Georgia State Senate elections, 2022
| 2022 Georgia Senate Elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Primary | May 24, 2022 |
| Primary runoff | June 21, 2022 |
| General | November 8, 2022 |
| General runoff | December 6, 2022 |
| 2022 Elections |
|---|
| Choose a chamber below: |
Elections for the Georgia State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for May 24, 2022, and a primary runoff was scheduled for June 21, 2022. A general runoff election was scheduled for December 6, 2022. The filing deadline was March 11, 2022.
The Georgia State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. At the time of the 2022 elections, Republicans held a majority in more chambers than Democrats. There was a Republican majority in 62 chambers and a Democratic majority in 36 chambers. In the Alaska House, there was a power-sharing agreement between the parties as part of a coalition.
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia identified three battleground races in the Georgia State Senate 2022 elections, two of which were Democratic-held districts while the other one were Republican-held districts. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.
All 56 seats were up for election in 2022. The chamber's Republican majority decreased from 34-22 to 32-23 (with one vacancy).
At the time of the 2022 election, Georgia had had a Republican trifecta since 2005. If the Democratic Party flipped six or more seats, then the Republican Party would have lost its trifecta. If the Republican Party lost no more than five seats, and maintained control of the state House and the governorship they would have kept their trifecta. This was one of 28 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as a battleground chamber in 2022. Click here for more on why this chamber was identified as a battleground.
Party control
| Georgia State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 22 | 23 | |
| Republican Party | 34 | 32 | |
| Vacancy | 0 | 1 | |
| Total | 56 | 56 |
Candidates
General
Primary runoff
Primary
2022 battleground chamber
The Georgia State Senate was among 28 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2022 cycle.
What was at stake?
- The Democratic Party needed to gain seven or more seats to take control of the chamber in 2022. The Republican Party needed to lose five or fewer seats to maintain control.
- The Democratic Party flipping the state Senate would have broken the Republican Party's trifecta. The Republican Party would have needed to keep the state Senate as well as the state House and the governorship to maintain their trifecta.
Why was it a battleground?
- Seats needed to flip: The Democratic Party needed to flip seven seats (13% of seats up) in order to win control of the chamber.
- Seats decided by less than 10% in the last election: Sixteen of the seats up for election (29% of seats up) in 2022 were decided by margins of 10 percentage points or smaller the last time they were up.
- 2020 battleground chamber: The Georgia State Senate was a battleground chamber in 2020. That year, the Democratic Party gained one seat from the Republican Party. Read more about the 2020 elections here.
- Other 2022 battleground election: The 2022 elections for governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are also battleground races.
Battleground races
District 6
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was an open district where the Democratic Party maintains a partisan lean of less than 55% according to Dave's Redistricting. In 2020, Democratic incumbent Jen Jordan was re-elected with 62% of the vote of the compared to Republican candidate Harrison Lance’s 39% of the vote.
District 7
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was an open district where the Democratic Party maintains a partisan lean of less than 55% according to Dave's Redistricting. In 2020, Republican incumbent Tyler Harper was re-elected unopposed.
District 14
What party controlled the seat heading into the election?
Who were the candidates running?
What made this a battleground race?
This was an open district where the Democratic Party maintains a partisan lean of less than 55% according to Dave's Redistricting. In 2020, Republican incumbent Bruce Thompson was re-elected 70% of the vote compared to Democratic candidate Travis Johnson’s 30% of the vote.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Click a link below to read survey responses from candidates in that district:
- District 1
- District 2
- District 3
- District 4
- District 5
- District 6
- District 7
- District 8
- District 9
- District 10
- District 11
- District 12
- District 13
- District 14
- District 15
- District 16
- District 17
- District 18
- District 19
- District 20
- District 21
- District 22
- District 23
- District 24
- District 25
- District 26
- District 27
- District 28
- District 29
- District 30
- District 31
- District 32
- District 33
- District 34
- District 35
- District 36
- District 37
- District 38
- District 39
- District 40
- District 41
- District 42
- District 43
- District 44
- District 45
- District 46
- District 47
- District 48
- District 49
- District 50
- District 51
- District 52
- District 53
- District 54
- District 55
- District 56
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
No incumbents lost in general elections.
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
No incumbents lost in primaries. Before 2022, an incumbent senator last lost in a primary in 2014 when two—Sens. Don Balfour (R) and Steve Thompson (D)—lost to primary challengers.
