Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for May 11, 2026

Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded on May 11, 1864 at the Battle of Yellow Tavern, near Richmond.

May 11, 1996 was the deadliest day on Mount Everest. “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer is a fantastic chronicle of the deadliest season on Everest.

On May 11, 2011, Newt Gingrich announced via Twitter that he would run for President. Two days later, I caught up with Newt at Fincher’s Barbecue in Macon for a brief interview the day he was scheduled to speak to the Georgia Republican Party State Convention.

Happy Birthday to Minnesota, which became a state on May 11, 1858. Y’all talk funny.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Cohutta Town Council voted to reinstate their police department, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.

Following a unanimous decision by members of the Cohutta Town Council on Friday evening, the town’s police department, along with all officers, has now been reinstated effective immediately.

During a special called meeting at Cohutta Town Call, which began at 5 p.m. Friday, council members Shane Kornberg, Andy Lopez, Sandy Clayborne and Randy Stanton, along with Mayor Ron Shinnick, greeted more than 100 visitors as they packed inside the town hall’s courtroom while several members of the public watched on from outside.

Originally, the agenda for the special meeting included propositions to reinstate the Cohutta Police Department, request for Shinnick’s immediate resignation as mayor, discuss the Georgia Public Officers Recall Act of 1989, and “if necessary,” conduct a third-party investigation into the removal of Shinnick from mayoral office.

“It’s clear that (the) mayor (has) clear, sole authority to hire and fire all employees of the town,” [Town Attorney Bryan] Rayburn said. “However, that must be done in accordance with Section 3.15, which requires written notice containing statements of the grounds, as well as notification of the appeal rights. And speaking with members of the police force, this did not occur. So, I bring these two sections to your attention…not to cause further divide. but to inform you as the governing body of this town that, on its cover, it appears that the policies and procedures of this town have not been followed this week.”

Following the 3-0 approval to reinstate the police department by Clayborne, Lopez and Stanton, all members unanimously voted to adopt an emergency ordinance which prohibits the mayor from “disbanding the police department, or officers, without action of the town council for the next 30 days.”

Rayburn said the tabled agenda items regarding a call for Shinnick’s resignation “could be picked back up” at the council’s Tuesday meeting, but was not guaranteed.

Suspended Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch faces two additional charges related to his February DUI arrest, according to AccessWDUN.

Prosecutors have added two additional charges to a driving under the influence (DUI) case against Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch.

Couch was arrested in February of this year after authorities said they noticed him failing to maintain lane on Ledan Extension in the northwest part of the county. The Georgia State Patrol later reported that Couch’s blood alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit.

Couch pleaded not guilty at a hearing in April, but prosecutors have now added charges to the case. The new charges are one of DUI of drugs and one of DUI of alcohol and drugs.

Couch was initially charged with DUI of alcohol, DUI over legal limit, failure to maintain lane and an open container violation.

Since that February arrest, Couch has been suspended from office for a period of 60 days by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. That suspension is set to expire on May 19. Couch was also arrested again, this time in Dawson County, accused of violating a limited driving permit that was issued to him as part of his DUI case.

Couch’s suspension from office is set to expire on May 19. As of Friday, May 8, Kemp has not indicated if he intends to extend Couch’s suspension.

In other developments in the criminal case, Couch’s defense attorney, Blake Poole, filed on Wednesday, May 6, to have much of the evidence from the case suppressed, alleging that deputies and Georgia State Patrol troopers improperly obtained bloodwork and other evidence.

Hall County court documents show the trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in September.

Couch himself has not spoken publicly since his arrest.

The Chief of Staff to Burke County Sheriff Alonzo Williams was arrested and charged with DUI, according to WRDW.

According to reports by the Georgia State Patrol, Richard Elim was arrested early Sunday and charged with DUI/less safe, holding/supporting a wireless device, and following too closely.

According to the reports, Elim stuck a vehicle from behind that was sitting at a traffic control device.

According to troopers, Elim stated he was on his phone and didn’t see the vehicle stopped.

