Fayetteville City Council – 6pm

• Agenda Link

• Annexation and rezoning of roughly 18 acres at 1336 Highway 54 (nine parcels near existing medical office uses) from Office Institutional to Professional Office; Planning Commission recommended unanimously, and staff recommends approval with conditions including sidewalk construction or a payment-in-lieu arrangement.

• Annexation and rezoning of three parcels totaling roughly 37 acres along Highway 54 and Lester Road from Agricultural Residential to Professional Office; Planning Commission voted 3-1 to instead recommend Planned Community District zoning, while staff recommends Professional Office with a two-year zoning-lock condition.

• Ordinance converting the monthly City Council work session into a second regular meeting, effective immediately for the remainder of 2026.

• Ordinance amending the city’s marijuana possession ordinance to align with the state’s new medical marijuana law (SB 220), exempting qualified medical use from local prosecution.

• Resolution supporting “The Same House Fayette” initiative, a partnership with Groundswell, Georgia Power, and QTS to weatherize and repair up to 20 high-energy-burden homes in the city; resolution carries no financial commitment from the city.

  • Looks to me like QTS and Georgia Power may be trying to win back some goodwill. This looks like a community initiative with big-league partners who are into cutting energy bills at the community and household level.

• Resolution approving early-morning concrete pour permits for QTS Data Center contractors Brassfield & Gorrie (4:30am weekdays for the DC4 building, through Oct. 15) and HITT Contracting (4am weekdays for DC6 through Nov. 1 and DC7 through Dec. 1), paired with a traffic and noise mitigation plan including a sound barrier wall.

Peachtree City Council – 6:30pm

• Agenda Link

• Presentation of Telly and Communicator Awards.

• New alcohol license for ¡Qué Delicia! at 1980 Highway 54, Suite E.

• Adoption of the FY2027 operating and capital improvement budget, with General Fund appropriations totaling roughly $60.8 million; takes effect Oct. 1.

• FY2027 Convention & Visitors Bureau budget of about $1.11 million, up 6% from FY2026.

• FY2027 budget for Keep Peachtree City Beautiful totaling roughly $258,948, funded largely by $144,000 in waste-hauler franchise fees.

• RFP for exclusive residential solid-waste collection — staff has no recommendation; Amwaste was the apparent low bidder among six proposals and presented to Council on Aug. 6, but Council is still gathering citizen feedback before deciding whether to move to a single-hauler system.

• Final draft of the Annexation Study from KB Advisory Group, based on interviews with Council, staff, and a July 16 public open house, identifying priority parcels for potential annexation.

• Public hearing on a Land Development Ordinance text amendment to Article XI — vegetation protection and landscape requirements — referred back to Planning Commission.

• Variance request for 219 Sandown Drive to allow an existing deck, gazebo, and utility-easement encroachment to remain, reducing the side setback to 0.3 feet and easement clearance to 0.3 feet; expands on a partial variance granted in 2003, and staff has no recommended conditions if approved.

Tyrone Town Council – 7pm

• Agenda Link

• Purchase of two fully equipped 2026 Ford Police Explorer Interceptors for $155,751.68 under state contract.

• Renewal of the Right-of-Way Mowing Contract with Aabby Group for $249,250.

• Renewal of the Fertilization and Weed Control Contract with TruGreen for $10,360.

• Award of the Shamrock Industrial Park Emergency Access Road project (PW-2024-09) to McLeRoy, Inc., not to exceed $289,023.12.

  • Currently, the only way in and out of Shamrock Industrial Park is across the railroad tracks. This emergency access road will solve that problem.

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Council Member Whelan was absent; all votes below passed 3-0 (Campbell, Hunter, Wheeler).

Public comment: Microsoft data center opposition. Seven residents spoke during the two public comment periods, nearly all addressing the proposed 161-acre Microsoft data center site. Concerns raised included the site’s location in a groundwater recharge area near Trickum Creek, potential water contamination from cooling additives, noise and light pollution, proximity to schools and power infrastructure, a reported drop in nearby home values, the lack of a detailed effluent plan from Microsoft, and questions about the timeline and financial terms of the town’s land sale to Microsoft. Multiple speakers called for a dedicated data center ordinance and cited Rockdale County’s 1,000-foot setback requirement as a model. One speaker raised health concerns about electromagnetic radiation; another objected to elected officials signing NDAs on public-impact projects.

Consent agenda approved 3-0, including the July 2, 2026 meeting minutes and the hiring of Derrick Buckner as Recreation Assistant.

Repeal of Sec. 8-2 (Polling Place) approved 3-0. The ordinance named a specific church as the town’s polling location and set an outdated early-voting schedule. Repeal allows polling sites to be designated operationally in coordination with Fayette County; the renovated old Town Hall community room is the anticipated future site. Council retains authority over site changes requiring substantive expenditures.

Staff response on BTP zoning and data center process. Town Manager Brandon Perkins and Assistant Town Manager Phillip Trocquet addressed the public comments at length. Key points: Microsoft has submitted only a required conceptual development plan as part of the zoning process two years ago, establishing building locations and substation placement — no detailed site plans have been submitted. The Business Technology Park (BTP) ordinance has not been amended since its February 2023 adoption; its 300,000-square-foot cap was set after public workshops for consistency with county precedent. Most of Tyrone lies within a groundwater recharge area, which triggers state and local review but does not prohibit development; Microsoft has not indicated plans to draw from the aquifer. Staff noted the town’s environmental and design standards (30% Class A materials, architectural articulation, tiered setbacks) are stricter than comparable Georgia municipalities.

Executive session held for one item of threatened litigation and to review July 2 executive session minutes; council reconvened and approved those minutes — both 3-0.

