Georgia voters head to the polls Tuesday for a midterm election featuring two of the state’s most closely watched races — the U.S. Senate contest and the race for governor.
Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is seeking a second term against Republican Congressman Mike Collins. Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state carried by President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
The Senate race has attracted significant national attention as Republicans seek to maintain their majority in the U.S. Senate. Ossoff has significantly outraised Collins, reporting approximately $137 million in fundraising through October 14, compared with about $11 million for Collins.
The race for governor is also drawing national attention as Republican healthcare executive Rick Jackson and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms compete to succeed Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who is completing his second term.
Jackson won the Republican nomination in a June runoff, defeating Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, while Bottoms secured the Democratic nomination in May.
The winner will serve as governor during the 2028 presidential election and could play an important role in Georgia politics as the state remains a key battleground.
Polls Open Tuesday
In Walker County, polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Georgia law allows counties to begin processing absentee ballots before Election Day, meaning early and mail votes will make up a significant portion of the initial results.
Those early results have historically favored Democrats, while Republicans have generally performed better in rural areas of the state as Election Day votes are counted.
If no candidate receives a majority in a statewide race, the top two finishers will advance to a December 1 runoff.
Approximately 3.9 million votes were cast in Georgia’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, with about 64 percent of those votes cast early in person or by mail.
Voters will also choose candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and other statewide offices, as well as members of the Georgia House and Senate. Three proposed constitutional amendments are also on Tuesday’s ballot.