While on the scene of the crash, Elim told troopers he was an off-duty Colonel with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.

It was noted by troopers that he had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and was unsteady on his feet, according to the reports.

GSP says Elim told troopers he was coming from a cigar lounge in Hephzibah. It’s unclear if that is Sheriff Williams’ personal cigar lounge.

GSP’s report shows a Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) of 0.186.

Elim was transported and booked into the Richmond County Detention Center. As of Monday morning, he was no longer in custody.

This is the last week of early voting for the May 19, 2026 Primary elections, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.

Georgia enters its final week of early voting in the state’s nationally watched May 19, 2026, primaries.

More than 400,000 early and absentee ballots had been cast as of Friday, May 8, 2026. Early voting – which has already shattered its previous records – ends Friday, May 15, 2026.

Democrats continue outpacing Republicans though not at the pace as when early voting began on April 27, 2026.

This past weekend was the last for optional Saturday and Sunday voting.

All four of Georgia’s top constitutional offices are up for grabs in the Republican and Democratic primaries, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general.

Federally, Republicans will choose a nominee to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff this fall. Three metro Atlanta congressional seats are also open: the 10th, 11th and 13th.

Democrats are also hoping to keep two seats they won in last year’s special elections on the Public Service Commission, and the blue party is also hoping to unseat two Georgia Supreme Court justices.

So far, 479,528 early ballots have been cast ahead of the May 19, 2026 Primary Election, according to the Secretary of State’s website.

Democratic – 261,208 (54.5%)

Republican – 211,203 (44.0%)

Nonpartisan – 7297 (1.5%)

Governor Brian Kemp campaigned with GOP U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley, according to WRDW.

Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp spent the latter half of the week on the campaign trail backing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley.

Kemp faces a Tuesday deadline to veto or sign bills passed this legislative session, a push for a special session to address an election change deadline, and calls to extend Georgia’s gas tax suspension set to expire May 19th.

On Friday, Kemp appeared with Dooley at a campaign stop in Gainesville, where the candidate continued to pitch himself as a political outsider in a competitive Republican primary that could head toward a runoff.

“I’m only asking them for one thing. Trust me,” Dooley told supporters.

Dooley has branded his platform around a “Georgia First” pledge that includes support for term limits, banning members of Congress from trading stocks while in office, and cutting off pay for lawmakers during a government shutdown.

Kemp framed the race as a fight for the best candidate to take on incumbent, Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff.

“I do not believe Jon Ossoff represents our Georgia values,” Kemp said.

The appearance comes as many Georgians are watching gas prices closely, with the state’s gas tax suspension nearing its end. Kemp pointed to tax rebate checks as evidence of ongoing affordability efforts.

“We have tax rebate checks going back to people. Some folks earlier this morning had already gotten their money back,” Kemp said.

Kemp did not commit to extending the gas tax break, saying he was monitoring prices and the state’s finances.

“We’ll be letting people know about our plans here when we get a little bit closer,” Kemp said.

The governor’s campaign stop also played out amid renewed calls for Kemp to bring lawmakers back for a special session to address elections-related changes ahead of a law taking effect July 1.

Tuesday is Kemp’s deadline to veto bills passed this session, while Georgians are also waiting to see whether he moves to extend gas tax relief before it expires and whether he signals any interest in calling a special session.

From the AJC:

Kemp’s political brand remains exceptionally strong with GOP voters. His job approval among Republican primary voters stands at 85%, including 55% who strongly approve. He even fares decently with Democrats, with 42% approval.

But former football coach Derek Dooley, Kemp’s hand-picked candidate for U.S. Senate, has yet to convert that alliance into broad voter support ahead of the May 19 primary.

Even after months of joint campaign stops with the governor across the state, the same AJC poll of likely GOP voters shows Dooley at 11%, neck and neck with U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter for a spot in a likely runoff and well behind front-runner U.S. Rep. Mike Collins.

Kemp remains a dominant figure in Georgia politics, but his power as a kingmaker is still unproven. A weak Dooley showing will inevitably revive memories of Kelly Loeffler, another Kemp Senate recruit who failed to win a full term in 2020.

