Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for April 20, 2026

On April 20, 1861, Robert E. Lee resigned his commission as a Colonel in the United States Army.

On April 20, 1982, the Atlanta Braves set a major league record, winning the first twelve games of the regular season.

On April 20, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation authorizing a $165 billion dollar bailout for Social Security, saying,

“This bill demonstrates for all time our nation’s ironclad commitment to Social Security. It assures the elderly that America will always keep the promises made in troubled times a half a century ago. It assures those who are still working that they, too, have a pact with the future. From this day forward, they have one pledge that they will get their fair share of benefits when they retire.”

On April 20, 1992, Governor Zell Miller signed legislation naming Pogo ‘Possum the official state possum of Georgia.

On April 20, 1999, two students entered Columbine High School in Colorado and killed twelve student and one teacher, and wounded 23 others before shooting themselves.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Today is the voter registration deadline for the April 19, 2026 Primary Elections, according to Atlanta News First via WALB.

Monday is the last day to register to vote in Georgia’s nationally watched 2026 midterm primaries, contests that will, in some cases, at least narrow the field ahead of this fall’s elections.

Monday also marks the first day that absentee ballots will be mailed for the May 19, 2026, primary.

Four of Georgia’s top constitutional offices are wide open and being heavily contested by Republicans and Democrats in their respective primaries.

A June 16, 2026, runoff is virtually assured in the Democratic governor’s primary, but all bets are off in the GOP race, where billionaire Rick Jackson has shaken the state’s political universe in his challenge to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ once-presumptive gubernatorial nomination.

Also seeking the GOP governor’s nomination are Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr. Gov. Brian Kemp is term-limited, and along with Jones’ governor’s campaign, that means all four of those seats will elect new incumbents in November.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jason Esteves, Michael Thurmond and Geoff Duncan – along with several others – are all seeking to become Georgia’s first Democrat to be elected governor this century.

Governor (open; incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp is term limited)

Attorney General Chris Carr (R)
Clark Headrick Dean (R)
Rick Jackson (R)
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R)
Gregg Kirkpatrick (R)
Brad Raffensperger (R)
Thomas Williams (R)
Ken Yasger (R)
Keisha Lance Bottoms (D)
Olu Brown (D)
Amanda Duffy (D)
Geoff Duncan (D)
Jason Esteves (D)
State Rep. Derrick Jackson (D)
Michael Thurmond (D)

Lieutenant Governor (open; incumbent Burt Jones is running for governor)

Josh McLaurin (D)
State Sen. Nabilah Parkes
Richard Wright (D)
David Clark (R)
State Sen. Greg Dolezal (R)
Steve Gooch (R)
John Flanders Kennedy (R)
Brenda Lynn Nelson-Porter (R)
Takosha Misheal Swan (R)
Michael Blake Tillery (R)

Secretary of State (open; incumbent Brad Raffensperger is running for governor)

Cam Thi Ashling (D)
Adrian Consonery Jr. (D)
Penny Brown Reynolds (D)
Timothy Kyle Fleming (R)
Vernon Jones (R)
Kevin King (R)
Edward Tecumseh Metz (R)
Robert Gabriel Sterling (R)

Attorney General (open; incumbent Chris Carr is running for governor)

William Stone Cowsert (R)
Robert Brian Strickland (R)
Herbert Adams (D)
Tanya Miller (D)
Bob Trammell (D)

Republicans will also nominate a candidate to challenge Democratic U.S. Senate incumbent Jon Ossoff in November.

U.S. Senate

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) – incumbent
U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R)
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R)
John Francis Coyne III (R)
Derek Dooley (R)
Jonathan McColumn (R)

All of Georgia’s 14 congressional seats are on the November ballot, but in the May primaries, only incumbent U.S. Reps. Brian Jack, R-3; Lucy McBath, D-6; and Rich McCormick, R-7, are running unopposed in their party primaries.

U.S. Reps. David Scott, D-13, and newly elected Clay Fuller, R-14, are facing numerous opponents in their respective Democratic and Republican primaries.

Four Republican candidates for Georgia governor outlined their plans to reduce costs for families and improve education at a weekend event in Unadilla, one month before the state’s primary election.

The Georgia primary is set for May 19, with early voting beginning April 27. The voter registration deadline is Monday, April 20.

Eight Republicans have qualified for the 2026 Georgia primary, including Attorney General Chris Carr, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Republicans have won every gubernatorial election in Georgia since 2002.

