Live Updates: 2026 Georgia primary election live updates as voters weigh in on key local races
What to know about Georgia's primary today:
- Georgia voters are deciding key primaries for U.S. Senate, governor and lieutenant governor that could shape November's election landscape.
- Several competitive U.S. House primaries in and around metro Atlanta, including Districts 5, 6, 7 and 13, are expected to draw major attention.
- Down-ballot races for the Georgia PSC, agriculture commissioner and Supreme Court could also have major statewide impact.
Cobb County elections officials report issues at polling locations
Cobb County elections officials said Tuesday they are aware of issues affecting some election operations across the county, but emphasized that voting has not been stopped.
In a statement, Cobb County Elections & Registration said backup procedures are in place as staff work to assist voters and support polling locations.
Officials encouraged voters to remain patient while crews address the disruptions.
"All eligible voters in line by 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot," the office said.
Keisha Lance Bottoms to work phone bank with supporters before polls close
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms is spending Election Day with supporters on the ground, joining volunteers at a phone bank Tuesday afternoon as voters across Georgia head to the polls.
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., Bottoms is expected to join a "Keisha for Governor" phone bank effort, where volunteers are contacting voters ahead of polls closing. Campaign organizers say the effort is aimed at encouraging turnout in the Democratic primary and highlighting Bottoms' platform.
According to the campaign, volunteers will speak with voters about Bottoms' priorities, including protecting voting rights in Georgia, lowering costs for families, expanding Medicaid, and increasing access to affordable health care.
Later in the evening, Bottoms will host supporters at an election night event in Atlanta beginning at 7 p.m., where she will watch returns come in with campaign staff and supporters.
Raffensperger responds to lawsuit over election reporting room access
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger pushed back Monday after State Sen. Greg Dolezal and other Republican candidates filed a lawsuit seeking access for election observers to the state's Election Night reporting process.
In a statement, Raffensperger rejected claims that observers were being improperly excluded and said vote counting takes place at the county level, not in the Secretary of State's Election Night reporting space.
"For a guy who constantly lectures everyone about election integrity, you'd think Senator Dolezal would know that votes are not counted in the Secretary of State's Emergency Operations Center," Raffensperger said.
He emphasized that local election offices and tabulation centers are where ballots are actually processed and counted.
"The real fight to safeguard the ballot box happens at the local level inside county election offices and tabulation centers across Georgia," he said.
Raffensperger also criticized the lawsuit and its motivations, calling it political theater.
"But facts clearly aren't getting in the way of Dolezal's desperate search for press attention and votes," he said. "You are about to join Stacey Abrams, Joe Biden, and the New Georgia Project on the long list of people who sued me and lost."
Trump delivers Election Day video endorsement for Burt Jones
President Donald Trump released a video message Tuesday urging Georgia Republicans to vote for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the GOP gubernatorial primary, calling Jones a "fantastic person" who is "solid as a rock."
"Burt Jones has my complete and total endorsement," Trump said in the video. "He's going to be a great governor. He loves Georgia, loves everything about Georgia, and so do I."
Trump praised Jones' background as a former University of Georgia football captain, joking that Jones is nearly as good as Georgia legend Herschel Walker.
"I wouldn't say he's quite as good as Herschel, because I love Herschel too but who is?" Trump said. "He was a really good captain of the Georgia team, a really good player."
Jones responded to the video on social media Tuesday morning, writing: "Thank you President Trump for your Election Day message! Go Vote Georgia!"
Trump has been a vocal supporter of Jones throughout the primary, previously joining Jones on a tele-rally May 7 and endorsing him in August 2025. Jones has noted that Trump supported him in 2016, backed him in his 2022 lieutenant governor's race and is now supporting his gubernatorial bid.
No lines at Gwinnett County polling location; Mulberry votes in first federal election since becoming a city
Voters in Gwinnett County are breezing through a polling location near Little Mulberry Park.
Several dozen people had cast ballots by 9 a.m. at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church in Mulberry.
Poll workers said they expected to be busier around lunchtime and before polls close at 7 p.m.
Mulberry, in northeastern Gwinnett County, was incorporated as a city on January 1, 2025.
Tuesday's primary election is the city's first for a federal election.
Between April 27 and May 15, around 76,400 people voted early in Gwinnett County, or about 13% of the county's active voters. The state saw record-breaking turnout.
Ball Ground sees early morning rush as Georgia primary voting begins
There was an early morning rush at polling places in the quiet Atlanta exurb of Ball Ground as voting got underway in Georgia's 2026 primary election.