Council/staff notes: A draft on-call policy for Public Works is undergoing final review before returning to a future agenda. Council recognized Recreation Manager Krista McClenny and the America 250 Committee for the July 4th Shamrock Park celebration.

Meeting adjourned 9:06 p.m.

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Peachtree City Council (Special Called Work Session) – 5pm

• Agenda Link

• Presentation of the FY2027 City Manager’s Proposed Budget (Justin Strickland).

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Fayette County Zoning Board of Appeals – 7pm

• Agenda Link

• Variance reducing the side yard setback from 50 feet to 12 feet on a 2.95-acre A-R lot on Hill Road to allow construction of a detached garage; staff recommends approval, citing the lot’s irregular shape and an overhead power line easement bisecting the property.

Thursday

Fayette County Board of Commissioners – 5pm

• Agenda Link

• Recognition of Fayette County State Court’s 2025–2026 summer interns.

• Second and final public hearing and adoption, via Resolution 2026-13, of the FY2027 Annual Budget — a $159.4 million total budget including capital projects, built on a roughly $84.8 million General Fund; millage rate holds steady at 3.763 mills, and the General Fund balance is projected to grow by $547,154.

• Rezoning of 8.227 acres on McBride Road from A-R to R-80 for two single-family lots — returning after being tabled at the May 28 meeting for lack of a full board; staff and the Planning Commission recommend conditional approval, contingent on dedicating 40 feet of right-of-way along McBride Road.

• Rezoning of 54.46 acres on Milam Road from R-70 to A-R, shifting an existing single-family home and accessory structures to a less intensive agricultural-residential category consistent with the Future Land Use Map; staff and the Planning Commission recommend approval.

• Rezoning of a 2.34-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Inman Road and SR 92 from A-R to R-70 for single-family development; staff and the Planning Commission recommend conditional approval, requiring a 50-foot right-of-way dedication along Inman Road and relocation of the existing driveway to meet access standards.

• New intergovernmental agreement raising the Daily Inmate Rate charged to Fayetteville, Tyrone, and Peachtree City from $57.60 to $72.12 per inmate per day effective July 1 — the first update since 2022, based on an actual cost of $96.16 per day.

• Acceptance of Certificate of Completion for the Georgia Power beautification agreement covering roadway-island landscaping along Veterans Parkway and construction of the Whitewater Creek Nature Area, now open to the public.

• Four appointments to the Fayette County Development Authority for four-year terms running April 2026 to April 2030 — Darryl Hicks and Dr. Luis Matta reappointed; Thomas Gray and Addison Lester III newly appointed.

• Amendment to the ARC subgrant for the 2026 Comprehensive Transportation Plan update, raising the local match to $72,225.43 and the total contract to $264,225.43 ($192,000 federal).

• Three-year, $271,676 contract with Siemens Industry for building automation maintenance at the Justice Center, Jail, Jail Annex, and Library.

• $290,000 renewal (year five of six) of the Carbyne 911 phone system maintenance contract.

• Not-to-exceed $450,000 annual asphalt delivery contract with C.W. Matthews.

• Renewal of the on-call water distribution and stormwater infrastructure contract with Shockley Plumbing for FY2027.

• $659,907 elevated water storage tank maintenance contract renewal with American Tank Maintenance.

• $514,933 water treatment chemicals contract renewal with Brenntag Mid-South and Chemtrade Chemicals.

• $756,000 contract renewal with Lister, Holt & Dennis for State Court-appointed counsel to indigent defendants.

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Tyrone Planning Commission – 7pm

• Agenda not yet published as of this writing.

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Fayette County Board of Education – 7pm

• Agenda Link

• FY2027 final budget adoption

  • $307.3 million general fund, up $10.8 million over the current year’s original budget

  • Local revenues of $171.7 million (55.9% of total) and state revenues of $135.6 million make up the balance; property ad valorem taxes are projected at $155.9 million, pending the final tax digest.

  • A $40 million potential windfall from personal property taxes tied to a data center is not included in the projection.

  • FY2027 personnel cost increases totaling roughly $12.9 million:

    • 4% cost-of-living adjustment for all staff (certified and classified), step increases,

    • a Teachers Retirement System employer rate increase from 21.91% to 22.32%,

    • a jump in employer health insurance costs from $22,620 to $23,220 per employee — a category that has more than doubled since FY2022.

  • Salaries and benefits combined account for 90.2% of general fund expenditures.

• Capital projects budget of $55.9 million for FY2027, funded primarily by ESPLOST revenues ($41.7 million) and a $25.5 million fund balance carry-in.

  • Turf field replacements at McIntosh, Sandy Creek, and Whitewater high schools are scheduled to begin summer 2026.

• All district debt was retired in FY2025; bond millage rate has been eliminated.

• FY2026 amended budget — consent item.

• 2026 Facilities Special Project Requests — consent item.

  • Facilities Services is requesting $1,650,000 in ESPLOST funds for their 2026 summer project requests. These requests include: Cabinet upgrades, Concrete projects and repairs, Athletic field upgrades, Painting projects, Bus loop and parking lot paving, Construction of practice fields, Install fencing at athletic fields, Install and repair irrigation and drainage issues, Auditorium carpet replacement, Home Economics lab and locker rooms renovations, Lunchroom tables replacement

• Griffin Regional Educational Service Agency FY2027 annual membership contract — consent item.

• Superintendent’s presentation on chronic absenteeism and cell phone policy:

  • District-wide chronic absenteeism rate was 11.8% in SY2025.

  • Most schools showed improvement in SY2026 — Fayette County High School dropped from 23.7% to 16.4%; Bennett’s Mill Middle dropped from 14.5% to 8.7% — though a handful of schools edged upward.

  • Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, the district will implement the state-mandated bell-to-bell ban on personal electronic devices at the high school level (K–8 ban already in place); locked phone pouches will be used for non-compliant students, with escalating consequences for chronic offenders.

