Georgia governor’s race candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson urge voters to cast early ballots

Early voting begins across Georgia ahead of the November 3 election, with Keisha Lance Bottoms campaigning in Stockbridge and Rick Jackson in Atlanta.

Georgia’s 2026 governor’s race is entering a critical stretch as early voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 13. Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican candidate Rick Jackson urged voters to participate ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.

According to FOX 5 Atlanta, both campaigns are emphasizing turnout as recent polling points to a closely contested race. The candidates made separate campaign appearances Monday, with Jackson campaigning in Atlanta alongside Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, while Bottoms met supporters in Stockbridge.

Jackson framed his campaign as a continuation of the current governor’s leadership. “The election is a clear choice. We’re going to build on Brian Kemp’s legacy and take Georgia to the next level,” Jackson told reporters. Kemp also emphasized the importance of turnout as early voting approached, saying, “We got early voting starting tomorrow. This is all about getting the vote out.”

Meanwhile, Bottoms encouraged Georgians to vote before Election Day rather than wait until Nov. 3. “This is about getting out the vote,” Bottoms said. “This is about encouraging people to show up and vote early. Don’t wait until Election Day.” Bottoms also cited Georgia’s 2018 governor’s race to make the case that small numbers of ballots can matter in a close election.

“I want to remind people that in 2018, 21 votes per precinct, on average, made the difference between the winner and loser in the governor’s race, just 21 votes per precinct,” she said. “So, for anybody who believes that their vote doesn’t count, they should look back at those numbers in 2018. Every vote matters, and that’s the reason that we want voices to be heard and reflected through votes.”

The candidates’ campaign appearances came as Bottoms prepared to participate in an Atlanta Press Club debate Monday night without Jackson, who declined the invitation. FOX 5 reported that Jackson had agreed to participate in one debate during the campaign. Asked why he skipped the forum, Jackson said he had spent months meeting voters across Georgia and had not encountered voters asking about a debate.