Four Democrats and five Republicans will face off in their respective primaries May 19, 2026, aiming to become Georgia's next secretary of state.
With incumbent Brad Raffensperger running for governor, the election is up in the air, with the candidate pool officially set in March.
Georgia's secretary of state is responsible for overseeing elections, licensing business, managing securities and regulating professional licensing.
The Democrats
Adrian Consonery Jr., a minister in Houston County, is running a campaign focused on ensuring voting access and reforming Georgia's securities market.
Business owner Cam Ashling has highlighted her financial credentials while campaigning, touting her real-world experience as a small business owner where she has encountered the issues the secretary of state oversees: business registrations, securities enforcement and professional licensing.
Dana Barrett, however, is the Democratic candidate to watch. She is most recently known for her involvement in a lawsuit over appointees to the Fulton County election board. The Board of Commissioners in Fulton County, on which Barrett serves, refused to approve two Republican appointees to the county's election board due to fears over their past challenges to elections.
A judge recently ruled in favor of her position.
In addition to securing Georgia's elections, her campaign website said she will focus on investing in small business owners and crack down on fraud.
Former Fulton County Judge Penny Brown Reynolds rounds out the Democratic pool with a campaign focused on safeguarding vulnerable Georgians from scams and building public trust in elections, according to her campaign website.
She announced her candidacy with a press release posted to Instagram in September.
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The Republicans
Chief Operating Officer in Georgia's Secretary of State office Gabriel Sterling could face off against his fellow Fulton County candidates if he receives the Republican nomination. Sterling is the only candidate with current ties to the secretary of state, in an election without an incumbent.
However, state Rep. Tim Fleming rings in at a close second as a former deputy secretary of state and former chief of staff for Gov. Brian Kemp.
Fleming has vowed to "deport any illegals attempting to vote in Georgia," championing voter ID proposals, according to his campaign website.
In a post to X, Fleming urged the U.S. Senate to pass the SAVE Act, which would require two forms of identification at the polls.
It’s time for the U.S. Senate to pass the SAVE Act. Voter ID isn't just common sense—it’s supported by 83% of Americans. Let's prioritize election integrity and make sure every vote is secure. #GASOS #TeamFleming #flemingforga pic.twitter.com/yFTBfaE9FW
— Tim Fleming (@TimFlemingGA) March 24, 2026
Former state Rep. Vernon Jones is also advocating for election reform by eliminating absentee and paper ballots, for most people.
Retired financial planner Ted Metz is advocating for the opposite, with a return to paper ballots and an end to electronic voting systems. According to his campaign website, Metz supports imprisonment for "election shenanigans."
Metz is joined in the primary by businessman Kelvin King, who is advocating for an end to the state's contract with the Dominion Voting System and bolstering election staff.