• Information items: Policy GARB (Employee Time Schedules) and Policy GARH — no action required.

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Thursday

Peachtree City City Council – 6:30pm

• Agenda Link

• FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report — presentation by David Irwin.

• Commemoration of Joel H. Cowan’s 90th birthday with online exhibit — presentation.

• Donation acceptance from the Rotary Club of Peachtree City: a Yamaha UMAX Rally 2+2 heavy-duty utility vehicle (4 seats, valued at $11,000) for use by the Police Department’s path patrol. Standard patrol SUVs and standard golf carts are both inadequate for the city’s 100+ mile path system; outfitting costs (lights, siren, markings) estimated at $3,000.

• Fire Station 85 — update on Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Guaranteed Maximum Price process; initial cost estimates are within budget. GMP for final Council approval is targeted for the July 9 meeting, with groundbreaking in August 2026 and completion targeted for May 2027.

• Text amendment to the sign ordinance (Chapter 66) to expressly permit halo-lit (reverse channel/backlit) wall signs in commercial, retail, office, and industrial zones — Planning Commission recommended approval June 8. Amendment adds a new definition for halo-lit signs, carves them out of the existing internal illumination prohibition, and sets brightness limits of 6,500 Kelvin and 9,112 lumens.

• Variance request for 435 Seabiscuit Walk (Mill Farms subdivision, Lot 6) to encroach into a 50-foot undisturbed stream buffer and 25-foot impervious cover setback for a larger house footprint than the original plat anticipated. Staff finds the stated hardships — extra design costs and loss of a larger home product — do not constitute qualifying grounds under the Land Development Ordinance, which requires unique physical property conditions, not personal or financial circumstances; staff has no recommended conditions if Council chooses to approve.

• New alcohol license for J. Alexander’s — consent item.

Fayetteville City Council – 6pm

• Agenda Link

• First reading of FY2027 budget ordinance.

• Resolution adopting the 2026 Downtown Fayetteville Creative Placemaking Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) study.

• Resolution adopting the Capital Improvement Element (CIE) 2020 Annual Update for Fiscal Year 2025.

• Resolution requesting that the General Assembly pass local legislation for a countywide LHOST referendum — see Tyrone item below for context.

• 2027 Comprehensive Plan consultant bid award.

• City lease agreement with Walton Fayetteville, LLC — consent item.

• Trilith LIVE Hotel Motel Tax Agreement — consent item.

• Recognition of Senator Kenya Wicks as the VFW Department of Georgia’s State Legislator of the Year.

Tyrone Town Council – 7pm

• Agenda Link

• FY2026-2027 general fund budget of $12,770,799 and other funds budget of $6,069,828 — carried over from a prior meeting.

• 2027 Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee appointment — carried over from a prior meeting.

• Updates to the town’s massage establishment ordinance (Article VIII, Chapter 22) — the first overhaul since 2004. Staff-recommended changes include: requiring all massage services to be performed by state-licensed therapists; establishing permitted hours of operation (7 a.m.–10 p.m.); requiring floor plan submissions showing treatment rooms and reception areas; prohibiting residential occupancy within establishments; expressly banning sexual contact and unlawful conduct on premises; requiring visible license display or ID badges while providing services; and authorizing town inspections during business hours. License fee amounts are being moved out of the ordinance itself and into the town’s separately adopted fee schedule.

• Resolution requesting that the General Assembly pass local legislation calling for a countywide Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) referendum

  • Part of a push across Fayette County governments this week that reflects the new state law, SB33 (the HOME Act), signed by Governor Kemp on May 11, 2026.

  • Here’s the background: Georgia voters approved HB581 in November 2024, which capped annual increases in homestead property assessed values at the rate of inflation and allowed local governments that stayed in the program to pursue a new sales tax (the FLOST) to offset any revenue loss. Many school boards and municipalities opted out of HB581, worried about the revenue implications. SB33 changes the dynamic significantly: it makes the inflation cap mandatory for all jurisdictions — no more opting out — and replaces the FLOST with the LHOST, a up to 1% local sales tax that voters can approve to fund additional homestead tax relief.

  • Crucially, an LHOST requires two steps: first, local governments must get the General Assembly to pass a local act authorizing a referendum; then county voters must approve it. The earliest a referendum could be held is November 2027, and collections couldn’t begin until January 2028. SB33 also adds a new voter-approval requirement starting in 2027: local governments and school boards that want to raise property tax revenue more than 3% (or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater) will need to go to voters first, with limited exceptions.

  • Fayetteville and Tyrone are both moving LHOST resolutions this week; the Fayette County BOE, whose budget depends heavily on property tax revenue and which had opted out of HB581, is now locked into the new framework regardless.

• Stormwater inspection services contract awarded to Integrated Science and Engineering (ISE), $15,350.

• Tent rental from Classic Canopies for the America 250 event, not to exceed $1,350 — consent item.

• Amusement rental from Marques Amusements for the America 250 event, $998 — consent item.

• Hire Karen Twer as Library Children & Youth Services Librarian — consent item.

• Hire Katie Swann as Engineering Specialist — consent item.

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State Democratic Party Questions

1. Should the State of Georgia raise the sales tax on everyday items like clothing, food and school supplies to pay for an income tax cut that would make millionaires and billionaires richer?

   1. All taxation is theft. There is no doubt about that. That said, I regard sales tax as less evil than property tax, income tax, or any of a number of other forms of taxation. Notice that the income tax cut is “to make millionaires and billionaires richer”. No mention about everyone else that would benefit by getting rid of income tax, or property tax. No mention that “millionaires and billionaires” pay sales taxes, too, and find accountants to minimize their payment of sales taxes. No mention that there are ways around sales tax, such as bartering. No mention that sales tax also covers luxury items. A broad sales tax which doesn’t “pick and choose” which items to tax is the closest thing we have to a truly voluntary tax, aside from direct user fees for state services.

