2018 Georgia state elections

Incumbent Republican governor Nathan Deal was term-limited and unable to seek re-election to a third consecutive term.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp won the Republican nomination, defeating incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Casey Cagle in a runoff election.^[1] Georgia General Assembly Minority Leader Stacey Abrams won the Democratic nomination. Ted Metz ran for the Libertarian Party.^[2] Kemp beat Abrams following a very divisive campaign.

Potential Republican candidates included Georgia Senate President Pro Tempore David Shafer, State Representative Geoff Duncan, Senate Majority Leader Bill Cowsert, State Senator Butch Miller, State Senator Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols and former adjutant general of the Georgia National Guard Jim Butterworth.^[3][4] State Representative Allen Peake was also speculated as a potential candidate, but ruled out a bid.^[5][6]

As of November 2017, the declared Democratic candidate was Sarah Riggs Amico, an auto executive.^[7] Potential Democratic candidates included 2010 Attorney General nominee, former Dougherty County District Attorney Ken Hodges.^[8]

Incumbent Republican attorney general Sam Olens resigned to become president of Kennesaw State University effective November 1, 2016, with Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Christopher M. "Chris" Carr being appointed to serve the remainder of the term.^[19] Carr would be eligible to run for election to a full term in 2018.

Potential Republican candidates included State Senator Josh McKoon and former state representative B.J. Pak.^[19][20]

Potential Democratic candidates included State Representative Stacey Evans and former Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission Chair Lester Tate.^[21][22] 2010 nominee and former Dougherty County District Attorney Ken Hodges was considered a potential candidate, but decided to run for a seat on the Georgia Court of Appeals instead.^[22] Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson ruled out running for attorney general.^[23] As of July 2018, Charlie Bailey, former Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney's office, was running.

Incumbent Republican secretary of state Brian Kemp ran for governor.^[28]

State Representative Buzz Brockway ran for the Republican nomination.^[29] Other potential Republican candidates included Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle and State Senators Steve Gooch, John Albers, and Michael Williams.^[29][30]

The Democratic nominee was former U.S. Representative from Georgia's 12th congressional district, John Barrow, who defeated Dee Dawkins-Haigler and Rakeim "RJ" Hadley in the primary.^[31]

The Libertarian candidate was Smythe Duval. He won the nomination at the Georgia State Libertarian Convention in February 2018.^[32]

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...

2018 Georgia Agriculture Commissioner election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →

Nominee Gary Black Fred Swann Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,040,097 1,803,383 Percentage 53.08% 46.92%

County results Precinct results Black:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      >90% Swann:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Commissioner before election Gary Black Republican Elected Commissioner Gary Black Republican

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Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black was eligible to run for re-election to a third term in office.

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...

2018 Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →

Nominee Jim Beck Janice Laws Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,944,963 1,814,499 Percentage 50.37% 46.99%

County results Beck:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      >90% Laws:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Commissioner before election Ralph Hudgens Republican Elected Commissioner Jim Beck Republican

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Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Insurance Ralph Hudgens did not run for re-election.^[46]

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...

2018 Georgia Commissioner of Labor election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →

Nominee Mark Butler Richard Keatley Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,019,389 1,830,061 Percentage 52.46% 47.54%

County results Butler:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      >90% Keatley:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Commissioner before election Mark Butler Republican Elected Commissioner Mark Butler Republican

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Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Labor Mark Butler was eligible to run for re-election to a third term in office.

Quick facts Nominee, Party ...

2018 Georgia State Superintendent of Schools election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →

Nominee Richard Woods Otha E. Thornton Jr. Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,048,003 1,814,461 Percentage 53.02% 46.98%

County results Woods:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%      >90% Thornton Jr.:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Superintendent before election Richard Woods Republican Elected Superintendent Richard Woods Republican

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Incumbent Republican State Superintendent of Schools Richard Woods ran for re-election to a second term in office.^[54]

Potential Democratic candidates included Georgia Association of Educators president Sid Chapman and former National PTA President Otha Thornton.^[54]

Elections were held for District 3 (Metro Atlanta) and District 5 (Western Georgia) of the Georgia Public Service Commission.^[59]

District 3

Quick facts Candidate, Party ...

2018 Georgia Public Service Commission District 3 election

← 2012 November 6, 2018 (first round) December 4, 2018 (runoff) 2025 (special) →

Candidate Chuck Eaton Lindy Miller Party Republican Democratic First round 1,917,656 49.70% 1,838,020 47.63% Runoff 758,553 51.75% 707,267 48.25%

First round county results Runoff county results Eaton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Miller:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Commissioner before election Chuck Eaton Republican Elected Commissioner Chuck Eaton Republican

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Democratic primary

• Lindy Miller
• John Noel
• Johnny C. White

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...

