Georgia voters will have a chance to shape the future of their state during this election year, with an open seat for governor highlighting the races on the 2026 ballot, with the first votes to be cast for the May 19 primaries.
Republican Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited, and both Republicans and Democrats have multiple candidates vying for their party’s nomination for the general election. But the race for governor is far from the only statewide race gaining attention: Republicans are lining up for the chance to run for the U.S. Senate in November, and challenge Democrat Jon Ossoff.
Recommended Videos
The crowded fields for these high-profile races could add a twist to how the primaries play out. Unlike in Florida, where there are not runoffs for party primaries, Georgia does require more than 50% of the vote to win a primary election. That means some races could send the top two vote-getters on to a primary runoff on June 16.
In Charlton County, the primary features three county commission races.
Pierce County Commission - Chairman
The incumbent, Neal Bennett, is seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race. Unlike the other two commission races, this is a county-wide election.
| REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES |
- Neal Bennett - Retired
- Austin Boatright - Business Owner
Pierce County Commission - District 2
The incumbent, Graham Raley, is not seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race. This race only appears on the ballots of voters in District 2.
| REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES |
- Jason Christmas - Retail store manager
- Richard “Dick” Larson - Retired
- Jerry Ed Rich, Jr. - Self-employed
Pierce County Commission - District 4
Incumbent David Lowman is seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race. This race only appears on the ballots of voters in District 4.
| REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES |
- David Lowman - Retired
- Austin Moore - Sales
Read about the rest of the races in the primary in our 2026 Georgia Voter’s Guide.