#Election2026 | AM 1180 Radio

February 28, 2026

Advanced Voting Today for Congressional and State Senate Special Elections

Local News, Local News Items #AbsenteeVoting, #AdvanceVoting, #chattoogacounty, #CivicEngagement, #CommunityNews, #CongressionalElection, #EarlyVoting, #Election2026, #ElectionUpdate, #GeorgiaElections, #georgiapolitics, #LocalElection, #LocalGovernment, #lyerlyga, #MailInBallot, #MenloGA, #NorthGeorgia, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicNotice, #SpecialElection, #StateSenateElection, #summervillega, #trionga, #VoterTurnout, #wzqznews 0

Chattooga County voters may cast their ballots today in the Special Election for the 14th Congressional District Race and the 53rd State Senate Race. As of yesterday morning, Friday, February 27, 2026 there have been 70 absentee by mail ballots issued. Of those, 26 have been accepted and 44 are outstanding. Yesterday was the last day to submit an application for an absentee by mail ballot for the March 10, 2026 Special Election. An additional 1,051 ballots have been cast during Advance Voting so far. Advance Voting continues today. Polls are open from 9 AM – 5 PM for Saturday voting (Today, February 28, 2026). All Advance Voting takes place in the Chattooga County Registrars Office located at 10017 Commerce Street in Summerville. Government issued photo ID is required.

February 26, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga County to Begin Early Processing of Absentee Ballots March 9

Local News, Local News Items #AbsenteeBallots, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaElections, #CivicEngagement, #CommerceStreet, #EarlyProcessing, #Election2026, #ElectionDay, #GeorgiaElections, #LocalGovernment, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicNotice, #summervillega, #VoteByMail, #wzqznews 0

Chattooga County Elections officials will begin the early processing of Absentee by Mail ballots on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Registrar’s Office, 10017 Commerce Street in Summerville. The process is open to the public.

Early processing does not mean votes are being counted early. Instead, election workers carefully remove absentee ballots from their outer envelopes and prepare them for scanning. During this step, ballots are scanned into the system, but they are not tabulated or totaled.

Officials emphasize that actual vote tabulation will not occur until after the polls close on Election Day, in accordance with Georgia election law. The early processing step helps ensure results can be reported more efficiently once voting officially ends.

Residents who wish to observe the process may attend at the Registrar’s Office.

February 17, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

President Trump to Visit Rome on Thursday

Local News, Local News Items #14thDistrict, #Affordability, #ClayFuller, #CongressionalDistrict14, #DistrictAttorney, #DonaldTrump, #EarlyVoting, #EconomyUpdate, #Election2026, #FloydCounty, #GA14, #georgianews, #georgiapolitics, #LookoutMountainJudicialCircuit, #northwestgeorgianews, #PoliticalEndorsement, #PresidentTrump, #romegeorgia, #RunoffElection, #SpecialElection, #TrumpVisit, #WhiteHouse, #wzqznews 0

February 16, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Chattooga County Republican Party Announces March Qualifying for Local Offices

Local News, Local News Items #CandidateQualifying, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaCountyRepublicanParty, #CommunityNews, #Election2026, #georgiapolitics, #LocalElections, #northwestgeorgia, #summervillega, #wzqznews 0

The Chattooga County Republican Party has officially announced qualifying dates for local Republican candidates seeking elected office in 2026.

Qualifying will begin Monday, March 2, 2026, and conclude at noon on Friday, March 6, 2026. Hours will run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.

Qualifying will take place at 136 Highway 48 in Summerville (Law Offices, PC). Candidates must submit qualifying fees by cashier’s check or money order made payable to the “Chattooga County Republican Party” in the amount specified for the office being sought.

The notice was signed by Meredith Rosson, Chairwoman of the Chattooga County Republican Party.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact party leadership ahead of the qualifying deadline for additional details.

February 15, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Clay Fuller Campaign Hosting Meet-and-Greet in Summerville as Crowded GA-14 Special Election Nears

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ClayFuller, #CongressionalRace, #Election2026, #GA14, #Georgia14, #georgiapolitics, #LocalEvents, #MeetAndGreet, #northwestgeorgia, #RunoffPossible, #SpecialElection, #summervillega, #VoterInfo, #wzqznews 0

A campaign meet-and-greet for Clay Fuller is set for Monday, February 16, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Jefferson’s, 10096 Commerce St., Summerville, with organizers saying no RSVP is needed and the public is invited to stop by and talk with the candidate.

February 13, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia Senate Advances Plan to Reduce, Eventually Eliminate State Income Tax

Local News, Local News Items #BlakeTillery, #briankemp, #BurtJones, #Election2026, #GeorgiaLegislature, #georgianews, #georgiapolitics, #GeorgiaSenate, #GoldDome, #northwestgeorgianews, #PublicPolicy, #SB476, #SB477, #StateBudget, #StateIncomeTax, #TaxReform, #wzqznews 0

A group of mostly Republican Georgia state senators is moving quickly to advance legislation that would reduce the state’s personal income tax, marking the first step in a long-term plan to eliminate the tax entirely by 2032.

February 9, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Elsberry Responds to Questions About Zentell Communications, Says He Was Not Paid and Has Been Cleared of Wrongdoing

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #Election2026, #georgiapolitics, #GovernmentAccountability, #LocalPolitics, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicStatement, #StateSenate53, #wzqznews 0

Blake Elsberry, a candidate for Georgia State Senate District 53 and former Chattooga County Sole Commissioner, has released a public response addressing questions surrounding his past involvement with Zentell Communications.

February 7, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Georgia 14th Congressional District Candidate Forum Set for Feb. 10 in Rome

Local News, Local News Items #CandidateForum, #CivicEngagement, #CommunityEvent, #CongressionalForum, #Democracy, #Election2026, #Georgia14thDistrict, #georgiapolitics, #LocalGovernment, #NonPartisan, #northwestgeorgia, #PublicForum, #RomeCityAuditorium, #RomeGA, #VoterEducation, #wzqznews 0

Voters across Northwest Georgia are invited to attend the Georgia 14th Congressional District Candidate Forum scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rome City Auditorium.

February 1, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Qualifying Underway for Georgia Senate District 53 Special Election

Local News, Local News Items #CatoosaCounty, #chattoogacounty, #DadeCounty, #Election2026, #FloydCounty, #GASenate53, #georgiapolitics, #northwestgeorgia, #SpecialElection, #VoterInformation, #WalkerCounty, #wzqznews 0

Qualifying is now underway for the District 53 seat in the Georgia State Senate. The Special Election will be held on March 10 in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker, and a portion of Floyd Counties to fill the vacancy created by Senator Colton Moore’s qualifying for the special election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District for the U.S. House of Representatives.

January 27, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Denise Pierce Burns Enters GOP Race for Georgia Senate District 53 Seat

Local News, Local News Items #CatoosaCounty, #chattoogacounty, #DenisePierceBurns, #EarlyVoting, #Election2026, #GASenate53, #georgiapolitics, #northwestgeorgia, #SpecialElection, #WalkerCounty 0

Another Republican has joined the growing field to replace former State Sen. Colton Moore in Georgia’s 53rd Senate District. Moore resigned from the seat as he campaigns for U.S. Congress, triggering a special election now set for March 10, 2026, with early voting beginning February 16.