2026 Election
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Record Voting Nets Democratic Wins in Biggest Statewide Midterm Races for Election 2026
After historic early and regular voter turnout, many Georgia political roles have turned — or remain — blue. More than 2.8 million people voted early in the state of Georgia, which was approximately a third of the total amount of registered voters. Newsource reporter Taylor Rakestraw tells us how those…
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Bottoms Wins as First Black Female Governor in Nation’s History
Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black female governor in the U.S. on Nov. 3, 2026 when she won the Georgia governor’s race. She beat her opponent, Republican Rick Jackson, by garnering 53% of the vote or 2,268,462 total votes in the state, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s…
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PHOTO GALLERY: Early Morning of Election Day 2026 in Athens
The polls opened at 7 a.m. this morning in Athens for Election Day 2026. The photojournalism students were there at 6:15 a.m. It was dark. Street lights lit poll workers placing “Vote Here” signs around the Athens-Clarke County Library and Clarke Central High School, which turned into polling stations for…
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Democrats Make Final Push in Athens Ahead of Election Day
College Square in Athens traded football anticipation for a final election push on Monday, just hours before Election Day. Keisha Lance Bottoms, Democratic nominee for governor, visited Athens as part of her statewide campaign push. “You know, I’ve got a lot of love for y’all, Dawgs,” Bottoms said at the…
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Rising Costs, Political Division Drive Athens Senior Citizens to Polls
Residents at Wesley Woods’ Talmage Terrace retirement community are already casting ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, motivated by concerns ranging from rising living costs to political division. The Athens-Clarke County Library, the closest advance voting location to Beechwood Hills, opened for early voting on Oct. 13. On…
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Early Voting Turnout Lags Among Downtown Athens Residents
Advance voting for the 2026 midterm elections in Athens-Clarke County came to a close on Oct. 30, and voters who live in Downtown Athens have voted the least out of the 14 registered Athens neighborhoods and historic districts examined by Grady Newsource reporters. Eleven out of 111 registered Downtown voters…
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Mental Health Reform Remains Unfinished As New Governor To Be Elected
As Georgians prepare to elect a new governor on Nov. 3, the future of mental health care looms as a crucial policy question. While Republican Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms have proposed different approaches to healthcare reform during their 2026 midterm campaigns, questions remain about how their plans…
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Georgia Early Voting Has Broken Records, So Why Do Residents Prefer It?
Early voting lasted two weeks in Georgia — from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30 — and registered Athens voters chose to come to the polls early this midterm cycle for reasons such as work, family life and class schedules. About 41,000 students live in Athens-Clarke County, representing 31% of the…
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PHOTO GALLERY: Here’s What Early, In-Person Voting Looked Like in Athens-Clarke County
Advance voting numbers in Georgia toppled records compared to past midterm elections, with more than 2.4 million ballots cast in person, according to the Secretary of State’s election data hub website. Students in Reporting II captured the scene and voter activity around lunchtime — from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.…
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Athens-Clarke Library Quick Option for Early Voters
Voters gathered at the Athens-Clarke County Library to cast their votes prior to Election Day. Athens residents were able to start voting early on Oct. 13 for the upcoming midterms on Nov. 3. The Five Points neighborhood is the largest registered neighborhood in Athens, producing 44% of the voters in…