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Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026
← 2022
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Governor of Georgia |
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General election |
Election details |
Filing deadline: March 6, 2026 |
Primary: May 19, 2026 Primary runoff: June 16, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 General runoff: June 16, 2026 |
How to vote |
Poll times:
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Race ratings |
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican Inside Elections: Tilt Republican |
Ballotpedia analysis |
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2026 Impact of term limits in 2026 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
Georgia executive elections |
Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Georgia is holding an election for governor on November 3, 2026.
To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.
Candidates and election results
Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:
- Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
- Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
General election for Governor of Georgia
The following candidates are running in the general election for Governor of Georgia on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
Keisha Bottoms (D) | ||
Olu Brown (D) | ||
Jason Esteves (D) | ||
Derrick Jackson (D) | ||
Michael Thurmond (D) | ||
Chris Carr (R) | ||
Burt Jones (R) | ||
Leland Olinger II (R) |
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
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Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "Leland “Jake” Olinger is a Republican candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2026. A former stay-at-home dad, advocate, and songwriter, he has built his campaign on family law reform, marijuana legalization, mental health support, and economic reform. Olinger previously ran for Georgia State Senate in 2022 and 2024, growing his support significantly. He is also the founder of the nonprofit Big Daddy J Breaking Cycles, focused on breaking patterns of abuse and supporting families."
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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|Keep More in Your Pocket – Real tax reform that lowers burdens on working families while rewarding businesses that invest in Georgia communities.
Legalize, Grow, Prosper – Legalize marijuana to boost Georgia’s economy, create jobs, and give families and small businesses new opportunities.
Georgia should ensure election laws prioritize ease and protection for every voter. That means resisting overly broad expansion of voter-challenge criteria—such as those in SB 189, which raised concerns about possibly disenfranchising vulnerable groups like the homeless or those with nontraditional addresses . We must defend against laws that discourage participation rather than encourage it.
2. Safeguard Against Administrative Overreach Georgia’s State Election Board recently approved hand-count rules allowing poll workers to count ballots manually—a controversial change criticized for potentially delaying results and exceeding the board’s authority . As governor, I’d support legislation that prevents administrative bodies from imposing election-altering procedures on short notice—ensuring changes to process follow proper legislative review and avoid undermining timely certification.
3. Enhance Transparency and Accountability We need stronger certification safeguards to protect election integrity. Courts have already blocked rules enabling county officials to delay or refuse certification under vague “reasonable inquiry” provisions  . I’d back legislative efforts clearly defining certification duties—removing ambiguity that could allow partisan interference or obstruction in concluding election results.
4. Promote Secure and Inclusive Voting Infrastructure
While Georgia has made strides—like expanding early voting and tightening voter identification—new challenges persist. For example, vulnerabilities in the voter cancellation portal have raised alarm among cybersecurity and civil rights groups . I’d champion laws mandating stronger protections against cyber threats in election systems, preserving both accessibility and security.
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Georgia
Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.
Noteworthy events
Federal judge dismisses Chris Carr's campaign finance lawsuit against Burt Jones' campaign
On August 7, 2025, Chris Carr filed a lawsuit claiming Burt Jones' ability to raise unlimited campaign funds violated Carr's constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection. According to a 2021 campaign finance law, Georgia's governor, lieutenant governor, and select legislative leaders are allowed to raise unlimited funds via leadership committees. As the state's lieutenant governor, Jones can raise unlimited funds through his leadership committee, while Carr, as attorney general, cannot. Carr can, instead, raise up to $8,400 from each primary donor plus $4,800 for any primary runoff. These limits apply to all candidates running for governor of Georgia.[1][2][3]
On August 28, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Calvert dismissed the lawsuit. She agreed that the 2021 law injured Carr, but argued that he had brought the lawsuit against the wrong defendant. Calvert said the state of Georgia, and not Jones, was the violator.[1][2]
As of September 1, 2025, Carr's campaign said it was considering further legal options, which could include a new lawsuit against the state. Jones' campaign said Carr was a hypocrite because he defended the campaign finance law in 2022 as attorney general. Carr said the defense was necessary in his capacity as attorney general, even if he personally disagreed with the law.[1][2]
General election race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[4]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[5][6][7]
Race ratings: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 | |||||||||
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Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
9/9/2025 | 9/2/2025 | 8/26/2025 | 8/19/2025 | ||||||
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | Toss-up | |||||
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Tilt Republican | Tilt Republican | Battleground Republican | Battleground Republican | |||||
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. |
Past elections
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.