Candidates propose tax elimination, cost reduction

At the Unadilla event, candidates Burt Jones, Rick Jackson, Ken Yasger and Clark Dean discussed strategies to help Georgia families save money.

“I would help create more competition in the supply chain in order to bring down the cost of food and anything else,” Jackson said.

Dean proposed bringing food processing to rural areas.

“So what we can do is actually bring targeted food processing into rural areas, creating real jobs in rural areas, actually monetizing that forty percent of the farmers produce that goes wasted, increasing our food supply and reducing costs to Georgians,” Dean said.

Jones said he would work toward eliminating state income tax and homeowners property taxes.

“We’re going to move towards eliminating state income tax. We’ve been lowering it the last four years since I’ve been lieutenant governor. We’ve capped property taxes. We’re going to move towards eliminating homeowners property taxes,” Jones said.

Yasger also pledged to eliminate the state income tax.

“I will absolutely make sure the state income tax is eliminated. Georgians shouldn’t be taxed on what they make, just on what they spend. It’s unconstitutional. It needs to go away,” Yasger said.

Education priorities vary among candidates

The candidates outlined different approaches to improving Georgia schools.

Jones highlighted recent legislation on school choice and college and career academies.

“As far as the education front, we pass school choice for the first time ever, and we have invested in college and career academies, which is teaching school skill sets for young people that aren’t going to college, which is a great opportunity because there’s a lot of opportunities out there that don’t require a four year degree. So those are the things. And we got to make higher education more affordable,” Jones said.

Dean said the state needs to support teachers and schools.

Yasger proposed cutting administrative salaries to increase teacher pay.

“So to make sure they get a better education, I just want to pay the teachers more. I want to cut administrative salaries in the state of Georgia and cap it and give the teachers more pay, because they’re the ones that are the soldiers in the classroom,” Yasger said.

Jackson said literacy legislation needs follow-through.

“Well, first of all, I think it needs to be a priority of the governor to lead. We’ve done a good job this year of passing legislation to help on literacy, but we need somebody to follow up with that to make sure it’s implemented. And that’s going to be a number one priority,” Jackson said.

Candidates split on Trump endorsement importance

The candidates expressed varying views on the importance of President Trump’s support.

“Look, I’m not making my campaign about any national political figures or personalities,” Dean said.

“Trump support is very, very important and he does support me one hundred percent,” Jones said.

“But all I have to say is, I don’t care if it’s a Republican or a Democrat in the white House, they don’t wake up every day and say, how can I make Georgians lives better. That’s my job,” Yasger said.

“First of all, I’m going to be President Trump’s favorite governor. And no one is like Trump, like I am in this race, period,” Jackson said.

Seven Democrats have also qualified for the governor’s race. The only candidate currently serving in office is Derrick Jackson, who represents Georgia’s 68th House District.

Governor Brian Kemp announced a number of appointments in the justice system, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following judicial and prosecutorial appointments: Tyler J. Browning to the Superior Court of the Cobb Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable A. Gregory Poole; Matthew M. “Matt” McCord to the Superior Court of the Griffin Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams; Dorothy V. Hull as District Attorney for the Towaliga Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Jonathan L. Adams; and John D. Harvey as Solicitor General of the State Court of Bryan County, filling a vacancy created by the appointment of the Honorable Donald L. Montgomery, Jr., to the State Court of Bryan County.

Tyler J. Browning is the managing partner at Browning, Browning & Gilkinson, LLC, focusing primarily on family law. He has spent his entire 26-year legal career in Cobb County. In addition to representing clients in a variety of family law and civil cases, Browning serves as a Guardian Ad Litem and special master, as well as a state-certified mediator and arbitrator. Prior to entering private practice, Browning prosecuted cases as an Assistant Solicitor General in Cobb County and served as Staff Attorney for Cobb County Superior Court Judge Robert E. Flournoy, III.

Browning received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, where he served as Chief Defender of the University Judiciary. He received his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law. Browning has lectured on family law issues at the Family Law Institute, Cobb County Bar Association, Georgia Trial Lawyers’ Association, and Kennesaw State University, among other organizations.

Browning is an active member of the Marietta community, serving on the Board of Trustees of the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art and as an officer of the Downtown Marietta Development Authority. He is also an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Marietta. Browning and his wife, Ashley, also an attorney, live in Cobb County with their two children.