Kemp is confident it won’t come to that. His case for Dooley has always been straightforward.

“It takes an outsider that doesn’t have to worry about defending their political record or other things to stay on offense, to tell people the real story about these guys and the real story about Jon Ossoff,” the governor said at a Cartersville stop. “That’s what I think Derek Dooley can do.”

From Georgia Recorder:

Candidates running to be Georgia’s next governor are shelling out millions ahead of the May 19 primary election even as a large number of voters remain unsure about which candidate to support.

With about 30% of likely Republican voters still undecided according to recent polling, two leading Republican nominees together have spent over $80 million in hopes of chipping away at each other’s support. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones raised nearly $4.4 million in contributions and loaned himself another $17 million, while wealthy healthcare executive Rick Jackson has raised nearly $83.5 million, of which $83 million came from Jackson himself.

Attorney General Chris Carr, who has raised over $5.3 million, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who raised almost $1.1 million and loaned himself another $6 million, each spent over $4 million in hopes of making it into the runoff.

Carr campaign spokesperson Julia Mazzone said “one rich guy and one rich guy’s dad are trying to buy this race.”

“Chris Carr is working to earn it, and he’s raised more money than any other campaign for governor because Georgians are ready for a better choice,” Mazzone said.

The Jackson campaign took the opportunity to attack Jones and his campaign financing, pointing out that while Jones’ net worth is about $11 million, he has loaned his campaign $17 million. Mike Schrimpf, a spokesperson for Jackson, said that Jones “is borrowing at least $6 million from himself that he doesn’t have.”

“Burt Jones needs to come clean and explain the real source of the money. Where did he find $17 million to loan his campaign?” Schrimpf asked.

The Jones campaign fired back in a statement. Kayla Lott, spokesperson for the Jones campaign, said that “the Jones family runs a successful business, and Burt is committed to using his resources to keep Georgia in Republican hands while Rick Jackson and his family use their resources to support Democrats like Jon Ossoff and Stacey Abrams.”

Jones in a social media post pointed out that Jackson’s company donated $500 to Abrams in 2013, but Jackson responded by saying that happened “during a major effort to implement conservative tort reform in 2013” and “that’s how politics work under the Gold Dome.”

Thursday was the last day for candidates to file their latest campaign fundraising and spending reports.

The Democrats

On the Democratic side, fundraising and spending have been more modest. Former state Sen. Jason Esteves flaunted his fundraising, raising over $2.8 million without any personal loans. Meg Scribner, campaign manager for Esteves, said in a statement that their strong fundraising shows that “Georgians across the state are excited about Jason Esteves’ vision of health, wealth, and opportunity.”

“While our opponents lose ground, voters are overwhelmingly hearing from Jason on the airwaves and in their communities during the final stretch of the primary. Today’s fundraising announcement proves once again that Jason is the only candidate with the operation needed to get into a runoff with Keisha Lance Bottoms — and win,” Scribner said.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also raised over $2.8 million but raised the most among Democrats during the last reporting period. Bottoms has loaned her campaign $200,000 in the last reporting period.

“That kind of support reflects what we are seeing on the ground every day: record turnout, packed rooms, and real excitement from Georgians who want a governor who will lower costs, invest in education, expand opportunity, and stand up to the chaos from Washington,” said campaign manager Rashad Taylor in a statement.

Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who served as a Republican but is now running as a Democrat, raised $1.2 million and loaned his campaign $500,000 in the last reporting period.

“Geoff and our campaign team are proud to have Georgians from across this state continuing to support this campaign (who know) Geoff is the only Democrat in this race who can build the coalition big enough to take on the Republican nominee and win the election in November,” Morgan Hopkins, spokesperson for Duncan’s campaign, said.

Former DeKalb CEO Mike Thurmond raised just over $883,000 and loaned himself $500,000, while spending about $929,500.

Amy Morton, a spokesperson for Thurmond, said he is “well-positioned financially and has the resources needed for a strong finish, including an unmatched statewide grassroots network of energized, enthusiastic supporters.”