2. Is it ethical for political candidates who have used their public offices to enrich themselves and their families, or have had nearly a billion dollars of business dealings with the State of Georgia, to hold statewide office?

   1. This seems to be to be most likely a shot at Rick Jackson, who is running as governor, and whose business has reportedly made much from state contracts. But there have been plenty of Democrat politicians whose families have made fortunes from political office as well. I don’t think it’s kosher, whichever party is doing it, but I think the best solution is complete transparency. That, and cutting down on the amount of money that the government can spend.

State Republican Party Questions

1. Should Georgia enact the strongest election integrity measures possible, which may include hand marked paper ballots, fines for counties that refuse to maintain current voter rolls, and restrictions on no-excuse absentee voting to restore trust in elections?

   1. “Hand marked paper ballots” are not perfection for election integrity. Yes, every electronic system should be rigorously examined. Personally, I would prefer open-source systems where all code can be reviewed by independent testers and security experts at any time. But doesn’t anyone remember “hanging chads” and “pregnant chads”? Those were paper ballots. And back when we had the “scantron” style ballots, if you didn’t fill in the bubble exactly right, then your intent in voting might be questionable. So, I would break away from Dominion, but I’d look for something better, not just what we had before. Now, who are these counties that refuse to maintain current voter rolls? And no, I don’t believe in restrictions on no-excuse absentee voting. As long as the process is followed to make sure that the absentee ballot came from the right person, and yes there is a process, I don’t particularly care why they voted absentee.

2. Should Georgia prohibit judges from releasing criminal defendants accused of murder and other felonies without posting secure bail?

   1. Opposing cash bail requirements has been a Libertarian issue for a long time. Cash bail has led to two-tier justice, where rich people can get out of jail for a price, and everyone else struggles. Especially when people can spend months waiting for a trial, that may be months when someone who may be innocent can’t get to work, can’t pay the bills, and their life may be ruined for a charge that ultimately gets dismissed. If a person is too dangerous to be allowed in public until they’ve had a trial, making them pay cash to get out doesn’t make them less dangerous. And, speed up the process.

3. Should Georgia extend the death penalty to include sexual crimes against children?

   1. I oppose the death penalty unequivocally. “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”1 It’s an unavoidable fact that innocent people get convicted of crimes they’ve never committed. If the only way to avoid putting innocent people to death is to let guilty people live, then so be it. Besides, the death penalty is not cheaper than life in prison. (That said, I have heard that people who commit sexual crimes against children often find a rather more undesirable form of karmic justice in the prison system. And while I wouldn’t exactly encourage that sort of justice, I wouldn’t cry about it either.)

4. Should the United States Constitution be amended to limit the number of Supreme Court Justices to a maximum of nine to prevent partisan court packing schemes?

   1. The last big “partisan court packing” I can remember from my history books was under FDR. I’m more concerned with ethics questions on the Supreme Court than partisan packing, since it takes both the President and Congress to put a new justice on the court… But that’s a sticky issue, who be trusted to exercise judgement on the highest court in the land? Wouldn’t that make a Supreme-er Court? I don’t have a solution on this.

5. Should Georgia require public school systems to make all instructional materials and library content publicly accessible online for parental review?

   1. This would require school systems to purchase online versions of workbooks, textbooks, library books, and other materials that may not currently even have online versions published. Interested parents can already go to their school and ask to see the instructional materials. It’s not like they are kept locked away, and schools are already required to go through an open process before adopting new curriculum anyway. I don’t see that a new rule offers much benefit for the likely cost.

6. Do you support making Georgia energy-independent by prioritizing American oil/gas production, reducing regulations, and delivering lower energy costs for families?

   1. I support making Georgia energy-independent by encouraging free trade, lowering tariffs, and allowing Georgians to shop among energy providers. I also support making Georgia energy-independent by allowing Georgians to put solar panels on their roofs without having to get Georgia Power’s permission.

7. Do you support banning cellphone use in Georgia public schools to improve student focus, safety, and discipline?

   1. My kids’ private school already has a ban. I don’t see why local public schools can’t enact their own policies on this. I don’t see why every good idea has to be a matter of state law.

8. Should Georgia enact laws punishing state and local law enforcement who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in the deportation of illegal aliens charged with serious crimes?

   1. Where are state and local law enforcement refusing to deport illegal aliens charged with serious crimes? I see far more cases of illegal immigrants who aren’t charged with serious crimes languishing in Federal detention, and even abused by Federal authorities. And then there are jails that are overcrowded because of the criminalization of nonviolent acts.

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GEORGIA SUPREME COURT — SEAT: WARREN

Sarah Hawkins Warren (Incumbent)

Background & Credentials Warren is the presiding justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, a position she has held since 2025. She was originally appointed as an associate justice by Governor Nathan Deal in August 2018, filling the vacancy left when Britt Grant was elevated to the Eleventh Circuit. She earned a B.A. in Public Policy and Spanish, magna cum laude, from Duke University, and her J.D., also magna cum laude, from Duke Law, where she served as Editor in Chief of Law and Contemporary Problems and on the Executive Committee of the Federalist Society. After law school she clerked for Chief Judge J.L. Edmondson of the 11th Circuit and then for Judge Richard J. Leon of the U.S. District Court for D.C. She then became a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Washington, D.C., where she represented Georgia in Florida v. Georgia, the water rights dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. She returned to Georgia in 2015, joined the Attorney General’s office as deputy solicitor general, and was later appointed solicitor general by AG Chris Carr before her elevation to the court.

Election History Ballotpedia rated Warren as “Strong Republican” in its 2020 State Partisanship study. In 2020, she retained her seat by a 79%-21% margin against Hal Moroz.

