How Primaries work in Georgia
Start here.
Think of the primaries like the big NCAA tournament. They set the field for the finals - and most of the real decisions happen here, not in November.
Multiple candidates compete. You choose which party's ballot to vote on - Democratic or Republican. It doesn't matter what your party affiliation is. You pick.
If no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote, the top two candidates face off in a runoff election.
Primary winners compete in the general election. The person with the most votes becomes the elected official.
Why the primary matters: In many Georgia districts, the primary effectively decides who wins. When only one party is competitive in a district, the primary winner almost always goes on to win in November. That means May 19 is often the election that counts most.
Any registered Georgia voter can participate in either party's primary - you don't have to be registered with that party. You simply choose which ballot to request when you show up to vote.