“Mike is focused on the people of Georgia and on an affordability agenda that will make a real difference, including cutting the state sales tax in half to give every Georgian a raise. He’s spent his career fighting for working families, and as governor, he’ll keep showing up and working every day to deliver for them,” Morton said.

A good many left-leaning voters also remain undecided, according to the recent polling from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bottoms maintained a firm grip on first place with 39% support, and Duncan, Esteves and Thurmond appear to be competing for second place.

But 35% of those surveyed said they had not yet decided which candidate to support in the Democratic primary.

There is one more week of early voting before the May 19 primary. If no candidate earns 50% of the vote, the race will go to a June 16 runoff.

The candidates are competing for an open seat, with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp unable to serve another term.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) may be taking courtroom defeats to the ballot box, according to the AJC.

On first glance, the fact that three Fulton County prosecutors are running against sitting judges makes it seem like District Attorney Fani Willis’ might be on a retribution tour.

Will Wooten, who was on the team prosecuting President Donald Trump, is running against Trent Brown, one of the two Georgia appeals court judges whose decision set in motion steps that killed the election fraud case.

Prosecutor Nikia Smith Sellers is running against Fulton Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker, who took over the racketeering case against rapper Young Thug.

Whitaker angered prosecutors after punishment in the form of making them watch a remedial training class on professional tactics. They also argue she let a defendant who shot a cop off easy.

A third candidate, Janice Moore, is running against Judge Craig Schwall, one of the first judges appointed to the Fulton bench by a Republican governor and whose former intern ran against Willis in 2024.

Word in legal circles is that Willis, never one to shy away from a fight, recruited them to run against judges who have irked her.

“I believe Fani Willis absolutely convinced my opponent to run against me,” [Court of Appeals Judge Trent] Brown told me. “She would prefer a judiciary that operates in fear of her, as opposed to fair and impartial judges concerned with the proper application of the law.”

Willis, in a statement, said: “Judge Trent Brown was appointed to his position and not elected by the people. He evidently feels entitled to it, but his service falls short. His baseless accusations show that he lacks the temperament and judgment to serve on our Court of Appeals.”

ADAs Wooten and Sellers are listed in the ActBlue website, which raises money for progressive and liberal candidates. So are Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, who are waging campaigns against two incumbent Supreme Court justices.

All these races are nonpartisan, but nothing is ever really nonpartisan.

Georgia residents oppose a federal election takeover, according to the AJC.

According to an exclusive Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, 98% of Democratic primary voters in Georgia somewhat or strongly disapprove of the idea of federal control over elections. Republicans are more divided, but 48% somewhat or strongly disapprove of the idea, and 7% said they didn’t know or didn’t have an opinion on a federal takeover.

Republicans have sought to keep the federal government out of state affairs for years. But with elections, some are willing to make an exception.

“I don’t really like the federal government getting their nose into everything, and there are a lot of people who feel that way,” said Janet Kaszer, a 72-year-old retired critical care nurse from Cherokee County. “But if the states are so out of compliance, then it may have to be done for a while, but I’d hate to see it permanent.”

[President] Trump has moved aggressively during his second term to expand federal power over American elections. The administration has sent federal agents to seize troves of 2020 election records and sought unredacted voter rolls from states across the country. Trump signed an executive order in March restricting mail-in voting and has called for Republicans to “take over” elections.

Four Congressional Democrats from Georgia sent a letter to USDOJ protesting their demand for names and contact information for all Fulton County 2020 election workers, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.

Four Democrats in Georgia’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice Friday protesting the agency’s demand for personal information about Fulton County workers and volunteers involved with the 2020 election when President Donald Trump was defeated by Joe Biden.

“Fulton County election workers have already endured years of threats and harassment from false claims about the 2020 election,” said the letter to Todd Blanche, the acting U.S. attorney general. “The Department’s subpoena risks compounding that harm by demanding the residential addresses and personal contact information of thousands of people who served in election administration.”