Affiliations of note Warren is on the advisory board of the Atlanta Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. She served under Republican AGs Sam Olens and Chris Carr and was appointed by a Republican governor.

Libertarian angle Warren’s Federalist Society background and textualist/originalist leanings are aligned with some libertarian judicial philosophy, particularly on separation of powers and limiting prosecutorial discretion. However, she has no public record on Fourth Amendment, civil liberties, or criminal justice reform issues specific to the court.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.sarahwarren.com

• Official bio: https://www.gasupreme.us/court-information/biographies/justice-sarah-hawkins-warren/

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Sarah_Warren

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Hawkins_Warren

• Federalist Society profile: https://fedsoc.org/contributors/sarah-hawkins-warren

• Statesboro Herald profile (2018, good background narrative): https://www.statesboroherald.com/local/newest-woman-state-high-court-chose-georgia-over-dc-legal-career/

Jennifer “Jen” Auer Jordan (Challenger)

Background & Credentials Jordan was born in Eastman, Georgia, earned a B.S. in political science from Georgia Southern University in 1997, and a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2001. Her career includes work as a partner at Shamp Jordan Woodward and principal at The Jordan Firm, LLC. She has served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia and was recognized as one of Georgia’s Top 100 Lawyers in 2016.

She began her legal career at Bondurant, Mixson, and Elmore in Atlanta under Emmet Bondurant, who mentored her on the duty of lawyers to right societal wrongs. In 2006–2007, she filed class-action suits against predatory payday lenders and successfully blocked Georgia’s photo ID voter law from being enforced.

Political Record Jordan was elected to the Georgia State Senate representing District 6 in December 2017, defeating Democrat Jaha Howard in a runoff. Her victory ended what had been a Republican supermajority in the Senate. She won re-election in 2018 and 2020. In 2021, she announced a run for Attorney General; she stepped down from her Senate seat and lost to incumbent Chris Carr in 2022.

Legislative record of note During her Senate tenure she fought against Georgia’s abortion ban, defended the integrity of the 2020 election results, and advanced gun safety legislation in response to the Atlanta spa shootings. She also sued the Georgia Environmental Protection Division over a cancer-causing industrial plant (Sterigenics) in her district and opposed SB 202, which restructured local elections boards.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Jordan’s announcement framed the race as a referendum on constitutional rights — specifically voting rights and reproductive freedom — and accused the court’s current majority of “failing to meet the moment.” She has argued before the Georgia Supreme Court in private practice and cites that experience as making her court-ready.

Jordan acknowledged the structural challenge: the unusual May timing of judicial elections favors incumbents, and she plans significant voter education to explain that these are elected positions.

Endorsements EMILYs List endorsed Jordan and noted her record of taking on insurance companies, including winning coverage for a cancer patient whose insurer had denied her treatment. She has also received the Asian American Advocacy Fund’s endorsement.

Has argued before the Georgia Supreme Court — this is a meaningful credential for a seat on that court and distinguishes her from many challengers.

Libertarian angle Jordan’s record is strongly progressive-Democratic: pro-abortion rights, pro-gun regulation, anti-voter ID. Her predatory lending litigation and anti-corporate work have some populist overlap with libertarian concerns about cronyism, but her overall platform is not libertarian-adjacent.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.jen4georgia.com

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Jen_Jordan

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jen_Jordan

• Georgia Recorder announcement piece: https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/2-attorneys-launch-campaigns-challenging-gop-appointed-justices-on-georgias-highest-court/

• Atlanta Magazine profile (in-depth, 2020): https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/the-passion-of-jen-jordan-how-an-unlikely-politician-became-the-new-voice-of-georgias-democratic-party/

Key contrast with Warren Warren is a Federalist Society–aligned textualist elevated through Republican gubernatorial appointments. Jordan is a former Democratic state senator and civil litigation attorney running explicitly on protecting reproductive and voting rights. The race is a direct proxy for the ideological direction of the court. Both are credentialed attorneys with relevant experience; their philosophies of judicial interpretation differ sharply.

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GEORGIA SUPREME COURT — SEAT: BETHEL

Charles “Charlie” Bethel (Incumbent)

Background & Credentials Bethel was born March 3, 1976 and grew up in Dalton, Georgia. He earned a BBA cum laude from UGA’s Terry College of Business in 1998 and a J.D. from UGA School of Law in 2001. He clerked on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, then practiced law in Dalton, and spent over a decade in the flooring industry in executive and legal capacities before entering public service. He was elected Dalton city alderman, then elected four times to the Georgia State Senate.

In the Senate, Bethel chaired the Insurance & Labor Committee and the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, and counts comprehensive juvenile justice reform legislation and “Ava’s Law” (autism insurance reform) among his highlights.

Governor Deal appointed Bethel to the Georgia Court of Appeals in 2016, then elevated him to the Supreme Court in September 2018 to fill the vacancy left by retiring Chief Justice P. Harris Hines. He won his first full election to the seat in 2020, defeating Beth Beskin.

Judicial record of note Bethel chairs the state’s Committee on Justice for Children, oversees initiatives for juvenile courts statewide, serves as the Supreme Court’s liaison to the State Bar and Office of Bar Admissions, and works with the Judicial Council of Georgia. He has spoken publicly about the problem of “legal deserts” — rural counties with no attorneys — and the court’s role in providing caseload data to help policymakers allocate resources.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Bethel has said he looks forward to a campaign “focused on ensuring Georgians have a judiciary governed by the rule of law.” His reelection steering committee includes former Gov. Nathan Deal, former state senator Jason Carter, former U.S. Attorney BJay Pak, and attorney Ashleigh Merchant (who exposed the Willis-Wade relationship). Also on the committee: former Chief Justice Harold Melton and former State Bar president Robin Frazier Clark.

