Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 19, 2026

On August 20, 1781, General George Washington sent Continental troops from New York toward Yorktown, Virginia to engage British troops under Gen. Cornwallis.

USS Constitution earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” in battle against the British ship Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia on August 19, 1812. Launched in 1797, Constitution is today the oldest commissioned vessel in the United States Navy. Live oak from St. Simons Island were cut and milled for timber used in the constructions of Constitution. From a 1977 New York Times article:

The Constitution won her way into Americans’ hearts in 1812, when she defeated the British Guerriere off Nova Scotia in an exchange of broadsides. The spirit of the Constitution crew was noted by the Guerriere’s commander, James Dacres, who boarded the Constitution to present his sword in surrender.

“I will not take your sword, Sir,” the captain of the Constitution, Isaac Hull, replied. ”But I will trouble you for your hat.”

In the battle, a sailor — whether British or American is disputed by historians — is said to have cried out, ”Huzzah, her sides are made of iron!” as he watched an English cannonball bounce off the side of the Constitution. It was the birth of her nickname.

Part of the ship’s secret lay in the wood used in the design by Joshua Humphreys. He picked live oak, from St. Simons Island, Ga. The wood has proved so strong and resistant to rot that the original hull is intact, said Anne Grimes Rand, curator of the Constitution Museum in Charlestown, Mass.

On August 20, 1906, Gov. Joseph Terrell signed legislation to build a statue of Georgia founding father James Oglethorpe in Savannah and a bill to build a statue of former Confederate General and Georgia Governor John B. Gordon at the State Capitol.

The Georgia Department of Insurance was created on August 19, 1912 when Governor Joseph Brown signed legislation regulating companies selling policies in the states.

Governor Nathaniel Harris signed the first state law requiring school attendance for children 8-14 years of age on August 19, 1916; on the same day, Harris also signed legislation authorizing women to practice law in Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Archives and History was created by legislation signed by Georgia Governor Hugh Dorsey on August 20, 1918.

On August 20, 1920, the American Professional Football Association, which would later be renamed the National Football League, was formed in Akron, Ohio.

“Georgia” was designated the official state song on August 19, 1922 with Gov. Thomas Hardwick’s signature on a joint resolution passed by the General Assembly; in 1979, “Georgia On My Mind,” replaced it.

On August 20, 1923, Georgia Governor Clifford Walker signed legislation requiring state schools teach the United States and Georgia Constitutions and students pass an exam on the documents before being allowed to graduate.

Adolf Hitler became President of Germany on August 19, 1934.

The United States Central Intelligence Agency supported a coup in Iran that restored the Shah of Iran on August 19, 1953.

On August 20, 1965, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones was released in the UK.

On August 20, 1974, President Gerald Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President of the United States.

On August 19, 1976, President Gerald R. Ford was nominated for President by the Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Ford received 1,157 (52.6%) delegates to 1,087 for Ronald Reagan (47.4%). Georgia’s 48 delegates voted for Reagan on the first ballot.

On August 19, 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

On the same day, Dr. Betty Siegel became the first female President of a state college or university in Georgia when she was named President of Kennesaw College on August 19, 1981; under her leadership, it became Kennesaw State University in 1996. Siegel served until 2006. Kennesaw State was recently named the 4th best college for food in the nation.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Governor Brian Kemp issued Executive Order #08.18.26.01, appointing Kellye C. Moore to the Superior Court for the Houston County Judicial Circuit.

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission will hold a public meeting to discuss proposed regulatory changes, according to the Savannah Morning News.

The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission has scheduled a public hearing at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at its office in Atlanta at 254 Washington St. During which it will consider adopting and amend multiple rules, one being a framework for allowing medical marijuana products to be delivered.

Rule 351-6-.11 seeks to “establish regulations and requirements for dispensing products via delivery to patients, caregivers, and healthcare institutions.” Dispensaries would have to verify a patient or caregiver’s identity with a stored copy of their photo ID and verify an active and valid registry card with a stored copy of the card.