In this largely Republican-leaning area, dozens of voters turned out at a local library shortly after polls opened. The location is a familiar one for many residents, with some saying they have voted there for years.
What stood out at this site Tuesday morning was the presence of an election observer from the Georgia Secretary of State's office, who could be seen monitoring the voting process.
Georgia Republicans escalate election transparency fight, seek emergency restraining order against Raffensperger
Georgia Republicans filed an emergency court motion Monday against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seeking a judge's order to allow poll watchers and State Election Board observers into the Election Night Reporting Room. The motion was filed just hours before the May 19 primary election.
State Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, who is among the three petitioners in the Fulton County Superior Court filing, said the move was necessary after Raffensperger declined to grant State Election Board members access to the room, which Dolezal called "the bunker."
The lawsuit argues Georgia law mandates transparency in all aspects of the conduct of elections and notes that Raffensperger, who is himself a candidate in Tuesday's Republican primary, has an inherent conflict of interest that makes independent oversight all the more critical.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones called on the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene immediately, saying "Georgians demand transparency and integrity in our elections."
U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller, R-Ga., took his own step Monday, writing a letter to House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil requesting that congressional observers be designated to monitor the Secretary of State's entire election reporting process, citing federal law and the U.S. Constitution's grant of congressional authority over federal elections.
Fuller said he stood ready to offer his own staff to serve as observers if needed, adding that "no one should be afraid of oversight."
Runoffs likely for many high-profile Georgia primary races
Georgia's May 19 primary is the first major step in the state's 2026 election, but there are several key dates that will follow in the next few months that will shape who will move on to the midterms.
Under Georgia law, any primary where no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote will go to a runoff. In that case, the two finishers with the most votes in the primary will face off on June 16. With so many candidates in competitive races, it is likely that many of the primaries could be on the June ballot.
For the runoff, the May 18 deadline to register to vote just passed. Early voting is scheduled from June 8 to 12. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on runoff day.
Whichever candidate wins the primary or runoff will advance to the November 3, 2026, general election.
Voters in Georgia's 13th District will also have a special election on July 28 to fill the remainder of the late Rep. David Scott's term. This election is separate from the primary.
What's on your Georgia primary ballot and how to find out before you vote
Georgia voters who are heading to the polls on Tuesday for the 2026 primary will see a long list of contests for statewide and local offices when they get to the voting booth.
Many Georgians who voted early told CBS News Atlanta that this year's primary ballot is one of the longest they've seen in a long time. The number of candidates and races have led election officials around the state to urge voters to be prepared and do their research.
Statewide races will be on every voter's ballot, like the primaries for governor, lieutenant governor, and U.S. senator. Most other races are dependent on the specific voter's county or legislative district.
Under Georgia law, cellphones and other electronic devices can't be used inside the voting both. Filled-in paper sample ballots are allowed if a voter needs to reference their prior research.
One way to find and print out your sample ballot is to log in to the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. You can also check your county election department, which will have links to the Democratic, Republican, and nonpartisan ballots.
Polls open across Georgia for 2026 primary. How to find your voting location
The polls for the May 19 primary election opened at 7 a.m. across Georgia, giving voters in the Peach State the chance to pick who will represent their party in statewide, congressional, and local races during the November midterm election.
Unlike during the state's early voting period, residents must go to their designated polling place on Election Day to cast their ballot. Voters can find their polling place by logging into the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. There, voters can view their sample ballot and get directions to where they can vote.
Other options to find your polling place include contacting your county election office or checking your voter registration card, if you have one.
Georgia requires residents to register to vote ahead of its elections, which means that if you have not registered, you will not be able to cast a ballot in this year's primary.
Officials recommend confirming locations ahead of time, as polling places could change.
Democrats see promising start as early voting breaks records in Georgia primary
Polls are just about to open in Georgia's highly-competitive primary election, and the state has already seen record-breaking voter turnout.
According to the Secretary of State's data, over a million Georgians voted early in the weeks before Tuesday's primary, about 14% of the state's 7.3 million active voters. That's much higher than the 2022, which itself broke records with over 857,000 early votes.
The data showed that Democratic turnout has been much higher than their Republican counterparts, with about 580,000 voters for the former compared to 430,000 for the latter. That's a reversal from the last midterm, which saw higher Republican turnout during the early voting period.
While most of the races in the primary are split by party, the high Democratic turnout could make a significant impact on two nonpartisan state Supreme Court races on the ballot, where incumbents are facing challengers for their seats.
