Georgia’s 2026 Primary is Tuesday: Here’s what you need to know

by Stephanie Adkisson

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia’s primary election is Tuesday, with winners advancing to represent their parties in November’s midterm elections.

The primary follows a record-breaking early voting period in Georgia. The Secretary of State’s Office said unofficial preliminary numbers show more than 1.019 million people have already voted.

SEE: Georgia primary: Early voting breaks record as Democratic turnout leads

The ballot includes the race for governor, with seven Democrats and eight Republicans competing.

Leading Republican candidates include health care CEO Rick Jackson, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr.

On the Democratic side, candidates include former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Dekalb County Executive Michael Thurmond, former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and former State Senator Jason Esteves.

Chatham County prepares for Primary Election Day

Chatham County sent out its last voting machines Monday morning at 7 a.m. as officials prepared for Tuesday’s primary election.

Polling managers picked up supplies and absentee ballots were processed to prepare for voting.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and voters can get in line until 7 p.m.

Brooke Schreiner, Chatham County’s election supervisor, said this will be her first election in the county. She said she hopes to have a 60% voter turnout. Schreiner encouraged voters to come prepared with their ID ready, fill out their sample ballot and ask questions before casting their votes.

“We’ve got all our little nitpicky stuff for the check-in for the polling location managers to come in to bring in their ballots and their little memory cards,” Schreiner said. “So, it’s those little nitpick details that we’re trying to get all lined up.”

Several polling locations have changed, see changes below:

The Sanctuary of Savannah to St. Luke UMC
Fellowship of love community Church to WW Law CC
Southside Assembly of God Church to Largo Tibet School
Georgia Tech, Savanna campus to Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Voting in person on Election Day?

Georgia’s official website details how to vote in person on Election Day. The first step? Get prepared.

Step 1: “Get Prepared”

Register to vote. Eligible Georgians can register to vote through the Secretary of State’s Office.
Have a valid photo identification (ID). Georgia residents must show a valid photo ID when voting in person. Acceptable forms of voter identification include a driver’s license or a U.S. passport.
Find the next election. View a list of upcoming elections and voter registration deadlines on the Secretary of State’s election calendar.
Request voter assistance if you need it. If you require special assistance to vote or to access your polling place, contact your County Board of Registrar’s Office for help.
Update your information. If you move, you must file a notice of your new address in writing to your County Board of Registrar’s Office or submit a new voter registration application.

Step 2: “Go to Your Polling Place”

On Election Day, you must vote at your designated polling place. You can find your assigned polling location here or by contacting your County Board of Registrar’s Office.
Polling places are open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. According to the State of Georgia’s website, if you are in line by 7:00 p.m., you are allowed to cast your ballot.

Step 3: “Vote”

When you get to your polling place, show your photo ID to the poll worker. A poll worker will check your photo ID, verify that you are registered and at the correct polling location, issue you a voter access card or ballot and allow you to vote.
If you show up to your polling place but have not met all the requirements listed above, your can request a provisional ballot. Your vote will count as long as you resolve the eligibility issues within three days after Election Day.
If you encounter a problem at the polls, please contact your County Board of Registrar’s Office or the Georgia Secretary of State. Call the Secretary of State at 404-656-2871 (in metro Atlanta) or 877-725-9797 (elsewhere in Georgia) to report an issue. You can also submit a complaint online to the Secretary of State Elections Division.

Other Ways to Vote

1. Instead of voting in person on Election Day, voters can choose to vote by absentee ballot or vote early in person.
2. If you’re currently a military or overseas voter, you can vote by absentee ballot. Military or overseas information here.

Important Election Day information

Georgia is an open primary state, which means during a primary election each voter can choose which party’s ballot they wish to vote – Republican, Democrat, or Nonpartisan.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has an Elections FAQ section on his website that answers important elections questions. Click here to read more.

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