Products would have to be delivered to the Georgia address listed on the patient or caregiver’s ID. Deliveries would only be performed by the Postal Service, a private carrier like FedEx and UPS, or the commission.

The meeting to discuss this will be open to the public in-person as well as via conference call and virtual livestream. Written comments must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Sept. 9 via email rules@gmcc.ga.gov or mail comments to Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, ‘ATTN: Proposed Rules,’ 254 Washing St. Fourth Floor St. 420, Atlanta GA 30334.

The proposed rules will be considered for adoption by the commission at its meeting 4 p.m. Sept. 30.

Statesboro City Council and Mayor Jonathan McCollar voted for a rezoning to allow a data center, according to the Statesboro Herald.

By a 3-2 vote, including Mayor Jonathan McCollar’s tiebreaker, Statesboro City Council on Tuesday evening approved a request from 4AM Development LLC to rezone its almost 27-acre site on Burkhalter Road for a two-story data center with roughly 230,000 square feet of floor space.

District 5 Councilmember Shari Barr first made a motion, seconded by District 4’s John Riggs, to deny the request that the property be rezoned from “R-4” high-density residential to “O” for office and business. But then District 1 Councilmember Tangie Johnson spoke up to say that she works in a place that includes a data center – she meant at Georgia Southern University – and is not opposed to them.

Then District 3 Councilmember Ginny Hendley spoke.

“I also don’t have a problem with the zoning; it’s staff approved, and staff knows what they’re doing,” Hendley said. “I don’t see a problem with it.”

So the vote to deny was split 2-2, and McCollar voted to defeat that motion.

As often happens when motions are made in the negative and go down to defeat, this caused some confusion. So at first, people opposed to the rezoning applauded.

But the mayor explained the situation. Then Hendley made the motion to approve the rezoning with the one recommended condition, Johnson seconded, and McCollar broke the tie with a “yes” vote, approving the rezoning.

Residents’ reactions were swift, according to the Statesboro Herald.

“I think it’s awful what they’re doing … to the people of Statesboro,” Barbara Ortega, a nearby resident of the site, said. “I just moved here in March … to a quiet place with no traffic. I guess I’ve moved into a world of a big mess.”

Ortega said she was disappointed that a data center development was being considered near residential neighborhoods, schools and churches.

Beth Bennett, a longtime Bulloch County resident who also lives in a neighborhood close to the site, pointed out several neighborhoods located within a mile of where the future data center would be built.

“There are literally thousands of people … everybody who lives in these areas are going to be impacted,” she said. “When my husband and I bought our home, we bought it in a residential area, and I think that residential area should remain residential.”

Bennett said she was concerned about the potential impact on home values and questioned whether city ordinances intended to regulate the data center could be changed in the future. The mayor confirmed they could.

She also urged officials to consider allowing residents to vote on the proposal through a city referendum.

“I look at you guys as our defenders,” Bennett said to the council. “You’re supposed to defend the people. It’s clear from the reaction that you have in this room that there are a lot of people who are opposed to this.”

Still, the scene outside of Statesboro City Hall mirrored the anti-data center protest outside of the July 23 OpenAI open house in Effingham County.

About 100 people stood outside waving signs with messages like “Quality of life over greed” and “No support for data centers.”

And as news of the vote traveled outside to protesters, they all joined in chanting: “Vote them out.”

Statesboro City Council will hold three public hearings to discuss a property tax millage rate increase, according to WSAV.

On Tuesday, Statesboro City Council announced its intention to hold three public hearings in September about a proposed millage rate increase.

The proposed rate for the city in 2026 is 9.6 mills, an almost full mill hike from 2025 (8.625 mills).

The first two hearings will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 12 and 6 p.m. The third and final hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m.

In May during the first budget discussion, Statesboro City Manager Charles Penny said the city may need to plan for a millage rate increase of 3.835 mills.

In that interview Penny said the city was forced to increase its millage due to the dissolution on July 1, 2025, of a fire service contract with Bulloch County, valued at approximately $2.75 million, among other fire-related items.