Libertarian angle Bethel received the “Defender of Liberty Award” from the American Conservative Union and the “Guardian of Small Business Award” from the National Federation of Independent Business during his Senate tenure. His juvenile justice reform work and interest in court access for underserved communities have some crossover with libertarian criminal justice reform interests. His Federalist Society–aligned background suggests originalist/textualist judicial philosophy, which overlaps with libertarian constitutional theory.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.charliebethel.org

• Official bio: https://www.gasupreme.us/court-information/biographies/justice-charles-j-bethel/

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Charlie_Bethel

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Bethel

• Rome News-Tribune 2026 interview (good recent narrative): https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/ga-supreme-court-justice-reflects-on-rome-ties-a-historic-courthouse-and-the-role-of/article_d31afcbe-98f5-408a-8f03-44a7232a5e15.html

• Vote Smart profile: https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/112648/charlie-bethel

Shamiracle “Miracle” Johnson Rankin (Challenger)

Background & Credentials Rankin is a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Georgia School of Law. She served as the 40th President of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Her law practice has specialized in catastrophic personal injury litigation; she currently practices at Morgan and Morgan.

She has received the National Bar Association’s Award of Achievement for Outstanding Service, congressional recognition for community service, and has been named a Georgia Super Lawyer.

Beyond her legal work, she founded the Sister to Sister Mentoring Program and organized legal clinics for frontline workers including teachers and bus drivers.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Rankin’s campaign centers on keeping the court accessible to everyday citizens rather than the powerful, and she frames her personal injury work — representing victims of truck crashes, medical malpractice, and corporate negligence — as evidence of her willingness to fight powerful interests. She has secured eight-figure resolutions for clients.

She announced her candidacy alongside Jordan at Liberty Plaza, framing the race as a referendum on civil liberties under attack. “I’m not just going to sit down and do nothing because someone has to stand up for Georgia’s civil liberties that are being stripped away,” she said.

Endorsements EMILYs List has endorsed Rankin. The Asian American Advocacy Fund has also endorsed her.

Libertarian angle Rankin’s personal injury plaintiff-side work is interesting from a libertarian perspective — tort law as a mechanism for individual accountability of corporations is broadly consistent with libertarian thinking on property rights and redress of harm. However, her framing around reproductive rights and voting rights places her clearly in progressive Democratic territory. No record of criminal justice reform or anti-surveillance positions found.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.miracleforgeorgia.com

• Georgia Recorder announcement: https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/2-attorneys-launch-campaigns-challenging-gop-appointed-justices-on-georgias-highest-court/

• WABE coverage: https://www.wabe.org/2-attorneys-launch-campaigns-challenging-gop-appointed-justices-on-georgias-highest-court/

• EMILYs List endorsement: https://emilyslist.org/news/emilys-list-endorses-jen-jordan-and-miracle-rankin-for-georgia-supreme-court/

• Asian American Advocacy Fund: https://asianamericanadvocacyfund.org/endorsement-archive/miraclerankin

Key contrast with Bethel Bethel is a career public servant and former state senator with over seven years on appellate courts. Rankin is an accomplished plaintiff’s attorney and bar association leader with no prior judicial experience. The race pits a Republican-appointed incumbent with deep Georgia institutional ties against a challenger running explicitly on a progressive civil-rights platform.

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GEORGIA COURT OF APPEALS — SEAT: GOBEIL

Elizabeth Dallas Gobeil (Incumbent)

Background & Credentials Gobeil was born in Thomaston, Georgia. She graduated from Emory University in 1991 with a B.A. in history, then briefly worked for the Federalist Society in Washington, D.C. before attending law school. She graduated from UGA Law in 1995, where she was Notes Editor for The Journal of Intellectual Property Law. She worked as an aide to the late U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell on health and judiciary issues, then practiced as a partner at Thompson Hine LLP and served as in-house counsel for Solvay Pharmaceuticals and UCB Inc.

Governor Deal appointed Gobeil to the State Board of Workers’ Compensation in 2012, then elevated her to the Court of Appeals in June 2018, filling the vacancy left when Elizabeth Branch was appointed to the federal bench. She won reelection in 2020 with 100% of the vote (no opposition).

She currently serves as Vice Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and chairs the court’s Rules Committee. She also serves on the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism and the Judicial Council of Georgia’s Subcommittee on Artificial Intelligence and the Courts.

Affiliations of note Gobeil is a long-standing board member of the Atlanta Chapter of the Federalist Society and is involved with the Savannah Chapter. She resides in Savannah with her husband Bart and is a member of the Isle of Hope Methodist Church.

Libertarian angle Gobeil’s Federalist Society background, intellectual property law experience, and originalist-adjacent judicial philosophy are broadly libertarian-compatible in the judicial philosophy sense. Her work on AI and courts is notable — someone thinking about how emerging technology intersects with law has real relevance to liberty questions going forward. No controversy on record.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.electjudgegobeil.com

• Official court bio: https://www.gaappeals.us/elizabeth-gobeil/

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Gobeil

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Gobeil

Fatima Harris Felton (Challenger)

Background & Credentials Harris Felton is a practicing attorney and former judicial officer in the Fulton County Superior Court. She has owned The Harris Law Firm, LLC for 19 years, representing families, individuals, and children in criminal defense, personal injury, and family law matters. She has argued a case before the Georgia Court of Appeals and was past president of the Atlanta Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service.

She has been practicing law since 2006 and has been selected to Super Lawyers for 2020–2024.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Harris Felton frames her candidacy around voting rights, reproductive rights, and equal access to justice. If elected, she would be the first African American serving on the Georgia Court of Appeals — a historical milestone her campaign highlights prominently.