The New York Times reported Monday that the Justice Department had demanded the identities of every worker who staffed that election, noting that Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts had described the subpoena as “harassment” and an attempt to “punish” Trump’s perceived political opponents.

The Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections filed a motion Monday to block the subpoena, which, according to Fox 5 Atlanta, sought personal data of nearly 3,000 people.

Separately on Wednesday, Fulton County lost a demand for the return of 600 boxes of election records the FBI seized in January. U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee for the Northern District of Georgia ruled that flaws in the Justice Department’s search warrants and the execution of the search did not merit the return of the documents. The decision enabled investigators to continue their probe of an election that Trump has continued to protest, according to Politico.

The Democrats’ letter Friday, signed by Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, and Reps. Nikema Williams and Lucy McBath, said the subpoena for election workers’ personal information was “untethered to any reasonable need.”

The letter, released by Warnock’s office, asks Blanche to answer 13 questions, from why the personal information request was so broad, to why a North Carolina prosecutor was involved in investigating Georgia’s election. The subpoena was issued by a federal grand jury for the U.S. attorneys office in the Middle District of North Carolina.

U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee (ND-GA) ruled against a Fulton County motion in the case of federal seizure of 2020 Fulton County ballots, according to the AJC.

A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice does not have to return 2020 election ballots seized by FBI agents to Fulton County.

Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said he agrees that the affidavit was troubling, but adamantly opposed U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee’s ruling. He said the county would pursue all available legal options and called the culmination of the DOJ’s efforts to probe the 2020 election a coordinated effort aimed at harassing and intimidating the county.

“We’re at war, and that’s the only way to describe it,” he said. “We have to defend ourselves — defend democracy, defend the right for our citizens to vote and the right to have every legal vote cast to be counted.”

Fulton had challenged the FBI’s January seizure of more than 600 boxes of ballots and other election materials. The Justice Department had taken the records as part of a criminal inquiry into Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in Georgia.

“Petitioners have not shown that their rights were callously disregarded either through supposed defects in the warrant or through the manner in which the warrant was executed,” Boulee wrote.

The probe into Fulton escalated again this week when it was revealed that the DOJ issued an April grand jury subpoena seeking personal information about thousands of election workers who helped administer the November 2020 election, which Fulton is fighting to quash.

Shortly after the ballot seizure, Fulton sought to retrieve its records and turned to high-profile attorneys — Abbe Lowell and Norm Eisen. The county contended that the ballot seizure violated the county’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

The attorneys have said that the FBI carting off the records impacts other pending litigation related to the 2020 election and that the county needs original copies of such records to defend against baseless election fraud claims.

Candidates for Secretary of State differed on whether our elections are fair, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Moultrie Observer.

When Georgia voters complete their ballots this year, one of the people they select will be the next person in charge of overseeing elections.

The Georgia Secretary of State handles business registration, professional licensing and regulation of charities and securities, all essential to the economy.

But that elected official also serves a role that is vital to the operation of democracy: voter registration, ballot preparation and certification of election results.

The upheaval that followed President Donald Trump’s assertion that he won the 2020 election is the main wedge between candidates running for secretary of state this year.

All but one Republican said at a debate last week that the 2020 outcome was still in question and that the electronic voting system in use in Georgia then and now is deeply flawed.

“I think 2020 is still in question to be frank with you,” said Kelvin King, whose wife, Janelle King, is a Republican appointee to the State Election Board. “The things that I’ve learned studying our elections have been just startling. The bottom line is this: we haven’t had a clean election over the last several elections.”

Ted Metz, who described himself as an inventor, said “it is clear to anyone that has a brain” that the voting system is plagued by “irregularities” in vote counting and in administrative and procedural functions. “There are so many botched things,” he said.

Former DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones, who was a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party, said defenders of the current system say there was no “widespread” fraud. “Well, people want to know how wide was the wide,” he said.

Only Gabe Sterling, a former chief operating officer for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, said voters trust the outcomes produced by the current system. He pointed to record turnout for early voting for the May 19 primary, which had started by the time of the April 28 debate. “We have the best and safest elections in America,” he said.