“We’re not blaming [Bulloch County],” said Statesboro City Manager Charles Penny in May. “It’s just a fact.”

Penny later spoke to WSAV in June after the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 33, which allowed for municipalities to use revenue from a floating local option sales tax (FLOST) earlier than expected.

Governments were able to use FLOST revenue from January through May 2026 for this 2026-27 fiscal year.

“The full year is about $3.4 million in FLOST funds, so five months will be about $1.4 million,” Penny said in June. “With that $1.4 million, we’re going to be able to reduce the amount of millage rate increase that we would need to cover that additional cost.”

That projected increase was a 2.129 mill increase would raise the rate to 10.754 mills.

Penny did say in June the proposed millage rate could come in lower, like it was presented Tuesday.

“We met with the tax assessors, and we had used 8% tax digest increase [in our proposal], Penny said. “When we got numbers from them, it looked like it could be as high as 13%. For our purposes [today], we used 10%, but it could actually go up a little bit more depending upon how people’s appeals work out.”

In June, Penny said he still expects any increase put in place this year to be offset by a full year of FLOST collections in next year’s budget.

All three public hearings will be held at Statesboro City Hall.

Yesterday, Governor Brian Kemp suspended the members of the Dublin City Schools Board of Education, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Statesboro Herald.

Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday suspended all seven members of the Dublin school board over financial mismanagement.

State law authorizes the governor to remove school boards that put their district’s accreditation at risk.

The private agency Cognia downgraded the Dublin City School District’s accreditation to one step from full loss last spring.

Then, last week, the Georgia Board of Education held a hearing at which state officials presented evidence about “persistent deficits” in the city system’s finances.

The problems were so severe that the district missed payment deadlines to the state for staff health insurance. The state Department of

Community Health notified the state Department of Education last summer that the Dublin schools had not paid any employer contributions to the State Health Benefit Plan for fiscal year 2025, totaling $5.6 million.

And in March, the Georgia Department of Labor notified the school system that it owed $435,798.32 in unpaid taxes, interest, penalties, and costs.

Officials also reported that Dublin schools failed to submit complete audits for four years in a row.

The state board recommended on Wednesday that Kemp suspend the Dublin board members.

Kemp can appoint temporary replacements. He empaneled a committee to recommend nominees.

Matt Donaldson, the education board member who represents the area, will chair the nominating committee. Two others are state lawmakers who represent the area: Sen. Larry Walker, III, R-Perry, the president pro tempore; and Rep. Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, House appropriations chairman. The final two members are former Dublin Mayor Phil Best and local resident Edwin May.

More on the Nominating Committee that will recommend new Dublin BOE members, from 13WMAZ.

For months, Dublin City Schools waited to learn whether the state would step in and suspend its school board. Now that decision has been made — and a new group is racing to fill the empty seats.

The Georgia Board of Education voted last Wednesday to recommend that all eligible members of the Dublin City Board of Education be suspended, following a lengthy hearing.

“The state board of education will vote on whether to recommend to the governor that all eligible members of the Dublin City Board of Education,” the state board chairwoman said during the meeting, before board members answered one by one.

Gov. Brian Kemp has since suspended all board members and formed a nominating committee tasked with appointing a temporary board to take over. State Rep. Matt Hatchett, who sits on that committee, watched last week’s hearing online rather than in person.

“We’ve got to move forward whatever y’all decide, don’t delay it again, you know, because things like that can continue to get delayed, but we need to move on either with them or without, you know, and, and that’s their decision and the governor’s decision,” Hatchett said.

Hatchett said the committee is working on a tight timeline.

“”Our goal we have discussed, we have a goal of having names to the governor by or around Sept. 1, that’s our goal so that’s quick, that’s a quick turnaround,” he said.

The current board members still have the option to appeal Kemp’s decision. Until that process plays out, any new appointees would serve only in a temporary capacity.

Hatchett said getting a board back in place is essential for the district to function normally.

