The field for Georgia’s Secretary of State primary is officially set. Nine candidates are running for the office, including four Democrats and five Republicans.
Georgia Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections across the state and certifying the final results. Beyond the ballot box, the role also handles annual corporate filings, grants professional licenses, and oversees Georgia’s securities market.
Find a list of the candidates for the office below, along with a brief summary of their stances:
Democratic Secretary of State candidates
Adrian Consonery Jr. (Houston County) – Occupation: Minister; Website: AJ4GA.ORG
According to his website, Consonery’s platform centers on expanding voter access and transparency, modernizing professional licensing to be more efficient, and implementing securities market reforms to protect everyday investors.
Cam Ashling (Gwinnett County) – Occupation: Business Owner; Website: CAMLOVESGA.COM
Ashling’s campaign website emphasizes “protecting the freedom to vote” by fighting voter suppression, streamlining business registration to foster economic growth, and ensuring the Secretary of State’s office remains nonpartisan and transparent.
Dana Barrett (Fulton County) – Occupation: Consultant; Website: ELECTDANABARRETT.COM
A current Fulton County Commissioner, Barrett’s website says her campaign focuses on protecting the sanctity of the vote against “baseless claims of fraud,” improving public health services, and reforming the criminal justice system to balance safety with equity.
Penny Brown Reynolds (Fulton County) – Occupation: Attorney/Jurist; Website: PENNYFORGEORGIA.COM
Former Judge Brown Reynolds is running on a “Georgia for All of Us” theme, prioritizing the protection of voting rights, safeguarding vulnerable communities from financial scams, and making state licensing services more accessible and fair.
Republican Secretary of State candidates
Ted Metz (Forsyth County) – Occupation: Retired; Website: TEDMETZ.COM
Metz advocates for a “3-dimensional” approach to transportation infrastructure, the legalization of industrial hemp and medical cannabis, and reducing the “burden” of over-regulation on Georgia businesses.
Kelvin King (Cobb County) – Occupation: Business Owner; Website: KELVINKING.COM
King’s “Secure Elections” plan calls for hand-counting ballots to confirm digital results, cleaning up voter rolls to remove illegal registrations, and expanding the privatization of business licensing to speed up approvals.
Gabriel Sterling (Fulton County) – Occupation: COO, SOS Office; Website: GABRIELSTERLING.COM
The former COO of the Secretary of State’s office, Sterling’s campaign is built on his record of defending election results and a commitment to keeping Georgia’s elections the “safest in the nation” while focusing on property tax reform, according to his website.
Tim Fleming (Newton County) – Occupation: State Representative; Website: FLEMINGFORGA.COM
A former chief of staff to Governor Kemp, Fleming’s “Georgia First” priorities include strengthening election integrity, cutting red tape for small businesses, and ensuring “illegals” are prevented from voting.
Vernon Jones (Putnam County) – Occupation: Consultant; Website: VERNONJONESSOS2026.COM
According to their website, Jones is campaigning to switch Georgia to a paper ballot system, strictly curtail mail-in voting to specific groups like the disabled and military, and transform the office into an “engine for economic growth” by slashing corporate licensing hurdles.
Georgia 2026 primaries
The primaries are set for May 19, with runoffs scheduled for June 7 should no candidate hit the majority threshold. To vote in the primary, you must be registered to vote by April 20.
