2026 Voting Guides

Georgia voting guide

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Here’s what you need to vote in Georgia.

Check Your Registration

Even if you voted last time, check that you’re still registered. Check your registration

Register by:
  • Online, by mail, or in person: Mon., Oct. 5

Key Dates

  • Last day to register to vote (also the deadline for any Dec. 1 runoff)
  • Early (advance) voting begins
  • Required Saturday early voting
  • Last day for county to receive absentee ballot applications
  • Required Saturday early voting
  • Early voting ends
  • Election Day (7 a.m.–7 p.m.); absentee ballots must be received by 7 p.m.
  • Deadline to fix (cure) an absentee ballot problem or show ID for a provisional ballot
  • Counties certify results (5 p.m. Monday after the election; verify)
  • Secretary of State certifies statewide results (by 17 days after; verify)
  • Runoff election, if no candidate gets more than 50%

Your Voting Checklist

  • Vote early in person from Tues., Oct. 13 to Fri., Oct. 30.
  • Vote by mail. Any voter can vote by mail.
    Request a ballot by Fri., Oct. 23. Request a mail ballot
    Return it by Tues., Nov. 3.
    Problem with your ballot? If there is a problem with your envelope, your county will tell you. Fix it by Nov. 6 with a form and your ID. Track your ballot
  • Vote on Election Day, Tues., Nov. 3, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. local time. Find your polling place
  • Bring the right ID. You must show a photo ID to vote in person.
    • Georgia driver's license, even if expired
    • Free Georgia voter ID card
    • Any state or federal photo ID
    • U.S. passport
    • Government employee photo ID
    • Military photo ID
    • Tribal photo ID
    • Student ID from a Georgia public college
    No ID? You can vote a provisional ballot and show ID at your county office within 3 days. See the official ID rules
  • Review your sample ballot before you go.
  • Have a past conviction?
    • You can't vote while serving a sentence for a felony.
    • Your right to vote comes back once you finish your full sentence, including parole, probation, and fines.
    • You then need to register again.
  • Make a plan and bring three people. Make a plan

What’s on Your Ballot

These are the biggest races in Georgia this year. Please note, we do not endorse any candidates.

Governor

  • Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic · Campaign site
  • Former mayor of Atlanta (2018–2022) and former White House senior adviser.
  • Rick Jackson Republican · Campaign site
  • Founder and CEO of Jackson Healthcare, a health care staffing company.

Stance on key issues

Voting rights & elections

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports protecting local election officials from political interference, expanding early and absentee voting, making Election Day a state holiday, and vetoing maps that dilute minority voting power. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

No public position found.

Policing, prisons & public safety

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports more help for law enforcement plus 'targeted violence reduction efforts' and more diversion and treatment for nonviolent cases. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Pledges to 'fully support law enforcement with resources, training, and respect' and to 'ban revolving-door justice.' Source

Immigration

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Says immigration enforcement should focus on violent criminals, not students, workers and mothers. Supports limiting zoning for private ICE detention centers and reviewing state contracts with ICE. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Pledges to 'make Georgia number one in the nation for deporting all CRIMINAL illegal immigrants.' Source

Abortion & health care

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports restoring abortion rights and opposes Georgia's six-week ban. Supports expanding Medicaid and replacing the Georgia Pathways program with broader coverage. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

His campaign says he 'strongly supports Georgia's current Heartbeat law and will defend it as governor,' including its current exceptions. On Medicaid, has said he wants to measure success by how many people have commercial insurance. Source

Economy, taxes & cost of living

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Proposes eliminating local sales taxes on groceries and essentials and creating a state board to lower prescription costs. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Proposes cutting the state income tax in half within four years and freezing property taxes 'immediately to stop runaway assessments.' Source

Housing

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Proposes faster permitting for housing, more down-payment and renter assistance, and a state affordable housing trust fund. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

No public position found.

