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. Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic primary for governor on May 19, with Rick Jackson and Burt Jones finishing at the top of the Republican primary and advancing to the June 16 runoff. 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
While many primaries were decided on May 19, there were some races where no candidate got more than 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff on June 16 between the top two candidates.
In Ware County, no primary races will require a runoff.
Ware County Commission - District 3
Incumbent Republican Timothy Lucas sought re-election but was disqualified from the race prior to the election. Jonathan Daniell won the Republican primary. No Democrats qualified for this race.
| REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE |
- Jonathan Reid Daniell - EMA director
Ware County Board of Education - District 6
Incumbent Brandi Waters was re-elected in this non-partisan race.
Read about the rest of the races in the primary in our 2026 Georgia Voter’s Guide.