by Amber Roldan, Georgia Recorder
August 25, 2025

Seven candidates are vying to replace former state Sen. Brandon Beach as the lawmaker representing a northern Atlanta suburban district in the Georgia Senate. Early voting concluded Friday in the district, which covers much of Cherokee County and extends into north Fulton County, and just under 12,000 voters have already cast a ballot for a turnout rate of 8% in early voting.

Election day is Tuesday, and polls will open again at 7 a.m. If one candidate does not secure more than 50% of the vote, a runoff is on the books for Sept. 23.

Beach resigned earlier this year, leaving his seat vacant. His resignation came after a March appointment from President Donald Trump to become the 46th U.S. Treasurer. Prior to this appointment, the Alpharetta Republican held onto his seat in the Senate for 13 years. 

Beach has been a consistent Trump ally – including by backing false conspiracies that the 2020 election had been rigged. The conservative suburban and rural district sent him back to the state Capitol with large margins of victory. In 2024, he won more than 70% of the vote against a Democratic challenger.

While Democrats are hoping to flip the seat, GOP voters feel optimistic about retaining party control with six Republicans on the ballot.

“I’m a Republican, so I’d like to see a Republican fill Brandon Beach’s shoes, and there were several to choose from,” said Fulton County early voter Lynna Lee after casting a ballot at the Alpharetta library.

Democrats have placed their faith in Alpharetta mom, attorney and small business owner, Debra Shigley. As the only Democratic candidate in the race, Shigley is fighting to overturn a long standing precedent in the red district.

“(When) hoping to flip a Republican-held seat, the best opportunity is to have only one candidate, because it’s a jungle general election where the candidates from both parties are listed on the ballot,” said Melita Easters, executive director of Georgia WIN List.

Georgia WIN List, a political action committee focused on electing Democratic women who support reproductive rights, has officially endorsed Shigley. Easters believes that Shigley will stand out against the “stale, pale, male” Republicans also fighting for a spot in the Senate.

“You’ve got these five men over here yelling, ‘I’m more MAGA than the other guys’, and they’re all spouting the same message,” Easters said.

Stephanie Donegan is the only Republican woman running in the district, and her campaign remains rooted in conservative values.

The party in power typically faces a backlash after a presidential election. Democrats are hoping frustration with GOP leaders at the state and federal levels could depress Republican turnout while invigorating Democrats to vote. Flipping a seat in a staunchly conservative district would be a major publicity win for a state party that has spent decades in the minority.

Gabrielle Smith, a Democratic voter, cast her ballot in Alpharetta during the second week of early voting. Smith said she was “concerned about the way things are going in the country” and hopes that her vote for Shigley could help make a difference.

“I think that a woman’s voice is needed,” Smith said. “I think that in a red state, a blue voice is needed. I think that somebody who isn’t trading on fear and hate is needed. Honestly, that’s why I voted for her.”

Democrats hope that having a single candidate in the race will work to their advantage, but Republicans are not convinced that the strategy will prove successful. Kennesaw State University professor of political science and former Cobb County Republican Party Chair Jason Shepherd said he thinks that it could be hard for Democrats to walk away with a victory. 

Shepherd predicts Shigley could be a third place finisher in the “overwhelmingly Republican” district and that there will be a September runoff between Tuesday’s top two Republican vote-getters. 

“If by some reason the Democrats do win it, then the Republicans need to be very nervous about these midterm elections,” Shepherd said. “And the person who should be most nervous is (Lt. Gov.) Burt Jones, who has Trump’s endorsement.”

Jones is a Republican running for governor next year who has heavily touted his early endorsement from the president. Right now, his top rival on the GOP side is Attorney General Chris Carr. 

Despite signs some voters are excited to use their voice at the ballot box this month, low turnout is expected to continue tomorrow.

“Voting is important, and I think the local people can impact your life a lot, in addition to the people in Washington, D.C.,” Lee said. “I think that since I get the opportunity to vote, especially as women we’ve had people fight for us to vote, that I should execute that.”

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

The post Voters head to the polls to pick new metro Atlanta state senator in low-turnout special election appeared first on georgiarecorder.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

The content presents a generally balanced overview of the Georgia state Senate race, providing perspectives from both Republican and Democratic candidates and voters. However, it includes subtle language that favors Democratic viewpoints, such as highlighting endorsements from Democratic groups supporting reproductive rights and quoting Democratic voters emphasizing the need for change. The article also critiques Republican candidates by noting their alignment with Trump and MAGA rhetoric, which suggests a slight lean toward a center-left perspective without overt partisanship.

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