Twelve Georgia Legislative Races Head to June 16 Runoffs After Primary Fails to Produce Majorities
Why It Matters
Georgia voters will return to the polls next month after candidates in a dozen state legislative contests failed to secure the majority needed to avoid a runoff. The outcomes will determine who fills open seats across both chambers, with several districts left vacant by incumbents who resigned, retired, or made bids for higher office.
The runoffs carry added weight given record Democratic primary turnout and Republican spending dominance recorded during the May primary cycle — dynamics that could shape both parties’ strategies heading into the general election.
What Happened
Candidates across five state Senate districts and seven state House districts fell short of the majority threshold required to win outright, triggering runoff elections scheduled for June 16. At least one week of early voting will precede that date.
The open seats stem from a wave of departures: several incumbents stepped down to pursue statewide office, others retired, and at least two vacated their seats following legal troubles. Voters who cast a partisan ballot in the May primary must remain with that party in the runoff; those who sat out the primary or voted on a nonpartisan ballot may choose either party’s runoff contest.
By the Numbers
12 total runoffs: five in the Senate, seven in the House.
Senate District 51: Republican Will Wade led with roughly 43% of the vote; Philip Milam trailed at 41% — one of the tightest margins of the night.
Senate District 10: Democrat Larry Johnson came within two points of an outright win at 48%, forcing a runoff against Gabrielle Rogers, who received 27%.
House District 47: Republican Jack Miller finished at 49% — just shy of a majority — against Brian Cochran’s 37%, triggering one of the closest near-misses of the evening.
House District 68: A six-way Democratic primary produced a fragmented result, with the top finisher receiving only about 30% of the vote.
Key Races to Watch
In Senate District 7, voters will actually decide two separate contests. A special election runoff will determine who fills the remainder of former Sen. Nabilah Parkes’ term after she resigned to run for lieutenant governor. Simultaneously, a separate Democratic primary runoff between state Rep. Ruwa Romman (38%) and civil rights attorney Rahul Garabadu (33%) will determine the party’s nominee for the full seat. The winner of that contest will later face Republican Aizaz Shahbaz Shaikh, who ran unopposed on the GOP side.
Senate District 51 draws attention as the race to replace former Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, who fell short in his own bid for lieutenant governor. Republican state Rep. Will Wade faces attorney Philip Milam in a contest separated by just two percentage points.
In House District 94, a rematch is set between Democrat Venola Mason and Kelly Kautz. Mason previously defeated Kautz in a special election earlier this year for a seat vacated after the previous incumbent resigned ahead of a guilty plea related to pandemic-era unemployment fraud. Mason finished Tuesday’s primary with 48% — again falling just short of a majority.
House District 117 features an incumbent fighting to hold her seat. Republican Rep. Mary Ann Santos, first elected in 2024, finished second in a five-way contest with 26%, trailing Democratic challenger Kim Thomas Smith, who led with roughly 30%.
In House District 177, a Lowndes County seat became vacant after Democratic Rep. Dexter Sharper resigned shortly before entering a guilty plea on federal fraud charges. Family nurse practitioner Elsie Cason Napier led a five-way field with nearly 30%, ahead of former Valdosta Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Payton Jr. at roughly 26%. Payton is also competing in a separate special election runoff on June 9 to fill the remainder of Sharper’s term.
Zoom Out
Georgia’s runoff system — which requires a majority rather than a plurality to win a primary — regularly extends the election calendar and forces additional voter mobilization efforts. The dynamic is familiar territory for both parties: national political figures including President Trump have previously weighed in on Georgia legislative contests, underscoring the state’s continued role as a competitive battleground at every level of government.
What’s Next
Early voting for the June 16 runoffs is expected to begin at least one week prior. Winners of the Democratic and Republican primary runoffs will advance to November general election contests. In at least one House district — District 62 — no Republican qualified, meaning the Democratic runoff winner will be the de facto general election victor.