Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 26, 2026

On August 26, 1864, having withdrawn from trenches and fortifications outside Atlanta the previous day, U.S. General Sherman sent most of his forces westward around Atlanta and toward the south of the city. Sherman’s forces tore up 12 miles of railroad between Red Oak and Fairburn on August 29, 1864.

On August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted. Ratification took place on August 18, 1920, as the Tennessee House of Representatives adopted it, but adoption became official on August 26, when United States Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the Amendment. It reads:

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Advertising in the rights of way of state roads and placing signs on private property without the owner’s approval were prohibited in the first Georgia law regulating outdoor advertising, which was signed by Governor Richard Russell on August 27, 1931. Over the years, both practices would become enshrined in Peach State political strategy.

On August 26, 1939, the first televised major league baseball game aired, as the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds split a doubleheader in Ebbets Field.

On August 26, 1961, the 718th Engineer Light Equipment Company of Fort Valley and the 210th Signal Base Depot Company of Augusta were called up to take part in the American response to the crisis in Berlin.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for President by the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey on August 26, 1964.

On August 26, 1965, Sonny & Cher were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Got You Babe’, the duo’s only UK No.1. Sonny Bono was inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term “babe,” as heard in Bob Dylan’s ‘It Ain’t Me Babe.’

Former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox was nominated for President on the American Independent Party ticket on August 27, 1976, making the race probably the only one to ever feature two former Georgia governors. During the campaign, Maddox described Jimmy Carter as “the most dishonest man I ever met.”

On August 27, 1982, Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson broke the record for stolen bases in a season, nabbing number 119 against the Milwaukee Brewers and breaking the record held by Lou Brock.

On August 26, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a Welfare Reform bill, called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

Georgia Governor Zell Miller addressed the Democratic National Convention on August 27, 1996. In 2004, Miller would address the Republican National Convention, likely becoming the first Georgian to address both major parties’ national conventions. Congressman John Lewis and Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney also addressed the ’96 DNC. That day, President Bill Clinton signed a Welfare Reform bill, called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

On August 27, 2008, Barack Obama became the Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, the first African-American nominee of a major United States political party.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Former Gwinnett County Board of Education Chair Everton Blair (D) was elected to serve out the remaining term of office of the late U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-Atlanta), according to WSB-TV.

Former Gwinnett County School Board Chair Everton Blair beat Marcye Scott, daughter of the late Rep. David Scott, by fewer than 800 votes, according to unofficial election results.

According to the Secretary of State’s Office election results, Blair received 52.46% of the votes to Scott’s 47.54%.

David Scott, who represented the district for more than two decades, was running for re-election at the time of his death in April.

Blair will only serve the rest of his current term. He is not running for the seat in November’s general election.

Georgia’s 13th Congressional District includes parts of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton and Rockdale counties.

From the AJC:

He is likely to be sworn in on Tuesday, the U.S. House’s first full working day after the summer recess. But House Speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t announced anything yet.

Counting next week, Blair will have nine weeks total in office. That isn’t a lot of time, but he said he is ready to make an impact as Republicans face a slim two-vote margin and tackle issues like government funding, the war in Iran and the farm bill.

“If they swear me in as soon as they can, I’ll get to work as soon as I can,” he said.

Albany Police were criticized after seeking a man who picked up money from the ground at a Walmart, according to WALB.

The Albany Police Department is responding after getting some social media backlash for posting on Facebook about a case involving a man who reportedly found $30 in Walmart and pocketed the money.

The department’s initial Facebook post, made Aug. 18 around 3:15 p.m., garnered nearly 3,000 reactions, 4,400 comments, and 600 shares as of Monday, Aug. 24, with many people questioning why the department would spend time and resources on a case such as this.

In the initial post, police said they wanted the public’s help identifying a man who reportedly picked up $30 that was dropped by someone shopping at the Walmart on N Slappey Boulevard. Police said the man who picked it up did not turn the money in to store employees, but kept it instead.

On Aug. 22, the police department posted an update, saying the man returned the money to the person who lost it. Initially, the person who lost the money wanted to press charges, but once the money was returned, the person dropped those claims, police said.

Now, the police department is commenting on the incident…

Albany Police Department Chief Persley responded, saying police determined that the man did see the woman drop the money. The man will not face charges because he returned the money.