“The board’s got to get back in place because the school system has things they’ve got to do, and things that they can’t do without board approval, so we’ve got to get a board in there,” he said.

The nominating committee hopes to meet Tuesday night to map out next steps.

The committee is accepting letters of intent and resumes from anyone interested in serving on the board. Each letter must include the applicant’s board district and physical address.

Submissions are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, and can be emailed to DublinCityNominatingCommittee@doe.k12.ga.us or dropped off in person at Plum Alley, 2032 D Veterans Blvd. in Dublin.

Dublin City Schools are closed today due to a water outage, according to 13WMAZ.

Dublin City Schools and West Laurens Middle School will be closed Wednesday after a serious water main break on Joiner Street disrupted water service.

The district says it was notified by the City of Dublin about the break at 5:11 a.m. City officials told school leaders that water service was not expected to be restored until well into the afternoon.

State legislators representing Stockbridge asked Governor Kemp to investigate allegations against Mayor Jayden Williams, according to WRDW.

The Georgia legislative delegation to Stockbridge is asking Gov. Brian Kemp to investigate Mayor Jayden Williams.

A letter to the governor details allegations against Williams, including unauthorized use of city-provided cards and purchases of gas using city funds.

The request comes after the Stockbridge City Council stripped Williams of his administrative duties following allegations of sexual misconduct.

“I want to make sure that we don’t have any persons who are too close to this matter looking into this. Really, this needs to be an independent body because I think that really protects justice,” state Rep. El-Mahdi Holly, chairman of the Stockbridge legislative delegation, said.

A judge awarded Williams the return of some of his administrative duties Monday.

Williams, 22, is the youngest mayor in the history of Stockbridge.

Gainesville City Council adopted a property tax millage rate, according to AccessNorthGA.

Each fiscal year, the council must approve a yearly budget and property tax rate for the City government. The council is also responsible for adopting the Gainesville City School System’s millage rate, which is set by the system’s board of education.

The ad valorem tax millage rate for the city’s General Government will be fixed at 0.722 mills. Last year, the rate was at .740 mills, meaning this year’s rate will have a full rollback of 0.018 mills.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Gainesville Mayor Zack Thompson provided a comment to AccessNorthGa.

“I’m extremely proud of our council and our staff,” Thompson said. “…We were able to call for our citizens a full rollback on their  Ad Valorum Tax this year, and also I am overjoyed to be able to give a full homestead tax credit to the general fund back to our homeowners. I can’t say how proud I am of that, and when I see the other municipalities and taxing entities in Hall County this year having to increase their millage rate or either hold the line and not give back a full credit, it just makes me proud to to see that that we’re able to roll back, and give those credits back to folks.”

The ad valorem tax rates for Fire Services, Police Services and Parks and Recreation within the City will remain unchanged from the previous year.  The Fire Services rate will be 1.299 mills, Police Services will be .712 mills, and Parks and Recreation will be fixed at .896 mills.

The Gainesville Board of Education will keep its millage rate the same as last year at 6.492 mills. The board’s Municipal Non-Operating Section being 6.092 mills and the debt services remaining the same at 0.4 mills. This will require a tax increase, according to city officials. The Gainesville Board of Education adopted the millage rate on Monday, Aug. 17.

Police Blotter: Houston County Sheriff’s Deputy Sierra Carroll was suspended for alleged misuse of Flock surveillance cameras, according to 13WMAZ.

Sheriff Matt Moulton says he suspended Deputy Sierra Carroll without pay, pending termination, for misusing Automated License Plate Recognition data provided by Flock cameras. This was discovered by an internal audit carried out by the sheriff’s office.

The case is now in the hands of the Houston County District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The public places an incredible amount of trust in the men and women of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, and I will never take that trust for granted,” Houston County Sheriff Matt Moulton wrote in a press release. “The misuse of law enforcement resources or technology will not be tolerated. I continue to support the responsible use of Flock Safety technology as a valuable public safety and investigative tool, but with that technology comes a responsibility to use it lawfully and appropriately. When a deputy violates that trust, I will take immediate action and hold them accountable.”