Matthew M. “Matt” McCord has served as the Stockbridge Municipal Court Judge since 2014, the Hampton Municipal Court Judge since 2023, and as a pro tempore in the State Courts of Henry, Dekalb, and Fayette County. He has served two terms as president of the Council of Municipal Court Judges. Additionally, he was a member of the Georgia Judicial Council and served by appointment of the Chief Justice on the Judicial Council’s Misdemeanor Bail Reform Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the Judicial Security and Awareness Committee, the Court Reporting Matters Committee, and the Committee to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Judicial Branch. Judge McCord is the Vice-Chair of ICJE, and from 2020-2023 he was the Chair of the Georgia Council of Municipal Court Judges Training Council, overseeing the training of Georgia’s 380 municipal court judges. From 2018 until 2024, he was an adjunct professor at the College of Law at Georgia State University, teaching evidence in the Fall and litigation in the Spring semesters.

Judge McCord began his career as an assistant solicitor in Clayton County and then was an assistant district attorney in the Alcovy Judicial Circuit. Following his service as a prosecutor, he worked for the Atlanta firm of Harper, Waldon, and Craig (now Waldon Adelman). He has been a general practitioner in his firm, McCord Law, for 18 years.

A life-long Georgian, he graduated from Morrow Senior High school and studied music at the University of South Carolina, where he was the drum major of the Carolina Band. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Georgia State University College of Law in 1999. Judge McCord served on the staff of the Fayette County High School Marching Band for 29 years. He and his wife teach Sunday School together at their church in Pike County, where they live with their three children

Dorothy V. Hull has been a prosecutor handling violent crimes and crimes against children for 29 years. She served as an assistant district attorney in Bibb County for 24 years before joining the District Attorney’s Office of the Towaliga Judicial Circuit where she served as chief assistant district attorney for five years. In addition to prosecuting crimes such as murder, aggravated assault, rape, and child molestation, Hull has written hundreds of appellate briefs and argued for the state of Georgia in the Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court.

The daughter of Frank and Ann Vinson, Dorothy Hull grew up in Milledgeville, Georgia, and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History from Georgia College and State University in 1993. She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1996. Following law school, Hull worked as a law clerk for the Superior Court judges of the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit before beginning her career as a prosecutor in the Macon Judicial Circuit.

Hull lives in Monroe County, Georgia, with her husband of 22 years, Mike Hull, chief deputy for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and their children, Katherine and Benton.

John D. Harvey has practiced law in Georgia since 1997. He has represented government agencies, Fortune 500 companies and individuals throughout courts in Georgia in serious and complex matters. He has served as the Municipal Court Judge for the City of Pembroke, Assistant District Attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit, the Bryan County Attorney and a pro tempore in the State Court of Bryan County.

Harvey received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from Samford University where he was a member of the Trial Advocacy Board. He continues to practice law at the law firm of John Harvey PC, in Pembroke, Georgia. John also has a passion for flying and is a jet qualified commercial pilot.

Chatham County voters elect the members of their Board of Elections, according to the Savannah Morning News.

In March, five candidates qualified for the Chatham County Board of Elections race, to elect four members, two Republicans and two Democrats, to those seats.

Early voting for this race, and all races, starts on April 27 and will run until May 15. The election falls on May 19.

Here are the candidates for the Board of Elections:

Seat 1

Jody Ann Voss (Republican) is running unopposed for seat one.

Seat 2

Ja’Quan Omari Oliver (Democrat) is running unopposed for Seat 2, which was previously held by member Glynda Jones. Oliver is a Savannah native and a licensed and ordained minister at New Salem Community Fellowship Church. He also previously served as president of the Chatham County Young Democrats and is actively involved with the United Way Young Leaders, the Keep Savannah Beautiful Commission, and the Savannah Recreation Commission.

Seat 3

Vicki Bradley (Republican) is a candidate for Seat 3. She currently serves as the third vice chairman for the Chatham County Republican Party and is an educator, according to their website. She is also a lifelong Savannahian and has been a poll watcher, according to her Facebook. Her priorities are protecting and counting every legal vote, keeping the voting process secure and fair and ensuring every voter has confidence in the process.

James Hall (Republican) is currently the Vice Chairman of the Chatham County Board of Elections. He is a longtime Savannah resident, public servant, community leader and active member of the Savannah Area Realtors Association, according to his website.