Governor Brian Kemp issued Executive Order #08.25.26.01, lowering flags on state buildings and properties to half staff for one week in honor of the late Dolly Parton. From Atlanta News First:

Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday in light of the legendary Dolly Parton’s passing that her “exceptional talent and voice, and the kindness she demonstrated throughout her life and career are American treasures.”

Parton died Tuesday at 80.

Kemp said the loss of Parton, a Tennessee native, is “felt all the more in the South where she was so deeply loved.”

“Her impact on this Earth reached far beyond the music industry, and her life and legacy will continue to be celebrated for generations to come,” Kemp said. “She will be greatly missed, and the prayers of our family are with her loved ones and the entire State of Tennessee that proudly calls her their own.”

Despite being a daughter of Tennessee, Parton’s ties to the Peach State run deep.

In 1966, she married her late husband, Dean, in Ringgold. Some of her movies were also produced in Georgia over the years.

On Wednesday, Kemp ordered the U.S. flag and the State of Georgia flag to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings and grounds for a week.

From Atlanta News First via WRDW:

Perhaps Parton’s most personal connection to the Peach State is her elopement with Dean, who became her husband of almost 59 years.

Parton and Dean eloped on May 30, 1966, to Ringgold. Georgia allowed couples to get a marriage license and wed on the same day, and the couple were married at Ringgold Baptist Church in a ceremony officiated by pastor Dr. L. Don Duvall. Only Duvall, his wife, and Parton’s mother were in attendance.

Shortly after leaving the show to launch her solo career, Parton played a 1975 concert in Bellville, Georgia, at Pinewood Christian Academy. The concert marked one of her first major shows with her “Traveling Family Band” right after she split from [writing partner Porter] Wagoner.

The 2012 film “Joyful Noise” featured scenes shot at the Atlanta Civic Center and in the metro Atlanta cities of Smyrna, Fairburn, Newnan and Peachtree City.

The TV series “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings” was shot in Doraville, Canton, Marietta, Kennesaw, Stone Mountain, Norcross and other metro locations, while “Coat of Many Colors” – whose title became one of Parton’s signature hits – was filmed in Conyers and Covington.

Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R-Jackson) still sounds salty about his loss to Rick Jackson. From the AJC:

Jones rejected a Washington news outlet’s report that President Donald Trump offered to make him U.S. ambassador to Germany in exchange for endorsing Jackson in the general election against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms. But he also made clear the feud is very much alive.

“I’m open for discussion but it’s their move to make, to have a genuine conversation about it,” Jones said in an interview early Wednesday. “Let’s not forget they filed a defamation lawsuit against me.”

Jackson’s campaign declined to comment on private discussions. His spokesperson, Garrison Douglas, said, “We know Republicans are united behind our campaign, and we’re moving forward to face Keisha Lance Bottoms.”

The AJC previously reported that Trump personally intervened after one of the nastiest intraparty fights in modern state history, calling Jones and urging him to meet with Jackson.

The depth of the rupture between the rivals became clear last month when Jones told the “Politically Georgia” podcast he wasn’t just withholding an endorsement of Jackson. He wouldn’t even commit to voting for him.

“We’ll see,” Jones said when asked if he’d cast a November ballot for Jackson. “Obviously, I’m interested in supporting and keeping Georgia Republican-run and keeping it red. And I think November is going to be a challenge.”

The two former rivals met privately a few weeks ago in Middle Georgia at Trump’s urging. Jackson has described the session as a “great conversation” and said both were focused on defeating Bottoms.

Jones gave the AJC a decidedly cooler assessment:

“It was small talk.”

Georgia legislators may investigate the use and misuse of traffic surveillance cameras, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Athens Banner Herald.

Growing public concern about license plate reader systems has led a key state senator to consider legislation to limit abuses by police.

After nearly weekly news reports of law enforcement officers accused of misusing license plate reader data for personal purposes, such as spying on friends and family, Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, said on Tuesday that he was joining a new task force to explore whether legislation is needed.

He said other lawmakers also were invited to join.

“Like every citizen in our state, we’re concerned about the abuses that have taken place,” said Albers, who, as chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee, has influence over law enforcement legislation.