The sheriff’s office said Carroll has worked for the sheriff’s office since April 28, 2025. She was serving as a school resource officer.

United States Senator Jon Ossoff is being criticized for comments he made about a Trump staffer, according to the Savannah Morning News.

More than 1,600 people packed into the Center Stage Theater in Midtown, Atlanta on Sunday for a chance to see Senator Jon Ossoff take the stage.

Ossoff took the stage and hit many of his regular talking points. He accused Collins of collaborating with white supremacists and white nationalists. He acknowledged his opponent’s ongoing House ethics investigation. Ossoff pointed out Collins’ support of the Big Beautiful Bill and federal cuts to Medicaid.

But it was a comment that he made about a Trump staffer that caused conservatives to accuse the politician of sexism and misogyny.

“While the sailors on the (U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln) fight (Trump’s) war, while he fruitlessly drains our munitions and oil reserves, the president sleep through his meetings. He golfs and trades stocks. So, he doesn’t want to do the job,” Ossoff said. “He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar.”

Ossoff comment was in reference to Trump aide Natalie Harp, who does not have a public facing official title.

Ossoff was asked why he mentioned Harp in his speech during an appearance with Jen Psaki on MSNOW, and the senator said it came down to her reputation as a “security blanket.”

“I’ve heard this particular aide referred to as his security blanket. And I think we could say that about any number of the senior aides in the White House. They’re not telling him what he needs to hear,” Ossoff said.

Conservatives were quick to jump on Ossoff’s comment, calling it sexist and misogynistic to imply that Harp was with the president for any reason other than her official capacity.

“(Jon), attractive women can be qualified, hard workers, and in positions of power,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna wrote on X. “Your gross implication otherwise only highlights your own insecurity and guilty conscience. I feel bad for your staff if this is what you think of women.”

Former lawmaker Newt Gingrich said Harp deserves an apology.

“Jon Ossoff owes Natalie Harp a personal apology for having smeared her. If a conservative Republican had attacked a liberal Democrat working professional woman the way Ossoff smeared Natalie Harp there would be cries to kick them off the ticket and reject this kind of misogynistic language diminishing and smearing someone who is simply doing their job,” Gingrich wrote on X.

President Trump was also asked about Ossoff’s comments in the Oval Office, to which he responded, “You mean Pee Wee Herman?” referencing a nickname given to Ossoff during a recent speech in Marietta, Georgia.

In an official statement from White House Spokesperson Davis Ingle, the administration called Harp “one of the most loyal and hardest working aides on President Trump’s team,” according to POLITICO.

“Jon Ossoff is a cringeworthy, feminine theatre kid cosplaying as Barack Obama. Nobody gives a shit what this lightweight loser says,” Ingle told the outlet.

Democrat Billy Linville is leading a group supporting Republican Rick Jackson for Governor, according to the AJC.

Billy Linville is a veteran of Georgia Democratic politics and a longtime Atlanta mover and shaker who played a major role in helping defeat the Buckhead cityhood movement.

Now he’s crossing party lines to back a top GOP contender.

Linville is leading a new group launching today to steer Democrats and swing voters toward Republican Rick Jackson in the governor’s race against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms.

The group, Democrats and Independents for Rick Jackson, is targeting the swing voters who have helped decide Georgia’s last four statewide elections. They’re also increasingly central to U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s effort to peel support away from his GOP challenger, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins.

Consider Linville’s group an attempt to build a safe harbor for split-ticket voters in the governor’s race.

Linville, who said he remains a staunch Democrat, said he’s known Jackson for more than 10 years and considers him a “good and decent man who will represent everyone.”

“I also know Keisha Lance Bottoms,” Linville said. “By any objective standard, she is the worst mayor in modern Atlanta history. She refused, or was unable, to lead and govern.”

The launch comes on the heels of endorsements for Jackson from two conservative Democrats: Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk and Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy.