Seat 4

Latricia Shante Brown (Democrat) is currently on the Board of Elections and has been since 2022. She’s been a resident of Pooler for about 11 years, and immediately looked to get involved civically upon arrival, leading to her decision to run four years ago. She ran on transparency, accountability and integrity. She said the reason she’s running again is because she would like to continue doing the work, including updating and modernizing systems.

Tara Scott Brown (Democrat) is a Savannah native and graduate of Alfred Ely Beach High School, Savannah State University and Georgia Southern University. She’s been politically active in Chatham County for the last 40 years, according to the Savannah Tribune. Her vision for the board of elections is accessibility, integrity and education.

Local election officials remain in the dark about how to count ballots in the General Election, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.

Georgia election officials are warning of potential disruption to ballot counting ahead of the November general election as a state law requiring the removal of QR codes from ballots approaches without a confirmed replacement system.

The law, passed by state lawmakers, sets a July 1, 2026, deadline to eliminate QR codes used to tabulate ballots produced by Georgia’s voting machines. Under the current process, voters make selections on a touchscreen and receive a printed ballot that includes a QR code, which is then used for counting.

Local election leaders say they have not received clear direction on what method should replace QR-code tabulation once the deadline arrives. With the General Assembly having adjourned without passing legislation to implement an alternative, officials say the state could be left relying on a separate “trigger” provision that would push Georgia toward hand-marked paper ballots in certain circumstances.

Election administrators have raised concerns that a broad shift to hand-marked ballots, if it occurs close to the general election, could create logistical challenges for counties that would need to adjust staffing, training and procedures on a short timeline. Officials also caution that hand-marked ballots typically require more time to count, which could delay results.

The State Election Board held a lengthy meeting on the issue this week but did not finalize a solution. Board members noted limitations on their authority, emphasizing that they cannot enact changes that go beyond what lawmakers have approved and that any major shift could prompt litigation.

Political leaders have publicly disagreed over responsibility for the situation, with competing claims about whether the Secretary of State’s office or state lawmakers should have moved earlier to ensure a replacement system was in place.

Possible next steps discussed by election observers include a court challenge that could delay the QR-code deadline, renewed legislative action in a special session, or a move toward hand-marked paper ballots under existing law. As of this week, no official plan has been announced.

United States Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Atlanta) hosted a rally in Augusta, according to WRDW.

Sen. Jon Ossoff rallied in Augusta on Saturday ahead of the May primaries.

Ossoff addressed topics including the rise in costs of groceries and health care and hiring rates.

He also addressed the war in Iran.

“13 brave Americans killed, and hundreds wounded, thousands of civilians dead, military equipment it will take years to replace, skyrocketing inflation, massive damage to our representation and position in the world,” Ossoff said.

Ossoff became senator for Georgia in 2021 with Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Other candidates running for Senate include Republicans U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins, John Francis Coyne, Derek Dooley and Jonathan McColum.

There are currently no other Democrats running.

From the Augusta Chronicle:

Lowering health care premiums and returning consumers to financial affordability mean electing leaders instead of rulers, the state’s senior U.S. senator said during a campaign swing through Augusta on Saturday.

“We were told MAGA was for the working class. Do you remember that?” he asked the assembly of more than 1,000 people at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. “But this is a government of, by and for the ultra-rich. They are the elites they pretend to hate. That’s why they gutted Medicaid and let health insurance premiums double for nearly 20 million Americans: to fund another tax cut for the rich.”

The money to improve health care and housing affordability is there, he said, but instead the Trump administration has asked for an estimated $200 billion to help fund military actions against Iran that have left the global economy churning, particularly the crude oil market.

“Never before have we seen so little effort to hide so much corruption. The Mar-a-Lago Mafia has taken American corruption to spectacular new heights,” Ossoff said.

But he added that corruption in America also sinks to bipartisan depths: “Because how does American politics really work? It’s coin-operated. Money goes in, favors come out.”

Democrat Geoff Duncan (R) also campaigned in Augusta, according to WRDW.

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.

The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.

Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.

“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.

Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The Ledger-Enquirer has Q&As with the candidates for the open State Senate District 15 seat.

Edward D. Harbison (D)

State Rep. Teddy Reese (D)

Alyssa Nia Williams (D)

Chuck Hand is the only Republican running for the seat.

Two Democratic candidates are running to challenge U.S. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton) in the General Election, according to WALB.

Two Democratic candidates are competing for the chance to challenge incumbent Republican Austin Scott in Georgia’s 8th Congressional District, each bringing distinct backgrounds and priorities to a race focused on rural communities.

