Georgia Has Spoken: What the 2026 Election Means for the Disability Community

Georgia voters made their choices on Nov. 3, and the state will soon have many new leaders. GCDD congratulates all of those who have been elected to serve. These results are unofficial until they are certified.

Here are the winners for statewide offices:

• Governor: Keisha Lance Bottoms
• Lieutenant Governor: Josh McLaurin
• Attorney General: Tanya Miller
• Secretary of State: Judge Penny Brown Reynolds
• State School Superintendent: Dr. Lydia Powell
• Labor Commissioner: Nikki Porcher
• U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff (reelected)

Bottoms will be Georgia's first female and first Black governor. She will also be the first Black woman to serve as governor of any U.S. state.

Before the election, GCDD helped voters learn where candidates stood on disability issues. On Sept. 17, we hosted a virtual Candidate Forum with the Georgia Advocacy Office, Sangha Unity Network, Uniting for Change, Crimminz and Associates, and REV UP Georgia. Self-advocates from Uniting for Change asked the questions.

We thank all the candidates who took part: Keisha Lance Bottoms, Josh McLaurin, Tanya Miller, Brian Strickland, Bárbara Rivera Holmes, Nikki Porcher, Lydia Powell and Richard Woods. We appreciate them for taking the time to speak to people with disabilities and their families.

Newly elected leaders took part in our forum. Here is what they said about the issues that shape daily life for Georgians with IDD:

• Waivers and health care: Bottoms said fully funding NOW and COMP waivers for people in urgent need would be a top priority in her first year. McLaurin said he strongly supports more waiver funding. Both support expanding Medicaid.
• Education: Powell said she would strengthen state compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (also known as I.D.E.A.) and educate parents about their rights and available resources.
• Employment: Porcher proposed learning from other states and bringing those ideas to Georgia.
• Safety: Miller said Georgia needs an abuse registry and a clear process for acting on the information in it.

Lawmakers return to the Georgia Capitol in January. GCDD will be there along with disability advocates, sharing the stories and needs of people with IDD and their families. The ideas shared at the forum give us a strong place to start.

We look forward to working alongside Georgia's newly elected leaders as we continue our work for Georgians with IDD and their families.

You can help, too. Watch the Candidate Forum, attend our 2027 Advocacy Days, stay tuned for information from the Georgia Disability Policy Alliance (GDPA), and join our Advocacy Network to stay informed and make your voice heard.