Voters in the 53rd Georgia State Senate District and the 14th U.S. Congressional District will return to the polls for a runoff election that will be held on April 7th.
A Georgia state senator has stepped down from office to focus on her campaign for lieutenant governor.
Democratic Sen. Nabilah Parkes, who represented part of Gwinnett County, announced her resignation in a public statement Friday. Parkes first launched a campaign for Georgia insurance and fire safety commissioner in January before shifting to the lieutenant governor’s race on March 5.
Parkes now joins state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs and Richard Wright in the Democratic field for lieutenant governor. In her resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, Parkes sharply criticized the Georgia Legislature, calling it “a place where good ideas go to die and where extremists continue to attack our freedoms.” Georgia’s primary election is scheduled for May 19.
State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, says rising housing costs are one of the biggest threats facing Georgia families and argues that lawmakers must act to protect homeownership opportunities across the state.
As fuel prices continue to rise amid fighting in Iran, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he is not ready to suspend the state gas tax just yet.
Kemp told reporters Tuesday that previous gas tax suspensions were “targeted and strategic,” and he does not want to overreact to what could end up being a short-term spike in prices.
The latest jump in fuel costs follows military strikes in Iran on February 28 involving U.S. and Israeli forces, which pushed oil prices sharply higher.
Kemp noted that oil briefly climbed to around $115 a barrel before falling back to about $90 a barrel. He also said the United States is producing record levels of oil and gas, which he believes provides strong long-term energy security even while prices remain vulnerable to global events.
The governor said he plans to keep watching the markets for several more days before making any decision on whether to suspend the gas tax.
Kemp has taken that step three times before. In 2022, he suspended the gas tax as prices climbed during the war in Ukraine. In 2023, he again suspended the tax as inflation hit a 40-year high. In 2024, Kemp suspended the gas tax in response to Hurricane Helene.
For now, Georgia drivers will have to wait and see whether the recent rise in gas prices becomes severe enough to prompt another temporary tax break.
State Representative Eddie Lumsden of Armuchee says the Georgia House experienced one of the busiest weeks of the 2026 legislative session as lawmakers worked toward Crossover Day, the deadline for bills to pass out of their original chamber in order to remain eligible for final passage before the session ends. By the end of the week, the House had passed 97 bills and resolutions, sending many measures to the Georgia Senate for further consideration.
Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris will face each other in an April 7 runoff election after no candidate received a majority in Tuesday’s special election to fill the remaining months of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former U.S. House seat.
Former Trion Mayor Lanny Thomas, a Republican, and John Bentley “Jack” Zibluk, a Democrat, are headed to an April 7 runoff election in the race for Georgia State Senate District 53 after no candidate won a majority in Tuesday’s special election.
Unofficial and incomplete results from Tuesday’s March 10, 2026 special election show 3,772 ballots cast in Chattooga County, representing 24.77% turnout among the county’s 15,226 registered voters.
The results released Tuesday night reflect Chattooga County votes only.
In the race for U.S. House of Representatives, District 14, Clay Fuller (Republican) received the most votes in Chattooga County with 1,705 votes (46.43%). Shawn Harris (Democrat) finished second locally with 912 votes (24.84%), followed by Colton Moore (Republican) with 727 votes (19.80%).
The 14th Congressional District covers multiple counties across Northwest Georgia, meaning the final outcome will be determined by votes from the entire district.
In the race for Georgia State Senate District 53, Lanny Thomas (Republican) led the vote in Chattooga County with 1,796 votes (48.27%), followed by Blake Elsberry (Republican) with 910 votes (24.46%), John Bentley “Jack” Zibluk (Democrat) with 696 votes (18.70%), and Denise Pierce Burns (Republican) with 319 votes (8.57%).
The 53rd State Senate District includes voters in Chattooga, Walker, Dade, Catoosa and Floyd counties, meaning the final election results will depend on totals from all counties in the district.
Election officials reported 1,869 votes cast on Election Day, 1,837 during advance voting, and 66 absentee ballots by mail.
Final certified results will be released after all counties complete their tabulations.
Today, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, is Election Day for the Special Elections for U.S. House of Representatives District 14 and Georgia Senate District 53.
The Chattooga County Elections and Registration Board reminds voters that ballots must be cast at their assigned polling location.
Polling places open today include:
-
Gore Fire Hall
-
Lyerly Community Center
-
Former Menlo City Hall
-
Chattooga County Civic Center
-
Trion Recreation Department
Election officials report that 1,837 ballots were cast during Advance Voting, which has now concluded.
As of 8:30 a.m. on March 9, a total of 74 absentee-by-mail ballots had been issued. Of those:
-
59 ballots have been accepted
-
1 ballot has been spoiled
-
14 ballots remain outstanding
The deadline to request an absentee-by-mail ballot has already passed. However, absentee ballots may still be returned until 7 p.m. today. Ballots must be mailed or hand delivered to the Chattooga County Registrar’s Office, located at 10017 Commerce Street in Summerville.
Voters with questions about polling locations or ballot status are encouraged to contact the Chattooga County Elections and Registration Office.
Advocates for Georgians with disabilities say the state faces an urgent need for expanded support services, warning lawmakers that many families are struggling to access essential care.