News reports about police misuse of the camera systems in Georgia increased this year, as more local departments started auditing use and reporting potential abuses to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

As recently as last week, three former officers in Savannah were charged with misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office, WSB-TV reported Monday, noting that a fourth employee also was charged with misuse of the system.

In separate Georgia cases, former law enforcement employees also have been charged with misuse, as well as stalking and computer invasion of privacy.

Atlanta-based Flock Safety is one of the leading companies in the license plate reader industry. The company told Atlanta News First in 2023 that its cameras were watching in at least 70% of Georgia’s cities.

The proliferation of its cameras has been accompanied by concerns about privacy.

At least 30 localities across the country had deactivated their Flock cameras or canceled their contracts with the company since the beginning of 2025, NPR reported in February. That report noted that Flock CEO Garrett Langley had criticized DeFlock, a crowdsourced mapping project.

As of Tuesday, DeFlock’s website reported that more than 130 cities had canceled Flock contracts, deactivated their cameras or otherwise rejected the systems. But the website said there were still at least 135,000 license plate readers in use.

In mid-August, Flock announced new accountability and privacy measures. The company said it was reducing its recommended default data retention period from 30 days to seven. It also said it was letting cities control the types of offenses that external law enforcement agencies could search their data for.

Flock’s network stitches together law enforcement across the country. Last week, the Utah News Dispatch reported that 10 Flock cameras in one county had been searched more than five million times between February 2022 and July, nearly 97% of the searches coming from law enforcement in 45 other states.

Flock has said its technology helped locate 10,000 missing persons in 2025, adding that the cameras contributed “significantly” to the recovery of stolen vehicles.

Police in Cobb County credited interagency access to the Flock network for the capture of the suspect in a deadly Midtown Atlanta shooting in 2023, according to Atlanta News First.

Albers said the new task force was formed by the Georgia Association of Sheriffs and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, he said he was unsure whether any legislation would emerge from their discussions. He noted the distinction of legislating Flock cameras on public versus private property, and he emphasized their value to police work.

“People have concerns and public trust is paramount,” he said.

He also called the cameras “an invaluable crime-fighting tool.”

 

The candidates for Governor announced campaign events in middle Georgia, according to 13WMAZ.

The two candidates running for governor of Georgia are scheduled to visit Central Georgia within the next two weeks as the clock ticks down for the November General Election.

Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms is scheduled to visit Macon on Saturday. And, on Tuesday, Rick Jackson was scheduled to visit Perry, but the venue has since announced that the event has been postponed.

The visits comes as polling suggests the race for governor is practically neck and neck.

Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive, was scheduled to campaign with Houston County native and former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Tuesday. They were scheduled to be at the Muse Theatre at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on Commerce Street.

Both Jackson and Perdue will be giving speeches, but the campaign tells 13WMAZ that Jackson will not take audience questions.

The campaign says that the event will be pushed back, likely taking place on Sept. 4.

The Jackson campaign says that people who wish to attend can still RSVP.

Meanwhile, Bottoms — the former mayor of Atlanta — will be at the Macon Marriott City Center on Saturday.

The event, which is being hosted by the Law Offices of Forrest B. Johnson, will be at the convention center on Coliseum Drive.

The event organizers say Bottoms will be only answering questions submitted ahead of time and no tickets are currently available.

The Jackson campaign will host an event in Savannah on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, according to WSAV.

Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson announced his “Rally with Rick” event set for Saturday, Aug. 29, in Savannah.

The rally will take place at 12 p.m. at The DeSoto Hotel on 15 E Liberty Ln.

Doors open at 11 a.m., and food and drinks will be provided.

ID is required at check-in.

You can register for the event as an attendee or volunteer here.

 

 

Three Democratic candidates criticized the Trump administration’s decision to waive tarrifs on more than 600 million pounds of beef, according to the Savannah Morning News.

In a Truth Social post on Aug. 21, President Donald Trump announced the United States had reached a deal for foreign ground beef to be imported into the country at a 25% discount compared to American prices. The deal was made in exchange for not paying out-of-quota tariffs on ground beef to the U.S.

In Georgia, however, one cattle rancher and congressional candidate, Shawn Harris, said the move is “pitting the farmer against the consumer.”