The tone among Democrats, who debated later that afternoon, indicated faith in election integrity and wariness of naysayers.

Penny Brown Reynolds, a former Fulton County State Court judge, lashed out at Republican state lawmakers for stripping Raffensperger, also a Republican, of his voting powers on the State Election Board. Lawmakers did that after Raffensperger clashed with Trump over the outcome of the 2020 election.

Courts found no fraud, and Gov. Brian Kemp, also a Republican, backed the outcome, she noted, yet Raffensperger was still sidelined by “the MAGA, Donald Trump and others,” she said. “They want to do everything they can to try to control our elections.”

Dana Barrett, a Fulton County commissioner, pointed to the FBI seizure of Fulton ballots from 2020, saying the January raid “was aimed at setting us up for a state takeover of our elections, which is extremely dangerous.” She said the Republican-majority state election board “is completely MAGA-controlled and they pose the biggest threat to our votes in the state of Georgia. If the state elections board tries to take over the elections in Fulton County, the largest county with the largest concentration of Democrats, we will be in bad shape,” she said.

Adrian Consonery Jr. said Georgia could increase confidence by explaining to the public how its system of voting works “in the form of a Schoolhouse Rock video or something of that nature,” adding, “We definitely need a way to educate our Georgians on how the process works to avoid any McCarthyism in the future.”

It was a reference to U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin senator who led a campaign in the 1950s against Americans he accused of being communists or communist sympathizers.

Cam Ashling, a financial planner, suggested making election day a state holiday to increase voter turnout.

The Republican candidates, except for Sterling, advocated for a swift shift to hand-marked paper ballots.

That appears unlikely after the election board on Friday rejected a petition to require regular use of the backup voting system. The backup system uses pre-printed and hand-marked paper ballots that are fed into a scanner for tabulation. It is intended for power outages and other emergencies, and local election officials have been testifying at hearings for months that they do not have time to implement the system at scale.

The Georgia General Assembly banned the use of machine code to tabulate results effective July 1. Georgia’s current system uses touchscreens in kiosks that print voter choices on paper, along with a “Quick Response,” or QR code, used to tabulate votes.

Despite passing the ban in 2024, state lawmakers have neither authorized nor paid for a new system. They blame Raffensperger, and he blames them.

State Rep. Tim Fleming, R-Covington, a Republican candidate for secretary of state, led a legislative study committee of the voting system last year. The committee recommended hand-counting ballots with QR codes this November before buying a new voting system in fiscal year 2027. Fleming did not appear for the GOP debate.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-SSI) discussed his campaign for U.S. Senate, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., said he believes voters are focused primarily on public safety and the economy as he campaigns in his first statewide race for U.S. Senate.

In an interview, Carter echoed President Donald Trump’s recent description of the economy as “roaring,” while acknowledging that gas prices have risen. Carter blamed Democrats and said energy prices increased due to the conflict involving Iran, adding he expects prices to fall if the situation stabilizes.

Carter also pointed to a tax-cut package he said put more money in people’s pockets, citing provisions such as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime and increasing a child care tax credit. He said IRS data shows refunds are up this year.

With early voting underway ahead of the Republican primary, Carter urged voters to support him as the party’s best chance to defeat incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Carter criticized Ossoff’s voting record on homeland security funding and Israel, arguing those positions are out of step with Georgia.

Carter also took aim at his primary opponents, arguing that controversies or political vulnerabilities would distract from focusing on Ossoff in a general election campaign.

Democratic candidate for Governor Jason Esteves spoke to WTVM.

“I look forward to being the next governor of Georgia,” he said.

According to him, his focus is on lowering the cost of living for Georgians.

“I’m going to focus each and every day on lowering the cost of living whether we’re talking about taxes, utilities, or we’re talking about healthcare,” he said.

When it comes to affordable housing, Esteves said the solution starts with holding data centers accountable and cutting taxes for working families.

“I want to make sure that we’re holding our utility companies accountable, especially as relates to data centers, to make data centers pay their fair share. We should not be paying for data centers being built,” he said.