Libertarian angle Her criminal defense work is worth noting for libertarians — defense attorneys who have represented people against the power of the state have a different perspective on due process than career prosecutors or civil attorneys. Her campaign rhetoric is oriented toward voting rights and reproductive rights, placing her in the progressive lane alongside Jordan and Rankin.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://voteforfatima.com

• Super Lawyers profile: https://profiles.superlawyers.com/georgia/east-point/lawyer/fatima-harris-felton/340937ea-98bc-43c9-ae03-237434efda9d.html

Key contrast with Gobeil Gobeil is an experienced appellate jurist with eight years on the bench and Federalist Society connections. Harris Felton is a trial practitioner with criminal defense experience but no appellate judicial experience. The contrast mirrors the other challenged races: institutional insider vs. challenger running on a progressive civil-rights platform.

GEORGIA COURT OF APPEALS — SEAT: BROWN, III

E. Trenton “Trent” Brown III (Incumbent)

Background & Credentials Brown received a B.A. in Economics from UGA in 1995 and a J.D. from Mercer University School of Law in 1999. After graduation, he practiced as a sole practitioner in Eatonton, Georgia. He was appointed State Court Judge of Putnam County by Governor Sonny Perdue in 2008, then appointed Superior Court Judge in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit by Governor Deal in 2012. He ran unopposed for both seats in 2014 and 2018. Deal then appointed Brown to the Court of Appeals in May 2018.

Brown currently serves as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, elevated to that position by unanimous vote of his colleagues.

The Fani Willis Opinion In December 2024, Brown authored the 2-1 majority opinion that disqualified Fulton County DA Fani Willis from the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump, reversing the trial judge’s ruling that had allowed Willis to remain. The key legal question was whether an appearance of impropriety alone — without an actual conflict of interest — was sufficient grounds for disqualification. Brown’s majority held that this was “the rare case in which disqualification is mandated.”

Judge Benjamin Land, appointed by Gov. Kemp, dissented, writing that Georgia appellate courts had for over 43 years held that appearance of impropriety without actual conflict was insufficient grounds to reverse a trial court’s disqualification denial.

The Georgia Supreme Court subsequently declined 4-3 to hear Willis’s appeal, leaving the disqualification in place. A replacement prosecutor, Pete Skandalakis, then moved to dismiss the charges.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Brown’s campaign website emphasizes his 18 years of judicial service and his stated commitment to fairness, consistency, and keeping partisan politics out of courts. He has not specifically addressed the Willis opinion in campaign materials found to date.

Libertarian angle Brown’s textualist/originalist background (Nathan Deal appointee) aligns with Federalist Society judicial philosophy. The Willis ruling is ideologically ambiguous from a libertarian perspective — prosecutorial accountability is a libertarian value, but so is skepticism of judge-made expansions of disqualification doctrine beyond established precedent (Land’s dissent point). His rural Georgia background and career as a sole practitioner before his judicial appointments are a different profile from the Kirkland & Ellis–style establishment resume of Warren and Gobeil.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.judgetrentbrown.com

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/E._Trenton_Brown_III

• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Trenton_Brown_III

• NPR on the Willis disqualification ruling: https://www.npr.org/2024/12/19/nx-s1-5234059/georgia-trump-case-fani-willis-dismissal

• CBS News on the ruling: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fani-willis-removed-trump-fulton-county-georgia-appeals/

• AJC on Wooten’s challenge: https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/03/trump-prosecutor-running-for-appeals-court-judge/

John William “Will” Wooten (Challenger)

Background & Credentials Wooten earned a B.A. from the University of Miami and a law degree from Emory University School of Law. He has worked as a deputy district attorney and, earlier, as a defense attorney.

Wooten led the Fulton County DA’s White Collar Crime Unit, starting in January 2021. Six months later, Fani Willis assigned him to the election interference investigation. He has said he did not seek the case out and approached it like any other: “looking for the truth.”

Wooten co-founded and led DA Willis’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. If elected, he would be the first LGBTQ+ person to hold statewide office in Georgia — a milestone he says is secondary to the substance of his candidacy but which he hopes will inspire others.

Campaign/Platform (2026) Wooten did not initially announce his opinion of the Willis disqualification ruling, citing judicial conduct rules. He instead pointed to Land’s dissent — which argued the majority ignored 43 years of precedent — as the position he finds compelling, without explicitly endorsing it. He frames his campaign around equal treatment under the law regardless of wealth or political connections.

His Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (the only such completed survey among all ten candidates on this ballot) articulates a judicial philosophy: “Judges should interpret the law faithfully, respect the Constitution, and ensure that every Georgian receives the same justice under the law.” He also emphasizes the human cost of appellate decisions on real people and families.

Libertarian angle Wooten’s dual background as both defense attorney and prosecutor gives him a perspective on due process that neither a career prosecutor nor a civil attorney would have. His emphasis on equal justice regardless of wealth or connections resonates with libertarian skepticism of two-tiered justice. His willingness to complete Ballotpedia’s candidate survey (the only one of the ten to do so) suggests transparency is a genuine priority.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://www.wootenforga.com

• Ballotpedia (with completed survey): https://ballotpedia.org/Will_Wooten

• AJC on his announcement: https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/03/trump-prosecutor-running-for-appeals-court-judge/

• Georgia Voice profile (LGBTQ+ angle): https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2026/03/27/lgbtq-candidate-will-wooten/

Key contrast with Brown Brown wrote the opinion that ended the Trump case in Georgia — Wooten helped build that case. The race is almost impossible to discuss without that context. But the underlying legal question (appearance of impropriety vs. actual conflict in disqualification doctrine) is substantive and worth explaining to readers independent of its political valence. Brown has 18 years on the bench; Wooten has none. Brown is from rural Middle Georgia; Wooten is an Atlanta prosecutor. Both frame themselves as committed to the rule of law; they differ sharply on what recent events demonstrate about it.

