2022 Georgia State Superintendent of Schools election

2022 Georgia State Superintendent of Schools election

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Candidate Richard Woods Alisha Thomas Searcy Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,115,728 1,788,671 Percentage 54.19% 45.81%

County results Precinct results Woods:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%     >90% Thomas Searcy:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%     >90%

State Superintendent before election Richard Woods Republican Elected State Superintendent Richard Woods Republican

The 2022 Georgia State Superintendent of Schools election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the Georgia State Superintendent of Schools, concurrently with elections to the United States Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, and other state and local elections. Primary elections were held on May 24, 2022. ^[1] A debate was held on October 17, 2022. ^[2]

Incumbent Republican superintendent Richard Woods ran for re-election to a third term in office, defeating former Republican superintendent John Barge in a rematch of the 2018 Republican primary for the same office. ^[3] Critical race theory, the COVID-19 response, school choice and transgender students were key issues throughout the campaign. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} Searcy criticized the Georgia Democratic Party and aligned organizations, including Stacey Abrams, for allegedly ostracizing her due to her stances on charter schools. ^{[8] [9]}

Woods defeated Searcy in the general election, slightly expanding on his 2018 margin of victory. ^{[10] [11]}

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Richard Woods, incumbent State Superintendent of Schools (2015-present) ^[12]

Eliminated in primary

• John Barge, former State Superintendent of Schools (2011-2015) and candidate for Georgia's 14th congressional district in 2020 ^[13]

Results

Republican primary results ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard Woods (incumbent)	802,260	72.61%
	Republican	John Barge	302,681	27.39%
Total votes			1,104,941	100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Alisha Thomas Searcy, state representative from the 39th district (2003-2015), former Atlanta school superintendent, and candidate for state superintendent in 2014 ^{[15] [16]}

Eliminated in primary

• Currey Hitchens, attorney and former teacher ^[16]
• Jaha Howard, Cobb County school board member ^[17]
• James Morrow, teacher ^[16]

Withdrew before primary

• Everton Blair, chairman of the Gwinnett County school board ^[18]

Endorsements

Alisha Thomas Searcy

Individuals

• Timothy McDonald, preacher and former president of the Concerned Black Clergy of Atlanta ^[19]

Everton Blair (withdrawn)

U.S. representatives

• Lucy McBath, U.S. representative for Georgia's 6th congressional district (2019-present) ^[20]

Results

Democratic primary results ^[21]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Alisha Thomas Searcy	382,792	56.98%
	Democratic	Jaha Howard	100,675	14.99%
	Democratic	James Morrow	97,821	14.56%
	Democratic	Currey Hitchens	90,514	13.47%
Total votes			671,802	100.00%

General election

Post-primary endorsements

Richard Woods (R)

Labor unions

• Georgia Association of Educators ^[22]

Alisha Thomas Searcy (D)

State representatives

• Stacey Abrams, minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives (2011-2017), former state representative (2007-2017), founder of Fair Fight Action, and nominee for governor in 2018 and 2022 ^[22]

Organizations

• Georgia Equality ^[23]

Debate

2022 Georgia State School Superintendent debate

No.	Date	Host	Moderator	Link	Republican	Democratic
Key:  P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited  W  Withdrawn
					Richard Woods	Alisha Thomas Searcy
1	October 17, 2022	Atlanta Press Club	Jeff Hullinger	YouTube	P	P

Results

2022 Georgia State Superintendent of Schools election ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard Woods (incumbent)	2,115,728	54.19%
	Democratic	Alisha Thomas Searcy	1,788,671	45.81%
Total votes			3,904,399	100.00%
	Republican hold

References

1. "2022 Scheduled Elections Calendar of Events" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of State of Georgia. February 21, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
2. Williams, Ross (October 17, 2022). "Sparks fly in state school superintendent candidate debate in clashes over past governance". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
3. Van Brimmer, Adam (May 25, 2022). "Richard Woods wins rematch, will face former Georgia House member in school superintendent's race". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
4. Jacobson, Linda (October 3, 2022). "School Choice Blurring Party Lines in Georgia Superintendent Race as Teachers' Union Aims to Take Down Democrat". The 74. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
5. Dixon, Kristal (October 14, 2022). "Georgia school superintendent race heats up". Axios. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
6. Van Brimmer, Adam (April 26, 2022). "Who is running for Georgia state school superintendent?" . Savannah Morning News. Retrieved October 23, 2025. The politicization of education issues, such as how race is taught in schools, participation of transgender students in school athletic programs and the inclusion of sexually explicit books in school libraries, has thrust the superintendent into the spotlight.
7. "Culture war and COVID-19 dominate superintendent races". Atlanta News First. May 11, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
8. Chakraborty, Barnini (September 28, 2022). "Stacey Abrams accused by fellow Georgia Democrat of excluding her from party". The Denver Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
9. Murphy, Patricia; Bluestein, Greg; Mitchell, Tia (September 28, 2022). "The Jolt: Georgia Democrat says she's being ostracized by Abrams' allies" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
10. "Georgia Election Results". The New York Times. December 6, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
11. "2018 Georgia School Superintendent Election Results". Commercial Appeal. November 21, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
12. Diez, Christie (March 14, 2022). "Meet the candidates hoping to run Georgia schools | Richard Woods". 11Alive. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
13. "Election denial backfires for opponents in Georgia primary". 11Alive. Associated Press. May 25, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
14. "State School Superintendent - Rep". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
15. Williams, Ross (August 19, 2022). "Georgia state school superintendent candidates lay out visions for teacher retention, funding". Georgia Recorder. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
16. "Incumbents in Georgia face primary opponents down the ballot". Dalton Daily Citizen. May 23, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
17. Tagami, Ty (January 14, 2022). "Cobb school board member Jaha Howard runs for state superintendent" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 23, 2025. Cobb County school board member Dr. Jaha Howard is entering the campaign.
18. Bluestein, Greg (January 18, 2022). "Democrat Blair is running for Georgia school superintendent". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
19. Eaton, Maynard (May 13, 2022). "Prominent Black clergy endorses Alisha Thomas Searcy for State Superintendent". The Atlanta Voice. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
20. Harper, Ella (February 4, 2022). "Everton Blair Jr. Campaign for Ga State Superintendent". The Mill Creek Chronicle. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
21. "State School Superintendent - Dem". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
22. Rayam, Lisa; Oppenheimer, Lily (September 30, 2022). "Georgia Schools Superintendent candidate Alisha Searcy sets the record straight on party alliance". WABE. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
23. "2022 Endorsements". Georgia Equality PAC. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
24. "State School Superintendent". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved November 20, 2025.