Justin Marcel Lucas, a pastor and Worth County School Board member, and Dr. Kelly Esti, a Navy veteran with a PhD in public policy, will face off in the May 19 primary. The winner will advance to challenge Scott, who has represented the district since 2011.

The 8th Congressional District covers more than 30 counties across middle and south Georgia, stretching from Lowndes and Brooks counties in the south to Monroe and Jones counties in the north.

Lucas, who serves as an elder and pastor at two churches and is in his fourth year on the Worth County School Board, said he is running to be a voice for those not being heard.

“I’m not a politician. I like to call myself a servant,” Lucas said. “I believe I was birthed on this earth to serve other people. I saw a need. I saw a place where voices were not being heard at certain places concerning certain people.”

Lucas said his first priority in office would be assisting farmers. He cited a 145% increase in farmer bankruptcy rates between 2024 and 2025, and a 42% increase in farmer suicide rates from last year.

“Without help from the government, I really don’t think our farmers can survive,” Lucas said. “Farming affects everyone. Your food, your gas, whatever.”

He said he wants to implement plans to assist farmers during crises such as hurricanes and droughts, and address rising gas prices that affect agricultural operations. He also plans to address teacher retention and support for educators. His wife is a math teacher at Radium Elementary in Dougherty County. He said he wants to find out why teachers are leaving the profession and work to secure federal funding for education programs.

“I know you say, oh, you’re running on a federal level. What can you do about education?” Lucas said. “There’s a lot we can do. We can speak up where it matters. We can make the right phone calls. We can call the right people.”

Lucas said his faith motivates his campaign.

“Biblically speaking, what you do to the least of them is how I’m going to judge you,” Lucas said. “I want to be that person that they can say, we can count on our congressman to speak up when it matters, to vote where it matters.”

Lucas grew up in Anderson City, a rural area with a population under 300. His grandfather was a farmer. He and his brother own a food truck in Sylvester. His mother, both grandmothers, and several aunts and uncles are members of his church.

“If family can watch me grow up, watch me make mistakes, watch me become this person I am and still decide to follow me, that speaks volume,” Lucas said.

Esti, who grew up in rural Mississippi and holds a PhD in public policy, said he wants to elevate voices in areas often left behind as the state grows.

“I grew up in a small town called Magnolia,” Esti said. “The 8th district feels the exact same way as home. What I want to do is take what I’ve learned in Atlanta and the capital and bring it back to the rural areas which are often left behind.”

Esti outlined four main priorities. His first is to impeach and imprison the president.

“He has taken this country in a way that has been detrimental and harmful to the entire United States,” Esti said. “And he’s also a felon.”

His second priority is addressing the affordability crisis. He said inflation has increased month over month, affecting consumers at gas pumps and grocery stores. “As Donald Trump spends and spends and spends, he’s printing and printing and printing. And this is why we’re seeing inflation creep back up,” Esti said. “We have to get into a place where people can afford life again.”

On healthcare, Esti said costs have risen to unaffordable levels. He cited his experience with his 70-year-old mother transitioning to Medicaid and Social Security.

“We’re seeing her cost go up. And we know that it’s because the ACA has been stripped away,” Esti said.

Esti also advocates for a Georgia intrastate train connecting major cities from Valdosta to Chattanooga with stops along the way. He said the train would help decentralize growth from Atlanta and secure growth for rural areas.

“We can decentralize the growth in Atlanta and start growing other places as well, since they’ll be connected to Atlanta,” Esti said.

Esti studied nuclear power in the Navy after graduating high school as salutatorian in 1999. He was one of five Black students in his nuclear power school class of 300.

“Got to my first boat. I was the only black person in the engine room,” Esti said. “It was the first time that a lot of these people had seen a black nuke.”

After leaving the Navy, Esti earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, then worked in finance at E-Trade during the Great Financial Recession. He later earned a PhD in public policy, focusing on quantitative poverty measurement.

He served on the Fulton County zoning board and was involved in creating the city of South Fulton, which now has 113,000 residents and a budget of $431 million. He also served on the board of the Main Street Academy charter school, where he witnessed the impact of the pandemic on education.

Contrasting approaches to representation

Both candidates emphasized the importance of being accessible to constituents, criticizing what they described as a lack of visibility from the current congressman.

Lucas said he will run a positive campaign focused on his own platform rather than attacking opponents.

