Early Voting Starts for GA Primary Election

Early voting for Georgia’s May 19 primary starts Monday, April 27, giving voters three weeks to pick party nominees for governor and other statewide offices. (georgia.gov) The early-voting period runs from April 27 through May 15, and Georgia says counties must offer at least two Saturdays of in-person voting before Primary Day. (georgia.gov) Georgia’s voter-registration deadline for the primary was Monday, April 20, and polls on Election Day will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 19. (georgia.gov) This year’s primary will help set the field for Georgia’s next governor because the general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with a primary runoff on June 16 if no candidate wins a majority on May 19. (ballotpedia.org) On the Republican side, Ballotpedia says eight candidates are running in the May 19 primary, including Attorney General Chris Carr, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and healthcare executive Rick Jackson. (ballotpedia.org) On the Democratic side, Ballotpedia says seven candidates are running, with former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms, former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, state Senator Jason Esteves, and DeKalb County Chief Executive Michael Thurmond drawing the most polling, fundraising, and media attention. (ballotpedia.org) Georgia’s voting rules still require a government-issued photo ID for in-person voting, and voters can use the state’s My Voter Page to check registration, polling places, and county early-voting hours. (sos.ga.gov) For voters, the next fixed date is April 27, when early-voting sites open across Georgia and the race for the state’s 2026 ballot moves from campaign stops to actual ballots. (georgia.gov)