Retiring incumbents
Ten incumbents were not on the ballot in 2022.[1] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lester Jackson |  Democratic |
Senate District 2 | Other office |
| Sheila McNeill |  Republican |
Senate District 3 | Retired |
| Jen Jordan | Democratic |
Senate District 6 | Other office |
| Tyler Harper | Republican |
Senate District 7 | Other office |
| Bruce Thompson | Republican |
Senate District 14 | Different seat |
| Burt Jones | Republican |
Senate District 25 | Other office |
| Lindsey Tippins | Republican |
Senate District 37 | Retired |
| Michelle Au | Democratic |
Senate District 48 | Other office |
| Butch Miller | Republican |
Senate District 49 | Other office |
| Jeff Mullis | Republican |
Senate District 53 | Retired |
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Georgia. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
| Georgia state legislative competitiveness, 2014-2022 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Districts/ offices |
Seats | Open seats | Candidates | Possible primaries | Contested Democratic primaries | Contested Republican primaries | % of contested primaries | Incumbents in contested primaries | % of incumbents in contested primaries |
| 2022 | 236 | 236 | 51 | 493 | 472 | 51 | 53 | 22.0% | 63 | 33.5% |
| 2020 | 236 | 236 | 26 | 476 | 472 | 49 | 31 | 16.9% | 42 | 20.0% |
| 2018 | 236 | 236 | 20 | 438 | 472 | 44 | 43 | 18.4% | 53 | 24.5% |
| 2016 | 236 | 236 | 19 | 386 | 472 | 31 | 45 | 16.1% | 49 | 22.6% |
| 2014 | 236 | 236 | 17 | 364 | 472 | 23 | 39 | 13.1% | 48 | 21.9% |
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Georgia in 2022. Information below was calculated on May 19, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Sixty-three of the 188 Georgia state legislators who filed for re-election in 2022—27 Democrats and 36 Republicans—faced contested primaries. That equals 34% of incumbents who filed for re-election, the highest rate since 2014. The remaining 66% of incumbents did not face primary challengers.
A contested primary is one where more candidates are running than there are nominations available. After redistricting, it is common to see primaries where two incumbents run against one another. This can happen if a district's lines are redrawn to place two incumbents in the same district.
In 2022, there were three incumbent versus incumbent primaries in Georgia. In these races, since only one candidate can win the nomination, one incumbent was guaranteed to lose:
- House District 100: Reps. David Clark (R) and Bonnie Rich (R), from House Districts 98 and 97, respectively, filed to run against one another.
- House District 106: Rep. Shelly Hutchinson (D), from House District 107, filed to run against Rep. Rebecca Mitchell (D).
- House District 149: Rep. Danny Mathis (R), from House District 144, filed to run against Rep. Robert Pruitt (R).
The total number of contested primaries—including those without incumbents—also reached its highest point since 2014. With 236 districts, there are 472 possible primaries every election cycle.
In 2022, there were 104 contested primaries—51 Democratic primaries and 53 for Republicans. For Democrats, this was up from 49 in 2020, a 4% increase. For Republicans, that number increased 71%, from 31 in 2020 to 53 in 2022.
This was also the state's first cycle since 2016 with more Republican primaries than those for Democrats.
Overall, 495 major party candidates filed to run in 2022: 238 Democrats and 257 Republicans. That equals 2.1 candidates per district, up from 2.0 in 2020 and 1.9 in 2018.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Georgia State Senate from 2010 to 2022.[2] It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.
| Open Seats in Georgia State Senate elections: 2010 - 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2022 | 56 | 10 (18 percent) | 46 (82 percent) |
| 2020 | 56 | 9 (16 percent) | 47 (84 percent) |
| 2018 | 56 | 3 (5 percent) | 53 (95 percent) |
| 2016 | 56 | 3 (5 percent) | 53 (95 percent) |
| 2014 | 56 | 7 (13 percent) | 49 (87 percent) |
| 2012 | 56 | 2 (4 percent) | 54 (96 percent) |
| 2010 | 56 | 11 (20 percent) | 45 (80 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 21, Chapter 2, Article 4 of the Georgia Code
There are four ways for a candidate to gain ballot access in Georgia: as a political party candidate, as a political organization candidate, as an independent candidate or as a write-in.
