Georgia Voters Head to Polls for Decisive Midterm Vote

Georgia voters head to the polls on Tuesday to decide the state's two most prominent races. Polling locations across all 159 counties open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Anyone in line by the closing time has the legal right to cast a ballot.

The election determines the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff runs for reelection against Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins. The winner will likely decide which party controls the upper chamber of Congress.

Ossoff has attacked Collins for his close alliance with President Donald Trump. Collins, who authored the Laken Riley Act, the first law signed by Trump in his second term, has campaigned alongside the president at rallies in Dalton and Perry. Collins portrays Ossoff as an out-of-touch ally of Hollywood and East Coast elites.

The race for governor pits Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms against Republican nominee Rick Jackson. If elected, Bottoms would become the first Black female governor in the nation. The former Atlanta mayor frames her platform around kitchen-table economics and civil rights.

Jackson, a billionaire businessman, won the Republican primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. He campaigns on a conservative agenda that includes slashing state income taxes, freezing property tax hikes, and reducing health care costs. Jackson pledges to be a favorite of the White House and criticizes Bottoms for leaving Atlanta after one term as mayor.

Voters must present a valid government-issued photo ID to check in. Acceptable forms include a Georgia driver’s license, even if expired, a U.S. passport, or a free voter ID card from the county registrar. Other valid options include state or federal employee IDs, military IDs, and tribal photo ID cards.

Election Day voting rules differ from early voting. Voters must go to their assigned neighborhood precinct. They can verify their location and view a sample ballot at mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Mail-in absentee ballots require urgent attention. Completed ballots must be hand-delivered to the county registrar’s office before 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Ballots received after that time cannot be accepted under state law, regardless of the postmark date.

If a voter requested an absentee ballot but prefers to vote in person, they must bring the unvoted paper ballot to the polling site. Election workers can cancel it on the spot to allow the in-person vote to be processed.

Down-ballot contests include races for state constitutional offices and U.S. House seats. Voters also decide the balance of power in both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly.