Your Nov. 3 Ballot in Muscogee County: Every Race on It, in Plain English
Columbus voters will see 17 races and questions on the Nov. 3 ballot, from governor and U.S. Senate down to their own state representative. Here's every one of them, in the order you'll find them, so nothing on the screen surprises you.
Early voting runs Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. If no candidate in a race gets more than half the vote, there's a runoff on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
No city or school board races this time. Columbus picked its mayor, council members and school board members in May, with runoffs in June. November is for state and federal offices.
How your ballot is put together
Every Muscogee County voter gets the same statewide races and the same three amendments. What differs is your district races. Muscogee County is split among:
- 2 congressional districts (2 and 3)
- 2 state Senate districts (15 and 29)
- 5 state House districts (137, 138, 139, 140 and 141)
Your address decides which one of each you get. See your exact ballot at mvp.sos.ga.gov, Georgia's My Voter Page.
Statewide races (on every ballot)
| Office | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Governor (open seat) | Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) · Rick Jackson (R) |
| U.S. Senate | Mike Collins (R) · Jon Ossoff (D, incumbent) |
| Lieutenant Governor (open) | Greg Dolezal (R) · Josh McLaurin (D) |
| Secretary of State (open) | Tim Fleming (R) · Penny Brown Reynolds (D) |
| Attorney General (open) | Tanya Miller (D) · Brian Strickland (R) |
| Agriculture Commissioner | Tyler Harper (R, incumbent) · Katherine Juhan-Arnold (D) |
| Insurance Commissioner | John King (R, incumbent) · Keisha Waites (D) |
| Labor Commissioner | Nikki Porcher (D) · Bárbara Rivera Holmes (R, incumbent) |
| State School Superintendent | Lydia Powell (D) · Richard Woods (R, incumbent) |
| Public Service Commission, District 3 | Peter Hubbard (D, incumbent) · Fitz Johnson (R) |
| Public Service Commission, District 5 | Shelia Edwards (D) · Josh Tolbert (R) |
Candidates are listed alphabetically. What each office does, and where the governor and Senate candidates stand: Georgia's Nov. 3 Ballot, Explained.
Why the Public Service Commission matters here: those two seats set what Georgia Power can charge you for electricity. Every Georgian votes for both, no matter where they live. (More: Your Georgia Power Bill Is on the Ballot.)
Congress (one of these)
| District | Candidates |
|---|---|
| U.S. House, District 2 (most of Columbus) | Sanford Bishop (D, incumbent) · Matt Day (R) |
| U.S. House, District 3 (part of north Columbus) | Brian Jack (R, incumbent) · Maura Keller (D) |
State Senate (one of these)
The state Senate writes Georgia's laws and budget along with the House. Two-year terms.
| District | Candidates | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| District 15 (most of Columbus) | Teddy Reese (D) · Chuck Hand (R) | Open seat. Sen. Ed Harbison, the longest-serving member of the Georgia Senate, is retiring after more than 30 years. Reese now represents House District 140. |
| District 29 (northern Columbus, plus Harris, Meriwether and Troup counties) | Jeff Lowe (D) · Randy Robertson (R, incumbent) | Robertson, of Cataula, was first elected in 2018. |
State House (one of these)
The 180-member Georgia House votes on every state law and the state budget. Two-year terms.
| District | Candidates | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| District 137 | Debbie Buckner (D, incumbent) | No opponent listed on the ballot. A write-in candidate, Stephen Acorn (independent), has filed. |
| District 138 | Cyndie Hutchings (D) · Vance Smith (R, incumbent) | Covers parts of Muscogee, Harris and Troup counties. |
| District 139 | Carmen Rice (R, incumbent) · Elliot Valdez (D) | Covers parts of Muscogee and Harris counties. |
| District 140 | Marquese Averett (D) · Edward Kvietkus Jr. (R) | Open seat, because Rep. Teddy Reese is running for state Senate. |
| District 141 | Carolyn Hugley (D, incumbent) · Regina Liparoto (R) | Hugley is the Democratic leader of the Georgia House. |
The three amendments (on every ballot)
You'll vote Yes or No on three changes to the Georgia Constitution:
- Amendment 1: raises the limit on farm and timber land that can get a conservation tax break, from 2,000 acres to 4,000.
- Amendment 2: makes probate judges run without a party label, like most other judges.
- Amendment 3: lets the state create a dedicated fund for upgrading 911 systems.
(Each one explained: Georgia's 3 Constitutional Amendments, in Plain English.)
Before you vote
- Where to vote early: five sites, Oct. 13–30. Every site and the hours.
- Bring a photo ID. A Georgia driver's license works even if it's expired.
- You can skip races. Leaving one blank doesn't cancel the rest of your ballot.
- Check your district and polling place: mvp.sos.ga.gov, or call Muscogee County Elections and Registration.
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