Voters across Northwest Georgia can begin casting ballots today in a special election to fill the vacant Georgia State Senate District 53 seat following the resignation of Colton Moore, who stepped down to run for U.S. Congress after the vacancy created by former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation.

District 53 includes Dade, Walker, Catoosa, Chattooga, and a portion of Floyd County, including the Armuchee and Garden Lakes areas. Four candidates have qualified for the seat: Republicans Blake Elsberry of Walker County, Denise Pierce Burns of Catoosa County, and Lanny Thomas of Chattooga County, along with Democrat John Bentley Zibluk of Walker County. Because this is a special election, all candidates will appear together on the same ballot without a party primary. A candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright; otherwise, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff.

Voters will also cast ballots in the 14th Congressional District Special Election to fill the seat vacated by Marjorie Taylor Greene. Active candidates include Democrats Shawn Harris, Jim Davis, and Jonathan Hobbs; Libertarian Andrew Underwood; independent Rob “Rush” Ruszkowski; and Republicans Jennifer Turnipseed, Star Black, Clay Fuller, Reagan Box, Beau Brown, Eric Cunningham, Tom Gray, Trey Kelly, Nicky Lama, Colton Moore, Brian Stover, Megahn Strickland, and Jim Tully. Harris and Fuller are considered frontrunners in fundraising, with Fuller also receiving the endorsement of President Donald Trump.

According to the Chattooga County Board of Elections and Registration, advance voting runs from February 16 through March 6, 2026. Saturday voting will be held February 21 and February 28. Advance voting will take place at the Registrars Office, located at 10017 Commerce Street in Summerville. Absentee-by-mail ballot applications must be submitted by February 27, 2026.