Georgia Midterms
Why Georgia's elections are so important this midterm
Design by Ridhi Boggavarapu and Nikki Yagnavajhala.
Ridhi Boggavarapu, Copy & News Editor & Nikki Yagnavajhala, Staff Writer
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Americans across the country will vote. Not for president, but for the crucial House of Representatives, Senate, and Governor seats in their state. For democrats, this is a chance to regain a majority in the legislative branch, allowing them to propel their agenda. For republicans, this is a chance to strengthen their power and allow them to pass legislation more easily.
The midterms are the elections in the middle of a presidential term. Every two years, every representative in the House and around one-third of Senators are up for reelection. In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff is up for reelection. Around this time, many states--including Georgia-- also have their gubernatorial, or governor, elections. This can lead to changes in party power in the legislative branch. This year, Gov. Brian Kemp is stepping down, allowing for a new candidate to take the spot.
Stephanie Roche, AP US Government and Politics teacher at Northview, explains that not every state has a Senate race this midterm, so there is extra attention on those that do, like Georgia.
“It's always the House seats [that are up for election]. But [for] the Senate race, not every state has [one]. So there's more publicity on Georgia being one of those Senate seats, " Roche said.
The two people running for the Senate seat in Georgia are the Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, and the Republican U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 10th Congressional District Mike Collins.
Ossoff is advocating in the Senate for issues such as expanding healthcare access and affordability, lowering housing prices, increasing job opportunities for Georgians, and strengthening border security. As a senator, Ossoff stated that he passed several laws pertaining to safety, crime control, and drug control. Some examples include laws to protect children online, tackle the opioid epidemic and prevent fentanyl trafficking across the Southern Border, investigate unsolved lynchings and Civil Rights murders, strengthen mental health care services for veterans, and improve security in U.S. prisons.
Collins' campaign emphasizes his role in supporting legislation such as the Laken-Riley Act and the TRANQ Act, which focus on immigration enforcement and funding research on the risks associated with tranquilizer substances. His campaign also promotes dedication to eliminating government bureaucracy and identifying inefficiencies, leading him to take the title of Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. In this role, Collins had direct oversight of issues that pertain to water resources and management. During his term, he protected the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam from a plan to reduce Augusta’s water storage and limit recreational activities on the Savannah River. He also directed the deepening of the Port of Savannah and lowered hydropower rates.
The two candidates vying for the governor seat are Democratic former mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson.
Bottoms was the mayor of Atlanta from 2018-2022 and later the senior adviser to former President Joe Biden, where she gave policy analysis and strategies for the president to implement. According to Bottom's campaign, she has raised $700 million toward affordable housing, helped bring in jobs and boosted the economy, and she wants to improve health access and education quality in Georgia, as well as furthering the causes she has already worked on as governor.
Rick Jackson is a Georgia businessman. He stated that his action plan involves streamlining the healthcare system by "cutting out the middlemen," fighting illegal immigration, and supporting children in foster care. Jackson's campaign emphasizes his identity as an outsider to politics, describing his goal to improve affordability by freezing property taxes, cutting the state income tax, eliminating wasteful spending, and raising standards in government and education.
The midterm elections this year are more important than ever, as a crucial Senate seat is up for election, and both gubernatorial candidates are challengers. In this election, every vote counts. However, most people do not realize the value their ballot holds. This issue is especially prevalent among young voters.
Most young people don't see the importance of staying educated on the upcoming elections. It is easy to see the massive number of voters and disregard the value of one's own ballot. In other cases, youth are unaware of how to involve themselves, especially if they are not yet able to vote. However, it is imperative that these people take action. Every vote counts, especially in a swing state like Georgia, where one vote could be the difference between red and blue.
According to Fulton County's voter and outreach manager, LaShandra Little, paying attention to the key policies and issues important to one's life now will help them make the important voting decisions when they are able to vote.
"If you're looking at what people are doing right now for your community, you already have an idea if you liked what they were doing or you didn't like what they were doing. And so when you might see them on the ballot, again, you can make that decision of '[who is] going to get my vote?'" Little said.
Aishvarya Prahalad, a senior at Northview and the president of Georgia High School Democrats, explains how other students can become involved, even if they cannot yet vote.
"Students can go canvassing in their community, which is knocking on doors in their neighborhood or in areas around them to inform voters on upcoming elections beyond governor and Senate and the more local elections that matter to you," Prahalad said.
The impacts of this election will stretch far past Nov. 3. The leaders elected will determine the quality of daily life for Georgians. In the years to come, their decisions will impact the healthcare, education, and economy teenagers inherit.
The outcome of this election will determine not only the fate of local issues, but of the entire nation. The winners of the midterms will send a message. In a time of such political turmoil, it is unclear where voters stand. People across the country are watching Georgia, and even a slight win by either side will dramatically strengthen or weaken the causes that matter. At the end of the day, the outcome lies entirely on the number of people who show up. Whether it be informing others or casting one's own ballot, the choices made now will determine the future.