According to him, at least 800,000 Georgians are living without health insurance. He said he knows exactly how to get it done.

“What I want to make sure we do is that we expand access to Medicaid, and I know that I can work. To build a coalition of Democrats and Republicans who are going to be willing to do that.”

A full-time husband, father, business owner, and now candidate for governor — Esteves said his experience running the Flying Biscuit Cafe gives him a unique perspective on what Georgia’s small business owners need.

“I have proposed a $1 billion dollar low interest loan and grant program for small business owners and entrepreneurs,” he said.

He is one of seven Democrats in the race competing alongside eight Republican candidates, all vying to be Georgia’s next governor.

Qualifying began for the July 28, 2026 Special Election to serve the remainder of the term of the late U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Atlanta), according to Atlanta News First via the Albany Herald.

Qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 11, 2026, for candidates who want a chance to fill out the rest of the late David Scott’s term in Congress.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s office said the qualifying fee for the race is $5,220. Qualifying runs from Monday, May 11, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The actual special election itself is set for Tuesday, July 28, 2026. A runoff, if needed, has been set for Aug. 25, 2026.

Monday, June 29, 2026, is the last day to register to vote in the July special election. Early voting in the special election begins Monday, July 6, 2026.

Scott’s 13th congressional district includes portions of Rockdale, Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, and Newton counties.

Scott died at age 80 after almost five decades of public service at the state and national level.

Governor Brian Kemp will sign tax reform legislation today, according to the AJC.

Kemp’s office notified lawmakers Thursday that he plans to sign House Bill 463 and Senate Bill 33, ending weeks of suspense over two measures that were top priorities for Republican legislative leaders.

His office didn’t immediately comment, but the governor framed the measures as part of a broader affordability push during a campaign stop in Demorest for U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley.

“Right now, we’re in the process of sending tax refund checks back to people for the fourth year in a row to put more money in their pocket. We suspended the motor fuel tax,” Kemp said. “We just did another tax cut this year that we will probably be signing here in the next few days.”

Republican leaders in the state Senate began the year by promising to end Georgia’s income tax. House Republicans countered with a proposal to eliminate homestead property taxes.

Neither side got what they wanted.

House Bill 463 would cut Georgia’s income tax rate to 4.99% this year and to 3.99% over eight years if the state meets certain financial benchmarks. It also would raise the standard deduction by 25% and eliminate some tax breaks to help offset the cost, though not nearly as many as originally promised.

Senate Bill 33 would limit annual property tax assessment increases to the rate of inflation. It would also allow city and county governments to raise sales taxes and use the extra money for homestead property tax relief.

Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that some wildfire victims may be eligible for procedural tax relief, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) today announced that certain return and payment deadlines for taxpayers have been extended for Georgians impacted by the Georgia Highway 82 Wildfire and the Pineland Road Wildfire in Clinch, Echols, and Brantley Counties.

“We are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to helping those impacted by the unprecedented drought conditions that led to the South Georgia wildfires,” said Governor Kemp. “I’m grateful to the Trump administration for this declaration that will further those efforts as families work on rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.”

“Our priority is making sure impacted Georgians have one less thing to worry about as they recover from these wildfires,” said State Revenue Commissioner David Burge. “These extensions provide additional time and flexibility for affected individuals and businesses to meet their tax obligations.”

On April 22, 2026, Governor Kemp declared a State of Emergency for 91 counties, including Clinch, Echols, and Brantley, where exceptional drought conditions and ample dry fuel posed a significant threat to the general safety and welfare of our citizens. The return and payment extensions for taxpayers referenced in this release only apply to taxpayers in Clinch, Echols and Brantley.

Governor Brian Kemp signed a raft of bills related to the outdoors, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Tifton Gazette.

People who raise chickens in their backyards won’t have to “candle” their eggs. Restaurants that serve shrimp will have to let diners know if it is from abroad. And forest products manufacturers will get a tax break.

Those are among the effects of 10 bills that Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law this week.

The state’s agricultural industry has been hammered by wildfires, hurricanes and trade wars. Lawmakers reacted by passing numerous bills to help farmers, timber owners and others in the industry.