“My goal is not to focus on everything that he’s not done, but to focus on everything I’m going to do,” Lucas said. “That voice. That speaking up. Having town hall meetings. Having meetings with my local constituents.”

He said once elected, he would represent all constituents regardless of party affiliation.

“Once I’m elected, I’m not just a Democrat congressman. I’m everybody’s congressman at that moment,” Lucas said.

Lucas said he wants to establish a community relations department in his congressional office to ensure constituents can reach him or his staff within two to three days of contact.

“I want to be accessible,” Lucas said. “I will not dodge you. I don’t care if you’re Republican, Democrat, Independent, whatever. White, black, green, yellow. I want to be for everybody.”

Esti said the biggest complaint he hears while traveling the district is that constituents do not feel heard. He said Scott has not held a town hall since 2013.

“As a representative, and I take that word very seriously, I’m representing people in this state,” Esti said. “I cannot represent you if I’m not listening to you.”

He plans to establish civic engagement centers instead of traditional congressional offices to teach constituents about civics and the voting process.

“I want to be visible,” Esti said. “I’ve been showing up in the district since September. That will never change.”

Esti said he brings legislative experience and relationships at the Capitol and congressional levels that would allow him to be ready on day one.

“There’s no delaying, or I have to get to know these people,” Esti said. “I understand exactly how public policy works. But I also understand that I also have to keep in mind of unintended consequences when we’re making decisions.”

He said his education and military discipline allow him to manage multiple projects simultaneously while paying attention to details.

“We have to keep paying attention to every detail, because if we don’t, one of those details can make the entire system fail,” Esti said.

Federal funding and community programs

Both candidates discussed the importance of securing federal funding for local communities.

Lucas said federal funding for after-school programs, 501c3 organizations and summer camps comes through congressional offices. His church operates an after-school program, and the city of Sylvester runs a summer camp.

“What are we doing to ensure federally that these local people have adequate funds they need to ensure our children are off the streets?” Lucas said.

He said he wants to develop programs to address gun violence and gangs.

Esti said he wants to cultivate a state team with the same goals and responsibilities to constituents to deliver services and promised initiatives.

“You have to have a state team that have the same goals and responsibilities to their constituents as you do,” Esti said. “And so, and that is not happening.”

Appeal to young voters

Both candidates urged young voters to participate in the May 19 primary, noting the draft age of 18 to 42.

Lucas encouraged young voters to honor the legacy of civil rights leaders.

“My grandmother grew up in that era. She know what it was like not to have a voice. Not to be able to vote,” Lucas said. “Dr. King, Joe Lewis, all these people, Fannie Lou Hamer, all these people, they fought for us to be able to be where we are today. They marched so that we could walk. So that we could vote.”

He said young people should not rely on social media to make their voices heard.

“Utilize your right to vote,” Lucas said. “Not Facebook. Not Instagram. Not Twitter. Not that. Utilize your right to vote.”

Esti said young voters are seeing the consequences of not participating in elections, particularly with the potential December draft.

“In December, you’re facing a draft, especially young men,” Esti said. “The question now becomes, is if you say that your vote is not important when in the numbers, it showed that a lot of young people supported this regime.”

He noted that in Georgia, felons who have completed their sentences and probation have their voting rights automatically restored.

“We have a lot of people who are running around saying that, oh, I have a felony or I had a felony in the court years and years and years ago, I can’t vote,” Esti said. “I’m like, no, you can vote.”

Esti said young voters are now facing consequences including higher gas prices, unaffordable rent and the potential for war.

“We cannot keep going down this fascist road,” Esti said. “A lot of lives are being lost, and a lot of lives will be lost in the very near future.”

Voter registration deadline is April 20. Early voting begins April 27.

Gainesville has extended their suspension of outdoor burn permits, according to Access WDUN.

The lingering effects from one of the worst droughts reported in northeast Georgia since 2007, has lead the City of Gainesville to extend is suspension of burn permits for residential and commercial property owners.

A social media post this morning from the City of Gainesville’s government page said, “As high fire danger conditions persist across North Georgia, burn permits through the City of Gainesville, Georgia remain suspended until circumstances improve. Low relative humidities, extremely dry fuels and winds, together, have resulted in the US National Weather Service Peachtree City Georgia’s (NWS) latest High Fire Danger warning, issued for Gainesville-Hall County, plus 75-plus other Georgia counties.”

