2024 Georgia primary election: What to know before voting in metro Atlanta
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 04: Voting stickers are seen as people cast their ballot during early voting for the midterm elections at Ponce De Leon Library on November 04, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. Long lines were seen at several polling locations in (Getty Images)
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Voters will vote for candidates in several critical races in the general primary/nonpartisan election on May 21 in the state of Georgia.
Georgia is an "open primary" state, which means you can choose the party's ballot you wish to vote. In a primary election, if a candidate does not get the majority of the votes (50%+1), there will be a primary runoff election a few weeks after the primary election.
New maps for this year
Georgia has new congressional and state district electoral maps this year. The new maps resulted in one majority Black seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, 5 new majority-Black districts in the state House and two in the state Senate. Click here to see the new maps.
GA My Voter Page
Head to the Secretary of State's website to check your voter registration status and find early voting locations, poll location and more.
Registration deadline
The voter registration deadline is 30 days before the election. If you are not already registered to vote, it is too late to do so for the election on May 21.
Early Voting
Early voting began April 28 and ends May 17, with Saturday voting happening on May 4 and 11. You can find a complete list of qualified candidates on the Secretary of State's website.
Request an absentee ballot
Absentee voting is available and no excuse is required. Absentee ballots can be returned via mail or in person. Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is May 10. Click here to request a ballot.
Related: Georgians urged to request absentee ballots early due to mail delays
Election Day voting
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 21. Any voter who is waiting in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. You can find your polling place by visiting the GA My Voter page.
Time off for voting
Employers must grant employees 2 hours of paid leave to vote, unless polls are open 2 hours before or after regular working shift.
Most watched races
Some of the most watched races include the congressional races in the 13th District and 6th District. Incumbent David Scott is facing 6 challengers in the 13th District, which is Atlanta's southern and eastern suburbs.
RELATED: Early voting begins for Georgia's May primary, judicial elections
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath jumped from the 7th District to run in the 6th District and she is being challenged by fellow Democrats Mandisha Thomas, a state representative, and Jerie Richardson, a Cobb County commissioner.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has been in the national spotlight because of her prosecution of former President Donald Trump, is being challenged by attorney Christian Wise Smith. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is the presiding judge in the Trump case, is being challenged by lawyer and talk show host Robert Patillo.
RELATED STORIES
There are also a few sheriff races that may prove to be interesting.
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat is facing 3 challengers -- James "JT" Brown, Joyce Farmer and Kirt Beasley.
And in Clayton County, incumbent Levon Allen is being challenged by Charlene Watson-Fraser, Clarence Edward Cox and Jeffrey Turner.
Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett is facing 6 challengers -- Adrian Washington, Curtis Steven Farmer, Cornell "CJ" Madison Jr., Walter J. Woodfork, WIllie Brown and John Lee Redlinger.
Runoff election
If there is a runoff election, it will take place June 18. The deadline to request an absentee ballot will be June 10. Early or advance voting will begin on June 10 and the last day for early/advance voting will be June 14.
FULTON COUNTY
In Fulton County, voters will be voting on candidates for 3 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 10 seats in the Georgia Senate, 22 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives, Fulton County District Attorney, Fulton County Tax Commissioner, Fulton County Solicitor General, 3 Fulton County Commission seats, 7 Fulton County State Court judge seats, Fulton County Probate Judge, 3 Fulton County Board of Education seats, and more.
Democratic Composite Ballot
Nonpartisan Composite Ballot
Republican Composite Ballot
RELATED STORIES
Poll shows first look at key Fulton County races
DEKALB COUNTY
In DeKalb County, voters will be voting on candidates for Clerk for Superior Court, Chief Magistrate, Chief Executive Officer, four County Commissioner seats, DeKalb County Sheriff, tax commissioner, multiple judge seats, and four seats on the Board of Education.
