Election Results: Georgia Primary vote charts | News coverage
Georgia holds a statewide primary election Tuesday with seats for Congress on down to the state Legislature and local city councils up for grabs. Here are the biggest races to watch come Election Day, as well as how to pick a ballot, confirm your polling location and know when Georgia would hold runoffs in races where no candidate gets a majority.
Congressional races
Primary contests for Georgia's 3rd, 9th and 11th congressional districts all have intriguing story lines. In the 11th District, four GOP challengers have all sought to lambaste first-term U.S. Congressman Barry Loudermilk as too establishment. In the 9th, two-term incumbent Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, also faces four GOP challengers in arguably the state's most conservative congressional district. And in the 3rd, Georgia's only open congressional seat has attracted a crowd: seven Republican candidates and two Democrats.
Georgia Legislature
Many Republican lawmakers are getting pounded in their primaries for voting last year to raise taxes for a sweeping transportation funding plan for road and bridge improvements statewide. Among the top races to watch, Republican House Speaker David Ralston of Blue Ridge for a second time faces a challenge from retired wrestling coach Sam Snider. State Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, has been on the defensive from Milton investor Aaron Barlow. And two legislative House districts in and around Brookhaven, Chamblee and Doraville could be a case study on how delicately some candidates must treat changing political demographics and hot-button social issues.
Voting
Voters can find sample ballots and confirm polling locations through the Georgia Secretary of State Office's online "my voter page" website (www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do).
When you head out to vote, don’t forget to bring photo identification, which can include a Georgia driver’s license, even if it’s expired; a state-issued voter identification card; a valid U.S. passport; or a valid U.S. military photo ID.
You can create a personalized list of candidates and compare candidate information on the AJC Voter Guide from the League of Women Voters
Ballots
Because the state conducts an “open” primary, voters may vote on a ballot of any party — you make your choice at the polls. You cannot, however, vote in more than one party’s primary.
So, once you pick a ballot, you have to stick with that same political party even if there is a runoff (in other words, you can’t cast a Democratic ballot in the main primary but then vote in a Republican runoff).
Runoffs
A number of primary races this year have more than two candidates, making runoff elections possible. That’s because Georgia requires election winners to receive a majority of the vote — you’ll often hear politicos refer to this margin as “50 percent plus one (vote).” If any runoff is needed, it would be held July 26.
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