who have attracted some national attention. Democrats nationwide are seeking to win back a majority of the Congress, which now has a Republican majority.
Here are the contested U.S. House races in Georgia:
Georgia 1: Republican incumbent Buddy Carter and Democrat Lisa M. Ring.
Georgia 2: Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop and Republican Herman West Jr.
Georgia 3: Republican incumbent Drew Ferguson and Democrat Chuck Enderlin.
Georgia 4: Democratic incumbent Hank Johnson and Republican Joe Profit.
Georgia 6: Republican incumbent Karen Handel and Democrat Lucy McBath.
Georgia 7: Republican incumbent Rob Woodall and Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux.
Georgia 9: Republican incumbent Doug Collins and Democrat Josh McCall.
Georgia 11: Republican incumbent Barry Loudermilk and Democrat Flynn D. Broady Jr.
Georgia 12: Republican Rick W. Allen and Democrat Francys Johnson.
Georgia 13: Democratic incumbent David Scott and Republican David Callahan.
RELATED: See a map of Georgia's Congressional Districts
More information for Georgia voters
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
Credit: ccompton@ajc.com
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