“The Georgians joining us aren’t abandoning their values. They’re recognizing that a man who grew up in foster care and built a company employing thousands is uniquely positioned to bring this state together in a way a career politician simply cannot,” Jackson spokesperson Garrison Douglas said.

Linville isn’t yet ready to disclose more details about the coalition, which is coordinating with Jackson’s campaign. But he said to expect more announcements in the coming weeks.

“I plan to communicate, remind and inform Democrats and independent voters that, in fact, Rick Jackson, is a better choice,” he told us. “I don’t agree with Rick on every policy position. But his life story and struggle are a window into his character.”

Former Georgia State Senate Majority Leader Charles Walker (D-Augusta) has died, according to WSAV.

Former State Senator Charles W. Walker, Sr. died Tuesday morning.

According to a representative of the family, State Senator Walker passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and loved ones.

State Senator Walker was Georgia’s first African American Senate Majority Leader.

According to the family’s representative, State Senator Walker dedicated his life to public service and to the Augusta Community he loved.

The family representative states that during this difficult time, their family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support that they have already received, and the family is asking for privacy as they grieve and celebrate State Senator Walker’s life.

The family representative also says that arrangements for State Senator Walker’s funeral services will be finalized in the coming days, and the details will be shared with the community when the family is willing and able to.

From the Augusta Chronicle:

“His legacy will live on through the leaders he influenced, the progress he helped advance and the countless people he inspired to engage in public service,” Augusta-Richmond County Democrats said in a statement Tuesday, hours after the Walker family announced his death.

Under Atlanta’s Gold Dome, Walker gained political clout serving eight years in the state House of Representatives from 1983 to 1990 and 12 years in the state Senate.

His colleagues elected him Senate majority leader in 1996. As a hardnosed power broker at the state level, he earned the nickname “The Hammer” and became a political kingmaker for Augusta candidates seeking local elected office.

A federal court convicted Walker in 2005 on 127 charges, including mail fraud, tax evasion, theft, misuse of campaign funds and conspiracy. Authorities released Walker in 2016.

Walker’s self-published 2015 autobiography – From Peanuts to Power: The Road to Wealth, Success and Happiness – detailed his upbringing in an impoverished family of Burke County sharecroppers who moved to the south side of Augusta’s Laney-Walker neighborhood.

Starting in the early 1970s with his own income tax business, Walker became the architect of a network of businesses called The Walker Group, which he said in a 2000 Augusta Chronicle interview had grossed more than $20 million in 1999.

Last week, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) extended the standing drought declaration, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

On Friday, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) extended the statewide Drought Response Level 1 issued on April 27, following continued dry conditions and increasing concerns about water resources across Georgia.

Lowndes County Utilities announced the EPD’s decision and issued a statement about it by email Friday afternoon

After closely monitoring drought indicators for several months, EPD coordinated with public water systems, including Lowndes County Utilities, to assess current conditions and the status of the water supply before making this determination, the statement said.

At this time, outdoor water use is still permitted and remains unchanged under Level 1 guidelines, the county said in a press release. Residents may continue outdoor watering between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. Local water systems must follow state requirements and cannot impose additional restrictions unless approved by EPD.

LaGrange City Council members voted unanimously to call a Special Election to fill a vacancy for District 2C, according to WTVM.

The council held a called meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday to address the vacancy in District 2C, according to a resolution from the city. The seat became vacant following the resignation of Council Member Quay Boddie, the resolution states.

The special election will be held November 3, 2026, in conjunction with the general election, according to the resolution. Qualifying for candidates will take place Monday through Wednesday of next week, Arrington said.

According to the resolution, qualifying opens August 24, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. and closes August 26, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The qualifying fee is $288, the resolution states.

The Troup County Board of Elections and Registration will conduct the special election on behalf of the city, per an agreement dated July 23, 2013, according to the resolution. The Board of Elections is also designated as the voter registrar and absentee ballot clerk for the special election, the resolution states.