GWINNETT COUNTY
In Gwinnett County, voters will be voting on candidates for 4 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 8 seats in the Georgia Senate, 20 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives, District Attorney, Clerk of Gwinnett County Superior Court, Gwinnett County Sheriff, tax commissioner, two Board of Commissioners seats, 4 Georgia Supreme Court justice seats, 7 Georgia Appeals Court judge seats, 6 Gwinnett County Superior Court judge seats, 5 Gwinnett County State Court judge seats, chief magistrate, 3 Board of Education seats and more.
COBB COUNTY
In Cobb County, voters will be voting on candidates for 3 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 6 seats in the Georgia Senate, 16 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives, Cobb County Clerk of State Court, Cobb County Clerk of Superior Court, 2 Board of Commissioiners seats, Cobb County Sheriff, Cobb County District Attorney, 4 Georgia Supreme Court seats, 7 Georgia Appeals Court judge seats, Cobb County Probate Judge, Cobb County Chief Magistrate and more.
Democratic sample ballot
Republican sample ballot
Nonpartisan sample ballot
Kennesaw Special Sample Ballot
CLAYTON COUNTY
In Clayton County, voters wil be voting on candidates for 2 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 3 seats in the Georgia Senate, 6 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives, District Attorney, Probate Judge, Clerk of Superior Court, Clayton County Sheriff, Tax Commissioner, Chief Magistrate, Solicitor General, 2 Board of Commissioner seats, 5 Board of Education seats, 4 Georgia Supreme Court judge seats, 3 Clayton County Superior Court judge seats and more.
Democratic sample ballot
Republican sample ballot
Nonpartisan sample ballot
OTHER METRO ATLANTA COUNTIES
- RELATED: Here are all qualified candidates for the 2024 primary and general elections in Forsyth County
- RELATED: Rockdale County 2024 Voters Guide
PRIMARY BALLOT QUESTIONS
There will also be 8 non-binding ballot questions designed to gauge public opinion on different issues and policies on the ballots on May 21. Additionally, counties may add questions based on local priorities.
Democratic questions
- Should the United States and the State of Georgia protect Georgians from gun violence by banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, closing background check loopholes, and passing other common-sense gun safety reforms?
- Should the State of Georgia incentivize clean energy production as part of a climate policy that recognizes the urgent threat that climate change poses to Georgians’ health, lives and future?
- Should the State of Georgia expand voter access by allowing same-day voter registration, removing obstacles to voting by mail, and making secure ballot drop boxes accessible at all times through Election Day?
- Should the State of Georgia protect reproductive freedom by repealing the current six-week abortion ban, restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade and ensuring access to contraceptives, IVF, abortion and other reproductive health care?
- Should the State of Georgia stop using taxpayer dollars intended for public education to pay for private school vouchers?
- Should the State of Georgia raise the minimum wage to a living wage?
- Should the portion of the Georgia state constitution allowing for involuntary servitude of prisoners and others convicted of offenses be repealed, thus prohibiting all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude statewide?
- Should the State of Georgia improve access to safe, affordable housing by increasing the affordable housing supply, protecting tenants’ rights to habitable living conditions, and cracking down on negligence or abuse by property management companies or landlords?
Republican questions
- For future elections, do you want hand marked paper ballots, scanned and verified by hand count on live stream video?
- Should the legislature enact the FairTax replacing the state income tax and state sales tax with a consumption tax equal to current state funding and taxing no legal citizen or family up to the poverty level of spending?
- Should the legislature ban registered lobbyists from serving on the State Elections Board?
- Should the Georgia Republican Primary have a closed primary, meaning that only registered Republicans would be allowed to vote in the Republican Primary?
- Should public officials who allow illegal migration to occur be held responsible for crimes committed by illegal aliens?
- Would you support a statewide vote to allow gaming in Georgia so the voters can decide this issue instead of politicians in Atlanta?
- Currently, hundreds of thousands of hours and dollars are spent every year cleaning up voter rolls. Would you support an amendment to the National Voting Rights Act that would require registered voters to renew their registration every four years?
- Do you believe unelected and unaccountable international bureaucrats, like the UN controlled World Health Organization (WHO), should have complete control over management of future pandemics in the United States and authority to regulate your healthcare and personal health choices?