Voters across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia will have four names to choose from in the Georgia State Senate District 53 special election on March 10, after qualifying ended Monday, February 2, at 1 p.m.

Candidates who qualified include three Republicans — Blake Elsberry of Walker County, Denise Pierce Burns of Catoosa County, and Lanny Thomas of Chattooga County — along with one Democrat, John Bentley Zibluk of Walker County. Because this is a special election, all candidates will appear on the same ballot with no party primary. To win outright, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote. If no one reaches that threshold, a runoff will be held April 7.

Senate District 53 covers all of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, and Walker counties, along with a small portion of northwest Floyd County.

The special election follows the resignation of State Senator Colton Moore, a Republican from Dade County, who stepped down from the seat in January to run in the U.S. House District 14 special election. That federal special election is scheduled for the same day, March 10, meaning many Northwest Georgia voters will see both races on the ballot.

Both special elections will fill the unexpired terms through the end of this year. The seats will be up again in the November 2026 general election for full two-year terms.