Qualifying opens this week for candidates seeking to run in the special election to fill the vacant Georgia Senate District 53 seat, according to a call issued by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
The special election is scheduled for March 10, 2026, and will be held in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker, and portions of Floyd counties. A runoff election, if necessary, will take place on April 7, 2026.
The vacancy was created after Sen. Colton Moore qualified to run in the special election for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Candidate qualifying will be conducted at the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Elections Division, located at 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Floyd West Tower, Suite 802, in Atlanta. Qualifying will be held Thursday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 2, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The qualifying fee is $400.
Voters who are not currently registered must do so by Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, to be eligible to vote in the special election. Advance in-person absentee voting is set to begin on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.
Additional election information, including updates and voting details, is available through the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.