“Georgia’s farming and foresting families are some of the toughest people in our state who, despite the challenges of the past several years, have persevered and continue to put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and provide the material for structures like our very homes,” Kemp said in a statement after signing the bills at the Georgia Forestry Association’s headquarters in Forsyth Wednesday.

The association was most pleased with House Bill 134, which makes the state’s existing Jobs and Investment Tax Credits transferable for forestry manufacturers over a five-year period.

That will allow companies more flexibility when they invest their capital, which the association said would in turn lead to more jobs and economic returns for rural areas.

The association also highlighted House Bill 983, which clarifies when prescribed burning is exempt from notice and permit requirements for forest management. Landowners use these burns to clear vegetation that can cause big wildfires like those that have raged in South Georgia.

Senate Bill 306 amends a tax incentive program that allows owners of agricultural land, timberland, or environmentally sensitive property to reduce their property taxes if they pledge to keep their land undeveloped for a decade. The bill confirms that landowners with a Conservation Use Valuation Assessment can enroll in carbon credit programs and earn revenue on the open private market without breaching their covenant.

House Resolution 1008 revises membership rules and interagency agreements for the Regional Water Planning Councils. It ratifies amendments to Georgia’s statewide water management plan in a way that ensures representation from the state’s major water-use sectors, including forestry and agriculture, according to the state forestry association.

“From new investment in forestry manufacturing to critical protections for the landowners and land managers who do the work on the ground, this is a package built around what our industry needs to grow,” Tim Lowrimore, president and CEO of the association, said in a statement.

HR 1008 was a priority for Kemp, as was House Bill 1159, which exempts from state income tax any payments received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and Specialty Crop Farmers Program.

Kemp also signed a handful of bills for targeted industries, including those in backyards.

Senate Bill 551 deletes the egg “candling” section of Georgia law, which requires those with backyard flocks to inspect egg yolks in a dark room with a bright light.

Coastal shrimpers will appreciate House Bill 117, which requires restaurants that serve shrimp from foreign countries to notify diners with notices on menus or signs.

House Bill 1310 settles a question that has apparently lingered for hundreds of years: it designates that cotton is, indeed, the official state fabric.

Valdosta City Council is considering regulating short term vacation rentals, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

After months of concerns raised by residents and pressure for additional changes, Valdosta’s Planning Authority and City Council have begun taking measures to regulate short-term rentals in the city.

The city hosted three workshops throughout the month of April for residents to share their thoughts. These concerns will pave the way for new planning rules for the city for short-term rentals, a recent phenomenon that allows a buyer to rent a home in the area for 30 days or less.

Members of Valdosta City Council joined Planning Director Matt Martin and Interim City Manager Al Crace to hear the concerns of both the property owners and the citizens affected by the creation of the short-term rental. District 1 Councilwoman Vivian Miller-Cody, District 5 Councilman Tim Carroll, District 6 Councilman and Mayor Pro Tempore Andy Gibbs and Councilman-At-Large Nick Harden were present for all three meetings, with Mayor Scott Matheson being present for the last meeting.

The feedback from the first two sessions were turned into a combined sheet of ideas for regulations to be reviewed by the community before being edited by the city council and attorney.

The list aimed to clearly define the difference between short-term rentals, specifically home occupation versus commercial lodging, and what would change between the two. The initial list also proposed that all short-term rental homes must be approved by city council, and that they would only be allowed in single-family houses or in accessory units.

The proposed list also suggests that short-term rentals can only be allowed on commercial or professional office zoning, or in high density residential zoning districts like R-P, R-M or R-6. This does not apply to the Local Historic District, where any residential zoning area could allow for one with certain guidelines.

All short-term rental homes are also suggested to have to maintain a city business license for each location, and if approved, the city would maintain a registry of short-term rental homes in the city.

Finally, according to the initial proposal, short-term rentals could host a maximum of four people unless more are approved by city council. Only guests could occupy the space – a preventative measure for parties – and parking must be on-site in paved spaces or driveways.