Harris, a retired Brigadier General and southern Democrat, is running against Rep. Clay Fuller in Georgia’s 14th congressional district after the MAGA conservative won a special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene earlier this year.

When Harris is not on the campaign trail, however, he owns and operates a cattle farm in Rockmart, Georgia, in the state’s northwestern corner. Harris is scheduled to sell calves on the market on Wednesday.

“This is the first time in years that (as) cattle producers we’ve actually been making money in the cow-calf operation,” Harris told USA TODAY in an interview Tuesday. Harris said years of droughts, fires, screwworm and then tariffs for things like fertilizer, fuel and more have made the industry nearly impossible.

Cattle that are sold alive, as Harris’ are, sell based off futures, according to the rancher. With the knowledge that the imported beef is on the way, his calves will now be worth less money when he heads to the market.

“They have already said the price of my cattle have already dropped $12.50 per 100 pounds. You start adding that across cows that are 2,000 plus pounds or more and then you say 100 head of cattle, you just lost a lot of money,” Harris said. “That’s what the president has done not to myself, but to all cattlemen across the United States.”

“The other thing that has got farmers upset is when you see the beef at your local grocery store, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the beef that came from whatever country, let’s say Argentina, versus if it came locally here from somebody in the United States,” Harris said.

Harris’ calves are sold at two years old, meaning it could take multiple years to “build back the herd” as Trump intended, the retired general said. Instead, the move will just make cattlemen lose profits for the next three months at the same rate the beef is being discounted.

The National Cattleman’s Beef Association, which includes Georgia farmers, said it was “disappointed” by Trump’s announcement.

“Cattle markets have already turned sharply lower this morning, to the detriment of farmers and ranchers. This is a critical time of year for cattle producers, as we approach the season where they are making decisions regarding their herds. Cattle farmers and ranchers are responding to strong market signals and historically high demand, and we are already working to rebuild after years of ongoing drought, high input costs and other challenges that have reduced U.S. cattle numbers,” the organization said. “Today’s announcement and other market interventions throw cold water on the prospect of herd expansion and sacrifices long-term stability for short term messaging.”

Two other Georgia candidates (and one former Georgia Republican), Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, both shared Harris’ concern for Georgia farmers.

In a message posted on social media, Bottoms said the imports would “cause more chaos for Georgia’s cattle producers.”

“Donald Trump’s plan is reckless and directly hurts Georgia’s cattle producers,” Bottoms said.

During a press call on Tuesday, Ossoff said he “stand(s) by Georgia ranchers and cattleman, and I would note that the president promised to lower prices on day one,” despite beef prices increasing over the past two years.

The call for a different approach to beef in Georgia also came from Harris’ former opponent, Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“If Trump really wanted to lower beef prices he would support (Rep. Thomas) Massie’s PRIME Act which allows individual states to permit local custom slaughterhouses to sell individual cuts of meat directly to consumers, restaurants, and grocery stores within that same state,” Greene wrote in a post on X.

 

Mr. Johnelle Simpston II will take office on the Clarke County Board of Education without an election since he was the only candidate to qualify, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

An unexpired term on the Clarke County Board of Education will be filled without a special election in November, according to the Athens-Clarke County Board of Elections.

Johnelle Simpston II, a lawyer in Athens, was the only person to qualify for the race when the qualifying period ended at noon Friday, according to Melissa Gogo, an administrative assistant in the office.

The elections board sent a notice to the school district office notifying them that the election was off the ballot, according to Gogo.

In an uncontested special election, based on the Georgia Election Code, that election does not have to be included on the ballot, she said.

Simpson, a lawyer in the firm of Fortson, Bently and Griffin, takes a seat on the board that came open with the resignation of Nicole Hull. Simpson was appointed by the BOE earlier this year to fill the seat before a special election.

Floyd County Commissioner adopted an ordinance to regulate data centers, according to WRGA News.

The Floyd County Commission has approved new regulations for data center projects.

Data centers will be allowed only in the Heavy Industrial zoning district, and there are several safeguards and standards that must be met before any permits are considered.

These requirements are intended to address many of the concerns residents commonly raise about large data center projects: noise, utility and water usage, environmental impacts, and future land use.

