Early voting begins for Georgia primary runoff election

CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — Early voting is underway for Georgia’s June 16 primary runoff election, giving voters one week to cast ballots in several statewide and federal races that remained undecided after the May 19 primary.

Polls opened Saturday, June 6. Early voting will continue through Friday, June 12. Voters can find their early voting and Election Day polling locations, view sample ballots and check their voter registration status through the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.

Georgia law requires a candidate to receive more than 50% of the vote to win a party nomination outright. Several races failed to produce a majority winner in May, triggering runoffs.

Voters who cast a Republican ballot in the May primary must vote in the Republican runoff, while those who voted in the Democratic primary must remain in the Democratic runoff. Voters who did not participate in a party primary in May may choose either party’s runoff.

The Republican runoff ballot includes races for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state school superintendent, labor commissioner and U.S. Senate.

In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faces health care executive Rick Jackson. Jones entered the race as the frontrunner and has campaigned as a conservative aligned with President Donald Trump’s America First agenda. Jackson, a political newcomer, advanced to the runoff after spending millions of dollars of his own money on the campaign.

The Republican lieutenant governor runoff features state Sen. Greg Dolezal and state Sen. John F. Kennedy.

In the race for secretary of state, state Rep. Tim Fleming faces former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones. The office is open because incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger chose to run for governor rather than seek reelection.

Republican voters also will decide the party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. The runoff features U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. Collins, who represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, finished first in the May primary and has campaigned as a strong supporter of Trump’s agenda. Dooley, the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, entered the race as a political outsider and has received support from Gov. Brian Kemp.

The Democratic runoff ballot includes races for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, and labor commissioner. The lieutenant governor runoff pits state Sen. Josh McLaurin against former state Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes.

The winners of the June 16 runoffs will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day on Tuesday, June 16. Georgia voters are required to present an approved photo identification when voting in person.