Opinion

GUEST COLUMNIST

America at 250: Civic hygiene can save election integrity in Ga. and beyond

Civic engagement requires citizens to uphold the facts, ask questions, participate in the process and understand that their preferred candidates may not always win.

CAROLYN BOURDEAUX

How the Democratic electorate’s natural tendency favored Keisha Lance Bottoms

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary because party voters prefer candidates of her gender, race and name recognition.

DAVID PLAZAS

Keisha Lance Bottoms’ momentum and anti-Trump vote make her Atlanta past moot

Primary results show Keisha Lance Bottoms leading Democrats in the 2026 Georgia governor race, setting up a tough general election shaped by Trump politics.

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Anthony "Spark Plug" Thomas cleans up litter & debris at the Highway 92 traffic circle at Antioch & Lockwood roads in Fayetteville in 2024. (Phil Skinner for the AJC)
GUEST COLUMN

Civic litter: Picking up trash in Athens brought me closer to my community

Through my volunteer work, I have learned homeless shelter spaces in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, often are full, which means folks scramble to find a safe place to sleep.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
AJC CONTRIBUTOR

Georgia’s political future is being shaped by Black women

Black female candidates in Georgia showed great success in the 2026 election and have demonstrated integrity in office. They are the future of Peach State politics.

Artist DasBK paints a mural along the Beltline near the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park. In recent years, the city of Atlanta has made meaningful commitments to parks funding, guest columnist Michael Halicki writes. (John Spink/AJC 2024)
GUEST COLUMN

Atlanta parks are now among the top 20 in the U.S. We can’t go backward.

The Trust for Public Land’s 2026 ParkScore rankings are out and, for the first time, Atlanta made the top 20 list for best parks in the United States.

Memorial service for DeKalb County police Officer David Rose
GUEST COLUMNISTS

During National Police Week and beyond, law enforcement officers merit respect

Opinion: Raphael Warnock and the two pandemics that could drive his Senate bid
AJC CONTRIBUTOR

Black-Jewish community dinners show how to build bridges in a polarized time

Atlanta Dream Angel Reese presser
GUEST COLUMN

Atlanta Dream are more than a team. We’re a platform for connection, change.

Greater Georgia
GUEST COLUMN

Georgians deserve lower insurance costs. 2025 reforms aren’t cutting it.

early voting
GUEST COLUMN

Gerrymandering reduces voter turnout and increases voter burnout

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Women Of Georgia
GUEST COLUMNISTS

America at 250: Celebrate independence by remembering the ladies of Georgia

Greg Bluestein
GREG BLUESTEIN

To 2026 graduates, heed 6 lessons from Georgia politics to guide your way

Op-ed. Georgia Cities
DAVID PLAZAS

America at 250: Georgia cities like Eatonton restore our faith in democracy

A pedestrian approaches Buford Highway — famed for being metro Atlanta’s corridor of immigrant businesses — near North East Plaza. Georgia has built an environment where businesses of all sizes can succeed, guest columnist Veronica Maldonado-Torres writes. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2025)
GUEST COLUMN

Support immigrant entrepreneurs. They’re key to sustaining Georgia’s growth.