“There is a potential of a fine of $1,000 a day for violations, which is the most allowed by state law,” said Rome-Floyd County Planning Director Brice Wood. “Repeated or continued non-compliance may result in suspension or revocation of a business license or certificate of occupancy. We also have the right to not approve any additional permits or certificates of occupancy if they have unresolved violations. These things are typically built in phases with about one building per year. There are also requirements here that they have to have a decommissioning plan and provide assurances that we will not be responsible when and if the technology does become obsolete, so we are not stuck with a massive building.”

“I know some people here would probably like to ban data centers,” Wood added. ”I would not recommend that. It has not worked well in the states that it has been tried. You’ve seen multiple states where a bunch of cities got together to ban them, and the state took that authority away.”

The proposed ordinance requires every data center applicant to complete an acoustic or noise study. Sound-reducing walls would be required around outdoor generator areas, and additional noise-control measures could be required for the main buildings.

When a facility is next to residential zoned property, noise measured at the property line could not exceed 65 dB(A) between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and 55 dB(A) between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The limit next to other zoning districts will be 70 dB(A).

For reference, federal hearing-health resources generally place a whisper near 30 dBA and normal conversation between 60 and 70 dBA. These comparisons are approximate because perceived noise depends on distance, duration, surroundings, and the type of sound being produced.

Macon-Bibb County Commissioners are likely to raise their property tax millage rate next week, according to the Macon Telegraph.

Macon-Bibb County Commissioners are set to raise property taxes next week for the first time in years. A public hearing on the proposed 9.28% tax increase is set for noon on Friday at City Hall.

Two additional hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. and 6:01 p.m. The Macon-Bibb County Commission is set to meet Tuesday at 4 p.m. before the final hearing at 6:01 p.m. The final vote is set to take place after the last hearing at 6:05 p.m.

Mayor Lester Miller’s 2027 budget calls for $221.5 million in revenue and expenses. That’s about $1.7 million more than the 2026 budget and about $61 million more than the county’s 2021 budget of $159.9 million.

The mayor’s 2027 budget, approved by commissioners in June, assumed the millage rate would be maintained at 9.575 mills, county spokesperson Chris Floore said.

So, unlike the Bibb County Board of Education, county commissioners did not meet to tentatively adopt the millage rate although its legal advertisement states it did so. A meeting scheduled for Aug. 18 was canceled.

The tax digest was completed earlier this month and shows that maintaining the current millage rate would result in more property tax revenue for the county.

Values of the county’s 70,600 properties increased by 12% due to the Macon-Bibb County Tax Assessor’s recent update of its cost tables, a schedule of current values based on land and construction costs. State law requires counties to update those figures to reflect what the market is doing.

If commissioners opted to adopt a rollback rate to avoid a property tax increase, it would be no more than 8.762 mills.

The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $200,000 is approximately $65, according to the county’s public advertisement.

Should commissioners approve maintaining the millage rate, it would mark the first tax increase in six years for Bibb residents.

Colqiutt County Board of Education members adopted a property tax millage rate, according to the Moultrie Observer.

“After closing out fiscal year 2026 and conducting a thorough review of the 2027 budget and opportunities for cost savings, we have set the millage rate at the rollback rate of 7.721, ensuring no property tax increase for our community,” said Superintendent Dan Chappuis. “Our school board and finance team remain committed to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. We will continue balancing our high standard of education with the challenges of rising costs and limited revenue.”

The board of education initially planned a tax increase to 7.999 mills, but after the first two of three planned public hearings, officials reconvened to find a way to reduce the proposed tax rate.

The Colquitt County Board of Commissioners will adopt its millage rate Tuesday, Aug. 25, which was proposed to be 6.717 for the unincorporated area and 9.518 for incorporated areas.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority awarded a $10.5 million dollar loan to Dalton Utilities, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.

Dalton Utilities has been awarded a $10.5 million state loan to replace aging water lines across portions of its distribution system.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority board approved the 20-year Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan at an interest rate of 2.03%. The project qualified for a reduced rate because it is considered a water-conservation project.

The money will finance the replacement of high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, water mains with ductile iron pipe. GEFA estimated that approximately 150,000 to 200,000 linear feet of pipe will be replaced.

The project is intended to reduce water loss, pipe failures and service disruptions while extending the operating life of the distribution system.