2022
- See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Georgia
Incumbent Brian Kemp defeated Stacey Abrams, Shane Hazel, David Byrne, and Milton Lofton in the general election for Governor of Georgia on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Brian Kemp (R) | 53.4 | 2,111,572 | |
Stacey Abrams (D) | 45.9 | 1,813,673 | ||
Shane Hazel (L) | 0.7 | 28,163 | ||
David Byrne (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 18 | ||
Milton Lofton (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 7 |
Total votes: 3,953,433 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Elbert Bartell (Independent)
- President Boddie (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
Stacey Abrams advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Stacey Abrams | 100.0 | 727,168 |
Total votes: 727,168 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Georgia
Incumbent Brian Kemp defeated David Perdue, Kandiss Taylor, Catherine Davis, and Tom Williams in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Brian Kemp | 73.7 | 888,078 | |
David Perdue | 21.8 | 262,389 | ||
Kandiss Taylor | 3.4 | 41,232 | ||
Catherine Davis | 0.8 | 9,788 | ||
Tom Williams | 0.3 | 3,255 |
Total votes: 1,204,742 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Vernon Jones (R)
2018
- See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2018
General election
General election for Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp defeated Stacey Abrams and Ted Metz in the general election for Governor of Georgia on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Brian Kemp (R) | 50.2 | 1,978,408 | |
Stacey Abrams (D) | 48.8 | 1,923,685 | ||
Ted Metz (L) | 0.9 | 37,235 |
Total votes: 3,939,328 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Larry Odom (Independent)
Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp defeated Casey Cagle in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of Georgia on July 24, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Brian Kemp | 69.5 | 406,703 | |
Casey Cagle | 30.5 | 178,893 |
Total votes: 585,596 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia
Stacey Abrams defeated Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Stacey Abrams | 76.4 | 424,305 | |
Stacey Evans | 23.6 | 130,784 |
Total votes: 555,089 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Georgia
Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp advanced to a runoff. They defeated Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Casey Cagle | 39.0 | 236,987 | |
✔ | Brian Kemp | 25.5 | 155,189 | |
Hunter Hill | 18.3 | 111,464 | ||
Clay Tippins | 12.2 | 74,182 | ||
Michael Williams | 4.9 | 29,619 |
Total votes: 607,441 | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eddie Hayes (R)
- Marc Alan Urbach (R)
2014
- See also: Georgia Gubernatorial election, 2014
Governor of Georgia, 2014 | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Republican | 52.7% | 1,345,237 | ||
Democratic | Jason Carter | 44.9% | 1,144,794 | |
Libertarian | Andrew Hunt | 2.4% | 60,185 | |
Total Votes | 2,550,216 | |||
Election results via Georgia Secretary of State |
Election analysis
This section will contain facts and figures related to this state's elections when those are available.
Gubernatorial elections in 2026
There are 36 gubernatorial seats on the ballot in 2026.
See also
Georgia | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 ABC News, "Judge throws out campaign finance lawsuit between Republican rivals in Georgia governor's race," August 28, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Downballot, "Morning Digest: Maine will decide this fall whether to make it harder to vote," August 29, 2025
- ↑ Georgia State Ethics Commission, "Contribution Limits," accessed September 1, 2025
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018