2018 Georgia Secretary of State election explained

Election Name:2018 Georgia Secretary of State election
Country:Georgia (U.S. state)
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2014 Georgia elections#Secretary of State
Previous Year:2014
Next Election:2022 Georgia Secretary of State election
Next Year:2022
Election Date:November 6, 2018 (general)
December 4, 2018 (runoff)
1Blank:First round
2Blank:Runoff
Image1:File:Brad Raffensperger 2022.jpg
Nominee1:Brad Raffensperger
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
1Data1:1,906,588
49.09%
2Data1:764,855
51.89%
Nominee2:John Barrow
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
1Data2:1,890,310
48.67%
2Data2:709,049
48.11%
Secretary of State
Before Election:Brian Kemp
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Brad Raffensperger
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:61.44% (first round)
22.98% (runoff)

The 2018 Georgia Secretary of State election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Secretary of State of Georgia. It was held concurrently with the 2018 gubernatorial election, as well as elections for the United States Senate and elections for the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican Incumbent Secretary of State Brian Kemp chose not to run for re-election and instead ran successfully for governor. Since no candidate received the requisite 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates, Democrat John Barrow and Republican Brad Raffensperger proceeded to a runoff on December 4, 2018.[1]

At 22.98%, the runoff saw the lowest voter turnout out of any Georgia statewide election since the senate runoff of 1992.

In the runoff election, Raffensperger unexpectedly flipped rural counties Sumter and Warren, which were reliably Democratic counties that have not voted Republican on the presidential levels since 1972 for Warren, and 2004 for Sumter. However, both counties have been trending Republican in recent elections. Raffensperger also flipped Atlanta suburban counties Cobb and Newton, which have been trending away from Republicans in recent elections. As of 2022, this was the last time Cobb and Newton went Republican in a statewide race in Georgia.

Georgia has been a Republican triplex since 2011, meaning that its governor, attorney general, and secretary of state have all been members of the same party. The state maintained that status following this election, as Republicans won every statewide office. This was the first time in Georgia state history that any statewide executive election went to a second round.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in runoff

Eliminated in primary

Declined

First round

Results

Runoff

Results

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Declined

Results

Libertarian convention

Candidates

Nominee

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin
of error		Brad
Raffensperger (R)		John
Barrow (D)		Smythe
DuVal (L)		Undecided
20/20 Insights (D-Southern Majority)[16] October 31 – November 2, 2018614± 4.0%42% align=center48%3%7%
Cygnal (R)[17] October 27–30, 2018467± 4.4% align=center47%45%6%2%
University of Georgia[18] September 30 – October 9, 20181,232± 2.8% align=center41%37%6%15%
Public Policy Polling[19] October 5–6, 2018729± 3.0% align=center43%41%–16%
Gravis Marketing[20] July 27–29, 2018650± 3.8%41% align=center45%–15%

Runoff

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 11 Alive: Georgia's Secretary of State race will go to a runoff on Dec. 4 . 2018-11-19 . 2021-01-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145314/https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/elections/georgias-secretary-of-state-race-will-go-to-a-runoff-on-dec-4/85-4f000501-cd80-49cc-abf0-561f338acb2d . live .
  2. Web site: New Entrant For Secretary Of State. GeorgiaPol.com. Hassinger. Mike. April 4, 2017. May 10, 2017. January 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145328/https://www.georgiapol.com/2017/04/04/new-entrant-secretary-state/. live.
  3. Web site: Alpharetta mayor announces candidacy for Georgia Secretary of State. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. April 24, 2017. May 10, 2017. January 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145316/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/alpharetta-mayor-announces-candidacy-for-georgia-secretary-state/Y66jmJisZjsUodVdeLWJvN/. live.
  4. Web site: Buzz Brockway to seek Secretary of State gig in 2018. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. March 13, 2017. April 12, 2017. April 12, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170412114620/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2017/03/13/buzz-brockway-to-seek-secretary-of-state-gig-in-2018/. live.
  5. Web site: Georgia's "religious liberty" senator joins Secretary of State race. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Salzer. James. July 6, 2017. July 6, 2017. January 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145316/https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-religious-liberty-senator-joins-secretary-state-race/DFPIbKXuK0SUTP2RmaJfuN/. live.
  6. Web site: Brian Kemp enters race for governor. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. March 31, 2017. March 31, 2017. March 31, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170331142417/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2017/03/31/georgia-2018-brian-kemp-enters-race-for-governor/. live.
  7. Web site: An early Donald Trump backer aims for higher office in Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. July 5, 2016. September 23, 2016. September 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160924114935/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2016/07/05/an-early-donald-trump-backer-aims-for-higher-office-in-georgia/. live.
  8. Web site: Pro-Trump loyalist Michael Williams enters governor race. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. June 2, 2017. June 2, 2017. June 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170601223115/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2017/06/01/georgia-2018-pro-trump-loyalist-michael-williams-enters-governor-race/. live.
  9. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/june7goprunofftabs.pdf Rosetta Stone
  10. Web site: John Barrow aims for comeback with bid for Georgia secretary of state. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. September 25, 2017. September 25, 2017. September 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170925225858/http://politics.blog.myajc.com/2017/09/25/barrow-aims-for-a-political-comeback-with-bid-for-georgia-statewide-office/. live.
  11. Web site: Vogtle fallout: Ending reactor project, loss of thousands of jobs on table. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bluestein. Greg. March 29, 2017. March 31, 2017. March 30, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170330200011/http://politics.blog.ajc.com/2017/03/29/westinghouse-fallout-ending-vogtle-nuke-project-loss-of-thousands-of-jobs-are-possibilities/. live.
  12. Web site: Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson weighs run for governor, secretary of state. Ledger-Enquirer. Williams. Chuck. April 12, 2017. April 12, 2017. January 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145331/https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/politics-government/election/article144144639.html. live.
  13. Web site: Mayor Teresa Tomlinson makes decision on running for 2018 statewide office. Ledger-Enquirer. Williams. Chuck. May 10, 2017. May 10, 2017. January 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145319/https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/article149669354.html. live.
  14. Web site: J. Smythe DuVal for Secretary of State . 2018-02-07 . 2018-02-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123553/http://duvalforga.net/ . live .
  15. Web site: Jacobson . Louis . Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever . Governing . 22 September 2019 . 4 June 2018 . 5 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210105145321/https://www.governing.com/archive/gov-secretary-state-races-2018.html . live .
  16. https://www.scribd.com/document/392234994/Southern-Majority-20-20-Insights-Polling 20/20 Insights (D-Southern Majority)
  17. http://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/42513-Cygnal-GA-Toplines-3.pdf Cygnal (R)
  18. https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/ajc-channel-poll-duncan-leads-amico-lieutenant-governor-race/YVKyvL8UGKctQmVnseRjtI/ University of Georgia
  19. https://drive.google.com/file/d/16f1CFRu_nbvIm3ioh16-jPgRJ_GDQaQO/view Public Policy Polling
  20. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/Georgia_July_30_2018.pdf Gravis Marketing

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