Democratic primary results^[60]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Lindy Miller	312,467	65.43
	Democratic	John Noel	90,327	18.91
	Democratic	Sam Mosteller	74,777	15.66
Total votes			477,571	100

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Republican primary

• Chuck Eaton, incumbent.

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...

Republican primary results^[61]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Eaton (incumbent)	471,261	100
Total votes			471,261	100

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Libertarian nominee

• Ryan Graham^[62]

General Election

First round

More information Party, Candidate ...

Georgia Public Service Commissioner District 3 first round, 2018^[63]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Eaton (incumbent)	1,917,656	49.70
	Democratic	Lindy Miller	1,838,020	47.63
	Libertarian	Ryan Graham	102,878	2.67
Total votes			3,858,554	100

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Runoff

More information Party, Candidate ...

Georgia Public Service Commissioner District 3 runoff election, 2018^[64]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Eaton (incumbent)	758,553	51.75
	Democratic	Lindy Miller	707,267	48.25
Total votes			1,465,820	100
	Republican hold

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District 5

Quick facts Candidate, Party ...

2018 Georgia Public Service Commission District 5 election

← 2012 November 6, 2018 2026 →

Candidate Tricia Pridemore Dawn A. Randolph Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,937,599 1,820,868 Percentage 50.25% 47.23%

County results Pridemore:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Randolph:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Commissioner before election Tricia Pridemore Republican Commissioner Tricia Pridemore Republican

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Democratic primary

• Dawn A. Randolph
• Doug Stoner

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...

Democratic primary results^[65]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dawn A. Randolph	366,727	78.58
	Democratic	Doug Stoner	99,958	21.42
Total votes			466,685	100

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Republican primary

• John Hitchins III
• Tricia Pridemore, incumbent

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...

Republican primary results^[66]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tricia Pridemore (incumbent)	280,099	53.04
	Republican	John Hitchins III	247,980	46.96
Total votes			528,079	100

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Libertarian nominee

• John Turpish^[67]

General Election

More information Party, Candidate ...

Georgia Public Service Commissioner District 5 election, 2018^[68]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tricia Pridemore (incumbent)	1,937,599	50.25
	Democratic	Dawn A. Randolph	1,820,868	47.23
	Libertarian	John Turpish	97,203	2.52
Total votes			3,855,670	100
	Republican hold

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All 56 seats in the Georgia State Senate and 180 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives were up for election.

More information Party, Before ...

Georgia State Senate Party Before After Change Republican 37 35 2 Democratic 19 21 2 Total 56 56

Georgia House of Representatives Party Before After Change Republican 116 105 11 Democratic 64 75 11 Total 180 180

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All of Georgia's fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. Democrats flipped one seat that elected a Republican in the previous election, resulting in them holding five of the state's 14 seats.

Five seats on the Georgia Supreme Court and seven seats on the Georgia Court of Appeals were up for statewide elections.^[69] Of these, only one was contested - the seat of Court of Appeals judge John Ellington who ran for Supreme Court following the retirement of Carol Hunstein.^[70]

Ken Hodges, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Georgia in 2010, defeated attorney Ken Shigley in a nonpartisan election.^[71]

Court of Appeals (Ellington's seat)

More information Party, Candidate ...

2018 Georgia Court of Appeals election^[72]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Ken Hodges	665,875	69.95
	Nonpartisan	Ken Shigley	286,093	30.05
Total votes			951,968	100

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Seven statewide ballot measures appeared on the ballot.^[73]

Results by county

Amendment 1 results by county

Yes:

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Amendment 2 results by county

Yes:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

Amendment 3 results by county

Yes:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

No:

•   50–60%

Amendment 4 results by county

Yes:

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

Amendment 5 results by county

Yes:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Referendum A results by county

Yes:

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

No:

•   50–60%

Referendum B results by county

Yes:

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

The gubernatorial race was particularly controversial during the 2018 elections, as Republican candidate Brian Kemp was also the Georgia Secretary of State, a position which involves overseeing the electoral process, leading to allegations of conflicts of interests.^[82][83][84] Despite calls from Georgia Democrats, organizations such as the NAACP^[85] and Common Cause,^[86] and former president Jimmy Carter,^[87] Kemp did not relinquish the position until after the election.^[88]

Accusations were also leveled at Kemp with regards to the purging of voter rolls that was done under his oversight. Removing names from voter rolls is a common practice in the case of voters who are deceased or have moved out of state,^[89] but since 2017, the practice had spiked in Georgia.^[90] Due to strict voting rules in Georgia, tens of thousands of citizens lost their right to vote because of otherwise trivial issues, such as small differences between pieces of identification or insufficiently similar signatures.^[91] Kemp was accused of using the voter roll purge as a tactic to disenfranchise more than half a million people, predominantly African-Americans,^[92] which has been likened to voter suppression.^[93][94]