The suspension of burn permits means citizens and businesses could face citations and fines if these orders are not properly followed. Use extreme caution when operating any outdoor heavy equipment near wooded areas or around dry vegetation, as items could trigger sparks that might ignite a fire.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture developed the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program to protect farmland, according to 13WMAZ.

Georgia could lose upwards of 800,000 acres of farmland by 2040 according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture– and now state leaders are rolling out a program they say could help slow that trend.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture started the Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program to protect agricultural land in Georgia.

The fund will allow selected farmers to voluntarily protect their farms, by keeping it as strictly farmland instead of selling it for development. They will get money through the program to keep their land going into the future.

The department of ag says that these farmland projects will focus on the conservation of farmlands that are threatened by development, and will support active food production in the state.

Protections like these could influence food supply within the state.

They said that the program will be funded by state funds, public and private grants, dedicated gifts and donations.

These funds will be in addition to the USDA’s $450 million yearly funds that match dollars within state farmland conservation programs, according to the Georgia Department of Ag.

Georgia’s conservation fund program started in 2023, through Senate Bill 220. The application’s first award cycle has been open since February 2026, and will close May 20, 2026.

They said that landowners wanting to apply should reach out directly to a qualified easement holder, and work with them to complete the application.

After the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Farmland Conservation Council review and select applications, the program’s funds will be available annually to farmland owners, according to their website.

They said that selected applicants will be notified in August 2026.

Bryant County and Bulloch County will collaborate on groundwater monitoring, according to the Statesboro Herald.

Bryan County officials voted, Tuesday, to sign an agreement with Bulloch County to monitor groundwater conditions and protect the Floridan Aquifer as development expands along Interstate 16 and within their counties.

The intergovernmental partnership establishes a five-year well monitoring program as part of the broader Well Mitigation Program. This program was created after the Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued groundwater withdrawal permits in October 2024 for the Interstate 16 Industrial Mega-Site, which includes the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.

Bulloch County Commission Chairman David Bennett said the well monitoring partnership between Bryan and Bulloch will provide a clearer picture of aquifer conditions over time. It’ll also help Bulloch County decide the future of the wells once HMGMA is no longer using them.

Bibb County Board of Education members voted to extend state-funded $2000 bonuses to qualified employees, according to the Macon Telegraph.

The Bibb County Board of Education unanimously approved Thursday the extension of a one-time $2,000 state-funded salary supplement to additional school district employees, including some who are not covered under state funding.

The decision allows the district to provide a $2,000 supplement to eligible full-time employees and contracted personnel, and a prorated $1,000 supplement to qualifying part-time workers.

The move follows action by the Georgia General Assembly, which approved a fiscal year 2026 midyear, one-time $2,000 payment for staff funded through the state’s Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula and other state grant programs.

At the board meeting, Chief Financial Officer Eric Bush presented the action memo and said the district will use local and other funds to provide comparable payments to full-time and part-time workers who are not funded through the state.

The supplement is expected to cost the district $2.4 million from general funds and $327,000 from a combination of federal, state and local funding sources, Bush said.

Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Deborah Fluker has died, according to AccessWDUN.

Gwinnett Superior Court Judge Deborah Fluker died Saturday following a battle with cancer.

Judge Fluker was elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, making history as the first African American Superior Court Judge in the County.

“Throughout her distinguished legal career, she was known for her fairness, integrity and unwavering commitment to justice,” Gwinnett County said in a release.

Before taking the bench, Judge Fluker served in multiple prosecutorial roles, including as an Assistant District Attorney in Hall, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. She also was the first African American municipal court judge for the city of Suwanee and the first African American female municipal court judge for the city of Dacula.

Judge Fluker joined the bench in 2021.

“Judge Deborah Fluker didn’t just serve on the bench, she changed it. She brought integrity, wisdom and a fearless commitment to justice that shaped our courts and our community,” Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said. “As a trailblazer and barrier-breaker, she opened doors that will not close again. Her legacy will be felt for generations in the lives she touched and the path she paved. Our County is stronger because of her service, and we mourn her loss deeply.”

She is survived by her husband, Reginald Fluker, and their two children, Adrian and Aundraya.

“Judge Fluker’s legacy extends beyond the courtroom.,” the county said. “She was a dedicated public servant, a barrier-breaker and a respected member of the legal community whose influence will continue to shape Gwinnett County for generations.”

Officials said details regarding the memorial service will be shared as they become available.