Georgia Early Voting Sets Record, Governor Race Tight

Georgia’s 2026 midterm election is heading into Election Day after record early voting, with more than 2.5 million ballots cast statewide—surpassing the previous midterm record. The closely watched governor’s race between Republican Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms remains essentially tied in recent polling, as the candidates make final appeals across the state. Jackson has poured extraordinary sums of his personal fortune into the campaign, while Bottoms has campaigned beyond Democratic strongholds and emphasized turnout. Metro Atlanta suburbs are key battlegrounds in the contest, including several legislative districts that could help Democrats flip the state House. Voters will also choose a successor to retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk in Georgia’s 11th District, while control of the narrowly divided U.S. House is at stake nationally.