FAYETTE COUNTY STATE COURT — LOCAL RACE

Jason B. Thompson (Incumbent)

Background & Credentials Thompson has served as Fayette County State Court Judge since his appointment by Governor Deal in May 2013. Before the bench, he served as a prosecutor, Municipal Court Judge, and Magistrate Court Judge. He earned his undergraduate degree from Maryville College and his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University. He is a product of the Fayette County school system, graduating from Fayette County High School in 1993.

In 2016, Thompson created the first DUI/Drug Court in the Griffin Judicial Circuit. In 2020, he created the Veterans Treatment Court. Both programs focus on alternative sentencing for defendants with substance use disorders or PTSD. Together, the two programs have graduated over 100 participants and reportedly saved the community over $1 million in jail costs.

Thompson has coached mock trial teams at Fayette County High School and McIntosh High School, organized “The People’s Law School” as a public community program, and served as an adjunct professor at Point University. He has received the 2022 Dreambuilder Award from the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, the 2022 Golden Eagle Award from the Boy Scouts of America, the 2023 Avenues of Service Award from Rotary International, and the 2025 Award of Excellence from the Fayette County Bar Association.

His wife, Alisha Thompson, is also a judge. They met in law school and live in Fayetteville.

Election History He ran unopposed in 2014 and appears to have run without meaningful opposition until now. This is his first contested race in over a decade.

Libertarian angle Thompson’s accountability courts — DUI/Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court — are directly aligned with libertarian criminal justice reform priorities. These programs prioritize rehabilitation and treatment over incarceration for non-violent offenders, reduce jail costs, and keep people out of the prison pipeline. This is a concrete, documented record of results, not just rhetoric.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://keepjudgejbt.com

• Official Fayette County bio: https://fayettecountyga.gov/courts/state_court/judge.php

• Ballotpedia: https://ballotpedia.org/Jason_B._Thompson

• The Citizen announcement article: https://thecitizen.com/2026/02/23/judge-jason-b-thompson-announces-re-election-campaign-for-judge-of-state-court/

• LinkedIn (active, posts about court activities): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbainethompson/

Nailah Grant McFarlane (Challenger)

Background & Credentials McFarlane is a native of the Bronx, New York, who relocated to Georgia in 1995. She graduated from Morris Brown College, then from John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, and began practicing law in 2006. She founded The Law Firm of Grant & Associates in 2007.

She started her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Fulton County before founding her firm. In 2021, she briefly returned to the Fulton County DA’s office to prosecute complex, high-profile murder cases, earning multiple awards for her service.

McFarlane has served as Clayton County Magistrate Judge Pro Tem and as Fayetteville Municipal Court Judge, having been appointed to the latter position in 2019 and formalized by the city council in 2022. She was selected from among seven applicants and three finalists.

She served as President of the Fayette County Bar Association in 2023 and 2024 — the same bar association Thompson once led. She is a member of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the NAACP, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Campaign/Platform (2026) McFarlane’s campaign emphasizes her “four corners of the courtroom” perspective — having served as prosecutor, defense attorney, civil litigator, and judge. She advocates what she calls a “Smart Justice” approach: reducing case backlogs, ensuring transparency, and balancing accountability with rehabilitation, particularly for non-violent offenders she says are being held back by outdated policies.

She has said: “Fayette County continues to grow, and our court system must evolve with it. I am running because justice delayed is justice denied.”

Libertarian angle McFarlane’s Smart Justice framing — reducing barriers for non-violent offenders, rehabilitation over incarceration — resonates with libertarian criminal justice thinking, similar to Thompson’s accountability courts. Her defense attorney background is relevant to due process considerations. Unlike the statewide challengers, her campaign does not lead with reproductive rights or voting rights as primary themes, making her the least partisan-coded of the challengers in this race set.

Key links

• Campaign site: https://electjudgenailahgrantmcfarlane.com

• Law firm “About” page: https://www.grantandassociateslaw.com/about

• Georgia Association for Women Lawyers spotlight: https://www.gawl.org/articles/member-spotlight-nailah-grant-mcfarlane

• Fayette-News.net announcement: https://www.fayette-news.net/news/mcfarlane-announces-campaign-for-fayette-state-court-judge/article_02100582-fe15-4dc7-b409-99f2428f3530.html

• AJC piece on her Fayetteville appointment (2022): https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/fayette/fayetteville-chooses-new-municipal-court-judge/TKXBYXX7PREBHOGQS4OBRCT7QE/

Key contrast with Thompson Thompson is a deeply embedded Fayette County native with 13 years on this specific bench, two innovative accountability court programs, and extensive local civic leadership. McFarlane is a Fayette County resident (past decade) with broad but less locally rooted judicial experience — municipal, magistrate, and juvenile courts — who recently led the same county bar association as Thompson. Both have diverse court experience. Thompson has seniority and specific local court knowledge; McFarlane has a wider range of roles across the “four corners” of the legal system.

Cross-Cutting Observations

Structural pattern: All four incumbent statewide judges were appointed by Governor Nathan Deal (R). All four challengers are left-leaning and have announced together or in coordinated fashion. The 2026 nonpartisan judicial ballot is thus a de facto referendum on the ideological composition of Georgia’s appellate courts, even though the races are technically nonpartisan.

Libertarian angles:

• Thompson’s accountability courts (Fayette — strongest libertarian overlap)

• Bethel’s juvenile justice reform record and “Defender of Liberty” award

• Wooten’s equal justice framing and dual defense/prosecution background

• McFarlane’s “Smart Justice” approach to non-violent offenders

• Both incumbents (Warren, Gobeil) and challengers (Jordan, Rankin) frame the court as a protector of rights — they just disagree sharply on which rights and whose interpretation of the constitution matters

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