Race · November 3, 2026
Governor · Georgia
2 candidates on the ballot — an open seat, with no incumbent running.1,
How this race is decided: If no candidate wins a majority (more than half of the votes), the top two finishers meet in a runoff on December 1, 2026.15
§1Candidates
Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.
§2Side by side
Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.
| Fact | Rick Jackson | Keisha Lance Bottoms |
|---|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Republican1, | Democrat1, |
| Status | Open seat | Open seat |
| Money | Candidates for governor file campaign-finance reports with the state, not the FEC, so this guide doesn't include their fundraising. Search the state's reports: Campaign reports search — Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.16 | |
| Police funding | His campaign website says he would fully support law enforcement with resources, training and respect.17 | Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers Her campaign website says she would increase state support for local law enforcement, including more state investigative and forensic resources for smaller jurisdictions, and lists offering Atlanta police officers and firefighters the largest pay raise in the city's history, and pledging to add officers, among her accomplishments as mayor.18, |
| State K-12 school funding | His campaign website says he would raise teacher pay.17 | Her campaign website says she would fully fund Georgia's schools and update the state's education funding formula to reflect students' current needs.18 |
| Tuition-free college | His campaign website says he would freeze tuition, room and board at public colleges and technical schools, and that he led the charge to pass the Fostering Success Act, which lets foster youth attend public colleges and universities tuition-free.17, | Free tuition at community colleges Her campaign website says she would create a path to free technical and community college for high school graduates and workers learning new skills.18 |
| Data centers and electricity costs | His action plan says no new data center should be approved unless the local community supports it, it brings real local benefits, it does not raise local utility costs and it meets strict environmental standards.20 | Pause or limit new data centers Her campaign website says Georgia needs to slow down and reassess the rapid expansion of data centers so families are not left with higher utility bills and strained water supplies.18 |
| Medicaid expansion | His action plan calls for expanding Medicaid through a Georgia-designed waiver to close the coverage gap for low-income working adults and families; for adults who are able to work, it would pair coverage with pathways into jobs while recognizing education, job training, caregiving and treatment, and it would use private and employer coverage where that offers better value.20 | Her campaign website says she would expand Medicaid and end the Georgia Pathways program, replacing it with coverage she says would work better for families.18 |
| Zoning and new housing | His action plan says he would use technology to streamline housing permits and inspections, set clear deadlines and hold government accountable for delays that add to housing costs.20 | Her campaign website says she would create a Georgia Housing Fast Track initiative to streamline permitting and improve coordination, and set up an affordable housing trust fund for affordable and workforce housing.18 |
| Property taxes | Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions His campaign website says he would freeze property taxes immediately to stop rising assessments from pricing families out of their homes, and his action plan says that before a local government raises property taxes, taxpayers would get specific notice, a public hearing and a recorded vote by an elected board.17, | Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions Her campaign's property tax plan says she would fully fund the state's Homeowner Tax Relief Grant every year and seek a constitutional amendment raising it to $25,000 of assessed value, raise the statewide homestead exemption from $2,000 to $5,000, and raise the income limit for senior property tax exemptions to $100,000, indexed to inflation.22 |
| State income tax | Cut rates or move to a single flat rate His campaign website says he would cut the state income tax in half within four years, and his action plan says he would also eliminate the state income tax on tips.17, | Her campaign website says she would eliminate the state income tax for teachers to help recruit and keep them.18 |
Issues only one candidate has addressed
By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.
Rick Jackson — 5 issues
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programsBan DEI offices, training and hiring goals in government, public colleges and federal contractorsHis campaign website says he would prohibit DEI programs in state government, public universities and classrooms.17
- Transgender students in school sportsRequire teams based on sex at birthHis campaign website says boys should not compete in girls' sports or use girls' bathrooms or locker rooms.17
- Vouchers and education savings accountsHis action plan says he would protect educational choice so parents can pick a traditional public school, charter school, private school or homeschool for their child.20
- Campaign finance rulesHis action plan says he would strengthen criminal penalties for serious campaign finance violations and ban all fundraising during the legislative session.20
- State and local role in immigration enforcementHis campaign website says he would make Georgia the leading state in deporting immigrants here illegally who have committed crimes.17
Keisha Lance Bottoms — 11 issues
- Abortion lawLegal until about 24 weeks, as under Roe v. Wade, and later to protect the woman's life or health
- Drawing district lines (redistricting)Her campaign's voting plan says she would veto any district map that dilutes minority voting power, and would seek stronger state protections against discriminatory redistricting, clearer standards for fair maps and public notice before maps are changed.24
- Voter IDRequire ID but accept other documents, such as a utility bill or bank statementHer campaign's voting plan says she would expand the forms of identification voters can use, including student IDs, utility bills and bank statements.24
- Voting by mailHer campaign website says she supports protecting absentee voting, expanding early voting and making Election Day a state holiday.18
- Child care costs
- Background checks for gun salesRequire checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)Her campaign website says she supports universal background checks.18
- Red flag lawsAdopt more red flag laws, including a national oneHer campaign website says she supports a red flag law.18
- Help for first-time homebuyersHer campaign website says she would expand down payment and renter assistance.18
- Replacing lost federal fundingHer campaign's health plan says she would pursue targeted state premium support to help keep coverage affordable for Georgians who rely on the Affordable Care Act after the larger federal premium subsidies were not extended.23
- State sales taxesHer campaign website says she would let cities and counties eliminate or temporarily suspend local sales taxes on groceries and other essentials, and her grocery plan would set up a $250 million fund to help, for one budget cycle, communities whose revenue loss would exceed 5% of their local sales tax collections.18,
26 - High-speed internet accessHer campaign's health plan says she would invest in broadband, telehealth and mobile care so rural families do not have to drive hours for routine care.23
Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.