Schools

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports fully funding public schools with an updated funding formula and creating a path to free technical and community college. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Proposes freezing tuition, room and board at public colleges and technical schools, raising teacher pay, and banning 'ideological indoctrination in schools.' Source

Civil rights, DEI & LGBTQ+ rights

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports statewide nondiscrimination protections that include sexual orientation and gender identity, codifying marriage equality, and banning conversion therapy for minors. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Proposes banning DEI programs in state government, public universities and classrooms. Says 'boys' should not compete in girls' sports or use girls' bathrooms or locker rooms. Source

Climate & environmental justice

Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

Supports a pause on new data centers, citing 'higher utility bills, strained water resources' and harm to nearby communities. Source

Rick Jackson Republican

Opposes a statewide pause on data centers and says local communities should decide. Source

U.S. Senate

  • Mike Collins Republican · Campaign site
  • U.S. representative for Georgia's 10th District since 2023; trucking business owner.
  • Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent · Campaign site
  • U.S. senator since 2021; former investigative documentary producer.

Stance on key issues

Voting rights & elections

Mike Collins Republican

Voted for the SAVE Act (April 2025), which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Reintroduced the Right to Vote Act to create a federal legal right to vote. Source

Policing, prisons & public safety

Mike Collins Republican

No public position found.

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Sponsored the Federal Prison Oversight Act, now law, which set up independent inspections of federal prisons. Source

Immigration

Mike Collins Republican

Has said 'we need mass deportations' (campaign site). Introduced the House version of the Laken Riley Act (2025), which requires detaining non-citizens charged with certain crimes. Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Led a Senate investigation that found over 1,000 credible reports of human rights abuses in immigration detention. Has backed bipartisan border security bills. Source

Abortion & health care

Mike Collins Republican

Calls himself '100 percent pro-life' and supports Georgia's heartbeat law with exceptions. Opposed extending the enhanced ACA premium tax credits. Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Opposes abortion bans and Georgia's six-week ban. Supported extending enhanced ACA tax credits and opposed Medicaid cuts. Helped pass the $35 monthly insulin cap for Medicare. Source

Economy, taxes & cost of living

Mike Collins Republican

Voted for the 2025 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' (tax cuts and spending changes). Calls for cutting regulations and cracking down on 'Medicaid scams.' Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Has criticized tariffs for raising costs. Introduced legislation to cut taxes for farmers. Source

Housing

Mike Collins Republican

Supports faster federal permitting through his PERMIT Act to cut construction costs and delays. Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

No public position found.

Schools

Mike Collins Republican

No public position found.

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Has pushed back on federal cuts to Hispanic-Serving Institutions and to civil-rights enforcement at the Education Department. Source

Civil rights, DEI & LGBTQ+ rights

Mike Collins Republican

No public position found.

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Supported the Respect for Marriage Act and the Equality Act. Wrote a bipartisan law to help solve civil rights–era cold cases. Source

Climate & environmental justice

Mike Collins Republican

Introduced the Diesel Truck Liberation Act to block EPA truck emission rules. Source

Jon Ossoff Democratic, incumbent

Voted for the Inflation Reduction Act's clean-energy programs. Has pressed federal regulators on rising power bills tied to AI data centers. Source

Ballot measures

  • Amendment 1: Conservation use property acreage. Raises the most land one owner can enroll in Georgia's lower 'conservation use' property tax rate for farm and timber land, from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres.
    Yes means owners could get the lower farm/timber tax rate on up to 4,000 acres.
    No means the limit stays at 2,000 acres.
  • Amendment 2: Nonpartisan probate judge elections. Requires all probate court judges to be elected in nonpartisan elections (no party label on the ballot).
    Yes means all probate judges would run without party labels.
    No means some counties could keep partisan probate judge elections.
  • Amendment 3: Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund. Lets the legislature set aside certain existing revenues in a dedicated fund that can be used only to expand, maintain and run 9-1-1 emergency systems.
    Yes means A dedicated, protected fund for 9-1-1 systems can be created.
    No means no dedicated 9-1-1 fund in the constitution; money stays subject to regular budget rules.

Protect the Vote

  • Apply to be a poll worker and support free and fair elections.
  • Watch the count. Take a training to learn how to observe the polls.
  • If anyone tries to stop you from voting or something at your polling place seems wrong:
    • Call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
    • Call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) — Spanish
    • Call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) — Asian languages
    • Call 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) — Arabic
    • If you’re in line when polls close, stay in line. You can still vote.
    • If your name isn’t on the list, ask for a provisional ballot.
    • Know your rights

Organizations to Support

Anti-Racism Daily will never tell you who to vote for and does not endorse candidates. Information here has been pulled from the internet and may be inaccurate. Please fact-check your sources. If you spot a mistake, please let us know so we can fix it.

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