Requirements for all candidates
All candidates are required to pay a filing fee; filing fees vary from year-to-year. In lieu of a filing fee, a candidate may submit a pauper's affidavit and qualifying petition, which certifies that the candidate is unable to pay the fee. The affidavit includes a financial statement that lists the candidate's total income, assets, liabilities, and other relevant financial information. This information must indicate that the candidate has neither the assets nor the income to pay the qualifying fee normally required. The pauper's affidavit must be accompanied by a qualifying petition containing signatures as follows:[3]
- One-fourth of 1 percent of the total number of registered voters eligible to vote in the last general election if the candidate is seeking statewide office
- 1 percent of the total number of registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for the office being sought by the candidate if the candidate is seeking an office other than statewide office
Political party candidates
A political party candidate is nominated at his or her party's primary election. An individual cannot become a political party candidate if he or she has already qualified for the same primary election with a different political party, or if he or she has filed as an independent or political organization candidate. Political parties determine the rules for qualifying to appear on the primary election ballot. However, there are some stipulations set by the state to which all political party candidates must adhere. These include the following:[4][5][6]
- filing a declaration of candidacy and an affidavit with the political party during the political party qualifying period, which is set by the Georgia Secretary of State; the affidavit must state the following:
- the name of the candidate as he or she wishes it to appear on the ballot
- the candidate’s residence
- the candidate’s occupation
- the candidate’s precinct
- that the candidate is eligible to vote in the primary in which he or she is running
- the office the candidate is seeking
- that the candidate is eligible to hold the office he or she is seeking
- that the candidate will not knowingly violate any election rule or law
- that the candidate has never been convicted or sentenced for violation of election laws, malfeasance in office or a felony involving moral turpitude, or, if the candidate has been convicted and sentenced for such crimes, that at least 10 years have passed since completion of the sentence and that the candidate's civil rights have been restored
- paying the qualifying fee or submitting a pauper's affidavit and the accompanying qualifying petition
Within three days of the end of the qualifying period, a political party must certify to the Georgia Secretary of State a list of those candidates who successfully qualified with the party for the primary election and turn in the qualifying fees paid by the candidates, the declarations of candidacy, and the affidavits.[7]
Political organization candidates
A political organization candidate can be nominated by his or her organization's convention, if the political organization has qualified to hold such a convention, or by petition. A candidate cannot file as a political organization candidate if he or she has already filed for the same office as a political party candidate.[5]
If nominated by convention, a political organization candidate must file a notice of candidacy with the Georgia Secretary of State during the political party qualifying period. After a candidate is chosen at the convention, the candidate must pay the filing fee for the corresponding office to the Georgia Secretary of State. If the candidate cannot afford the filing fee, he or she must file a pauper's affidavit and accompanying qualifying petition. With the filing fee or pauper's affidavit, a certified copy of the minutes of the convention, attested to by the chairperson and secretary of the convention, must also be filed.[3][8]
If nominated by petition, a political organization candidate must file a notice of candidacy, petition, and qualifying fee (or pauper's affidavit) with the Georgia Secretary of State during the independent candidate qualifying period, which starts on the fourth Monday in June and ends the following Friday. The signature requirements for these petitions are the same as those for independent candidates, which are listed below. In order for a candidate filing by petition to be recognized as a political organization candidate, the political organization must provide a sworn certificate stating that the named candidate is the nominee of that political organization.[3][9]
Independent candidates
A candidate cannot run as an independent if he or she has qualified for the same office with any political party or political organization. An independent candidate must file a notice of candidacy, petition, and qualifying fee (or pauper's affidavit) with the Georgia Secretary of State during the independent candidate qualifying period, which starts on the fourth Monday in June and ends the following Friday. The signature requirements for the petitions are as follows:[3][5][9]
- For a candidate seeking statewide office, the petition must be signed by registered voters equal in number to 1 percent of the total registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for the same office the candidate is seeking.
- For candidates seeking any other office, the petition must be signed by registered voters equal in number to 5 percent of the total registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for the same office the candidate is seeking.
Petitions cannot be circulated for more than 180 days between the signing of the first signature and the last.[9]
Write-in candidates
A write-in candidate can only run in the general election. A candidate cannot run as a write-in if he or she ran for the same office as a political party candidate in the immediately preceding primary election. A write-in candidate must file a notice of intention of write-in candidacy with the Georgia Secretary of State no earlier than January 1 in the year of the election and no later than the first Monday in September in the year of the election. After the notice of intention is filed, a notice must also be published in a newspaper with general circulation in the state. Once this notice has been published, the candidate must file with the Georgia Secretary of State a copy of the published notice, as well as an affidavit stating that the notice has been published. The affidavit can be filled out by the candidate or by the publisher or an employee of the newspaper.[10]
Qualifications
According to the Georgia Constitution, Georgia Senators must be at least 25 years old, American citizens, Georgia citizens for at least two years and a resident of his or her Senatorial District for at least one year immediately preceding election.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[11] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $24,341.64/year | $247/day |
When sworn in
Georgia legislators assume office the second Monday in January.[12]
Georgia political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Georgia Party Control: 1992-2025
Eleven years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-one years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Georgia
2020 Presidential election results
 |
Incumbents are bolded and underlined The results have been certified. |
Total votes: 4,997,716 |
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Georgia
Redistricting following the 2020 census
The district court's approval of remedial state legislative maps is on appeal before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral argument was scheduled for January 23, 2025.[13]
Governor Kemp (R) signed revised legislative maps into law on December 8, 2023. Legislators in the Georgia House of Representatives voted 98-71 to adopt the new state legislative maps on December 5. The Georgia State Senate voted 32-23 to adopt the state legislative maps on December 1. For more information about the enacted legislative maps, click here.[14][15]
Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
Georgia State Senate Districts
until January 12, 2025
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Georgia State Senate Districts
starting January 13, 2025
Click a district to compare boundaries.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-132," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-151," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-137," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-153," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-154," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-172," accessed February 4, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-170," accessed February 4, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Code, "Section 21-2-133," accessed February 3, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "Georgia Constitution - Article III, Section IV, Paragraph I," accessed February 12, 2021
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "11th Circuit Considers Fate of Georgia Maps in High-Stakes Redistricting Case," January 21, 2025
- ↑ Georgia General Assembly, "Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office - Proposed Plans," accessed December 11, 2023
- ↑ Twitter, "RedistrictNet," December 7, 2023
Leadership
Minority Leader:Harold Jones
Senators
Republican Party (33)
Democratic Party (23)
