2024 Georgia judicial elections
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Four seats on the Supreme Court of Georgia was be up for election to a six-year term on May 21. Of the four, only the seat held by Andrew Pinson was contested by former Democratic U.S. House member John Barrow. Justices Michael Boggs, John Ellington and Nels Peterson were unopposed for re-election.
Seven seats on the Georgia Court of Appeals was up for election on May 21, Of the seven, only the seat held by justice M. Yvette Miller, (who decided not to run for re-election)[1] was contested between Jeff Davis and Tabitha Ponder.[2] Justices Stephen Dillard, Ken Hodges, Benjamin Land, Amanda Mercier, Brian Rickman, and Jeffrey Watkins were unopposed for re-election
Since 1896, justices on the Supreme Court and judges on the Court of Appeals have been directly elected in statewide elections. Judicial elections were made non-partisan in 1983. Elections for nonpartisan state judgeships have been held on the date of the legislative primary since 2012, and were previously held on the general election ballot in November during even-numbered years.
Court of Appeals
Miller's seat
Justice M. Yvette Miller, who was appointed in 1999 by Democratic Governor Roy Barnes retired, which made the seat open.[3] Conservative candidate Jeff Davis defeated liberal candidate Tabitha Ponder with 57.0% of the vote.[4]
Results
Davis
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
Ponder
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Jeff Davis | 630,089 | 57.02% | |
| Nonpartisan | Tabitha Ponder | 474,950 | 42.98% | |
| Total votes | 1,105,039 | 100.00% | ||
Dillard's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Stephen Dillard (incumbent) | 1,041,332 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,041,332 | 100.00% | ||
Hodge's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Ken Hodges (incumbent) | 1,043,661 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,043,661 | 100.00% | ||
Land's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Benjamin A. Land (incumbent) | 1,035,509 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,035,509 | 100.00% | ||
Mercier's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Amanda H. Mercier (incumbent) | 1,038,811 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,038,811 | 100.00% | ||
Rickman's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Brian M. Rickman (incumbent) | 1,031,763 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,031,763 | 100.00% | ||
Watkin's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Jeffrey A. Watkins (incumbent) | 1,033,036 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,033,036 | 100.00% | ||
Supreme Court
Pinson's seat
Justice Andrew Pinson, who was appointed in 2022 by Republican Governor Brian Kemp to succeed David Nahmias, was challenged by former Democratic member of the U.S. House John Barrow. Pinson defeated John Barrow with 55.0% of the vote.
Pinson performed very well statewide, most notably in Metro Atlanta, while Barrow performed well in Georgia's 12th congressional district, where he used to represent in the House of Representatives. Despite the margin, the result was the most competitive two-way election for Supreme Court since 2020, when incumbent Charlie Bethel defeated Beth Beskin 52.2 to 47.8, as well as the second most competitive since judicial elections made nonpartisan in 1983.
Endorsements
Andrew Pinson
- Statewide officials
- Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia (2019–present)[12]
- John F. King, Insurance Commissioner of Georgia (2019-present)[13]
- Organizations
John Barrow
- Organizations
Results
Pinson
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
Barrow
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
Tie
- 50%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Andrew Pinson (incumbent) | 643,131 | 54.98% | |
| Nonpartisan | John Barrow | 526,640 | 45.02% | |
| Total votes | 1,169,771 | 100.00% | ||
Background
John Barrow previously campaigned in 2019 and 2020 to succeed retiring justice Robert Benham, but the election was canceled by Kemp's appointment of Carla Wong McMillian to fill Benham's remaining term. Barrow also campaigned to succeed Keith R. Blackwell in 2020, but that election was similarly cancelled by Kemp's appointment of Shawn Ellen LaGrua, and again with the appointment of Verda Colvin to succeed retiring justice Harold Melton in 2021.[19] Finally, in 2022, Kemp cancelled a potential election by appointing Pinson to succeed Nahmias.[20][21] Barrow, along with fellow candidate Beth Beskin, unsuccessfully sued in state court to challenge the law allowing for cancellations of judicial elections following the appointment of LaGrua.[22]
Boggs's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Michael P. Boggs (incumbent) | 1,045,866 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,045,866 | 100.00% | ||
Ellington's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | John J. Ellington (incumbent) | 1,046,368 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,046,368 | 100.00% | ||
Peterson's seat
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Nels S. D. Peterson (incumbent) | 1,037,234 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 1,037,234 | 100.00% | ||
References
- ^ Madison Arnold (March 5, 2024). "First Black Woman On Ga. State Appeals Bench To Retire". Law360 Pulse. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Jeff Davis vs Tabitha Ponder for GA Appeals Court | Athens Politics Nerd". athenspoliticsnerd.com. 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Madison Arnold (March 5, 2024). "First Black Woman On Ga. State Appeals Bench To Retire". Law360 Pulse. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Jeff Davis vs Tabitha Ponder for GA Appeals Court". Athens Politics Nerd. 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Gov. Kemp puts money into Georgia court race where challenger has focused on abortion". Associated Press. 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Andrew Pinson on LinkedIn: I'm proud to be endorsed by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Part of…". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "NEW: John Barrow for Georgia Supreme Court Receives Major Endorsement from Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates Against Opponent Who Led Charge to Overturn Roe V. Wade in Georgia". www.plannedparenthoodaction.org. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Reproductive Freedom for All Endorses John Barrow for Georgia Supreme Court". Reproductive Freedom for All. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Fair Fight Endorses Pro-Voter and Pro-Choice Champion John Barrow in Georgia Supreme Court Race". Fair Fight. 2024-05-01. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Georgia State Supreme Court Election Results". The New York Times. 2024-05-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Dunlap, Stanley (July 7, 2021). "Kemp Interviews Justice Candidates In Georgia Supreme Court Makeover". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
- ^ "02/11/2022—Chief Justice Nahmias to Leave Supreme Court" (Press release). Supreme Court of Georgia. February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
- ^ "Kemp names Andrew Pinson to Georgia Supreme Court". FOX 5 Atlanta. February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
- ^ Nadler, Russ Bynum and Ben. "Lawsuits: Georgia illegally canceled election to high court". Online Athens. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
