Several elections took place in the U.S state of Georgia in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020, and the runoff on January 5, 2021. A combined partisan primary for president and all other offices on the ballot was held on June 9, 2020, with a primary runoff held on August 11.
To vote by mail, registered Georgia voters must have requested a ballot by October 30, 2020.[1] By early October some 1,589,147 voters requested mail ballots.[2] Following the November 3, 2020 general election, voters whose mail-in ballots were rejected could make corrections ("cure") until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020.[3][4]
Georgia had 16 electoral votes in the Electoral College. DemocratJoe Biden won all of them with 49.5% of the popular vote. It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had won Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992.
A special election was held for the 5th district due to the death of the incumbentJohn Lewis. The first round was held on September 29 and the runoff was held on December 1. Democrat Kwanza Hall won the seat.
Incumbent Republican David Perdue, first elected in 2014, lost his reelection bid to challenger Jon Ossoff. Perdue won the first round with 49.73% of the vote, but in the runoff election lost to Ossoff's 50.61% vote share.
Following the resignation of Senator Johny Isakson in 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to serve out the term. Republican senator Loeffler then went on to come second in the first round with 25.9% of the vote while Democratic pastor Raphael Warnock won with 32.9%. Warnock went on to win in the runoff with 51.04% of the vote, becoming the first black senator to represent Georgia.
Elections were held for Public Service Commission districts 1 and 4. While Republican incumbent appointee Jason Shaw defeated Democrat Robert Bryant for District 1, Republican incumbent Lauren "Bubba" McDonald was forced into a runoff against Democrat Daniel Blackman for District 4. McDonald defeated Blackman in the runoff held in January 2021.
All 180 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives were up for election in 2020. The Republicans won 103 seats and the Democrats won 77 seats.
Judicial elections
Two seats on the Supreme Court of Georgia were up for nonpartisan statewide election to succeed justices Charlie Bethel and Sarah Warren.[5] Both seats were contested; Bethel was challenged by former state legislator Beth Beskin and Warren was challenged by attorney Hal Moroz.[6] Both justices won their respective races.
Out of the state's 49 judicial circuits, 40 held elections for district attorney, and 15 incumbents were replaced either by primary or general election. In addition, a special election for the Western Judicial Circuit saw the appointed incumbent Democrat defeated in the first round, with Deborah Gonzalez winning the second round against James Chafin (independent).
Augusta: Natalie Paine (R) was defeated by Jared Williams (D)
Brunswick: Jackie Johnson (R) was defeated by Keith Higgins (independent)
Chatham: Meg Heap (R) was defeated by Shelena Cook Jones (D)
Chattahoochee: Julia Slater (D) was defeated in the Democratic primary by Mark Jones (D), who had no general challenger
Cobb: Joyette Holmes (R) was defeated by Flynn Broady (D)
Fulton: Paul Howard (D) was defeated in the Democratic primary runoff by Fani Willis (D), who had no general challenger
Gwinnett: Danny Porter (R) was defeated by Patsy Austin-Gatson (D)
Macon: David Cooke (D) was defeated in the Democratic primary by Anita Reynolds Howard (D), who had no general challenger
Ballot measures
Amendment 1
"Allow Tax Revenue Dedication"
Amendment 1 results by county
Yes:
80–90%
70–80%
60–70%
Authorizes the Georgia State Legislature to pass legislation establishing special funds with dedicated revenue sources to fund statute specific projects.
Amendment 1
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
3,862,568
81.62
No
869,540
18.38
Total votes
4,732,108
100.00
Amendment 2
"Waive Sovereign Immunity"
Amendment 2 results by county
Yes:
80–90%
70–80%
60–70%
Waives the state's sovereign immunity, allowing residents to seek relief through the superior courts from state or local laws that are found to violate the U.S. Constitution, state Constitution, or state law.
Amendment 2
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
3,491,296
74.46
No
1,197,792
25.54
Total votes
4,689,088
100.00
Referendum A
"Extend Charity Tax Exemption"
Referendum A results by county
Yes:
70–80%
60–70%
50–60%
Exempts property taxes for property owned by a 501(c)(3) public charity as long as the property is owned exclusively for the purpose of building or repairing single-family homes and the charity provides interest-free financing to the purchaser of the home.
"Election Guides: Georgia", Spreadthevote.org, archived from the original on October 4, 2020, retrieved October 7, 2020. (Guidance to help voters get to the polls; addresses transport, childcare, work, information challenges)
"Voting in Georgia", Voting Information by State, Rock the Vote . ("Deadlines, dates, requirements, registration options and information on how to vote in your state")
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