Our Future—That’s What’s on the Ballot

Written By Erika Brayboy Collier

Lyndon B. Johnson signing the 1965 Voting Rights Act in he presence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, and others.

Our Future is on the Ballot

My parents were born in a country where they could not vote.

The year was 1952. A boy in Altus, Oklahoma and a girl in Lee County, Arkansas were born into the Jim Crow era. They attended segregated schools, and endured a world where their humanity was constantly in question–systems no child should experience. 

Will our children have to experience it?

We keep thinking about what could “never”  happen–and yet here we are. 

The Georgia Governor has called a special legislative session this summer to continue undermining the dignity of those whose ancestors fought to make the U.S. of America the democracy she claims to be.  He has called this session in the same spirit that his ancestors embodied when they did the same thing, by the same means.

Our most quoted Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. once said,

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

But to whom was he speaking? He was speaking to those whose hope had struggled with bullied boots on the ground.He was speaking to those whose platform was their community.

He was speaking to those whose mouths were “writing checks” that their activism could cash.He was not speaking to a sleeping generation. No, he was speaking to that Black strength that most of us knowof, but do not know ourselves. He was speaking to their allies.

There is no shame in being asleep, if you wake up. 

So let’s vote. 

Let’s get our neighbors out.Let’s have events about what’s really on the ballot–our future. 

This voter guide is an emergency. 

So many people have been asking me about this election, so I am taking time to do my very best to answer. To be clear, there is no staff with me, no advisors–just a Black wife and mother of six who sees a better future for her, her bae and her babies–because she knows that this is what she has. Don’t expect perfection or political correctness at its finest. I don’t have time, nor room for it today. 

The most important thing you can do right now is visit My Voter Page, and print your ballot (if you can’t print it in this very moment, you still need to print it because this time it’s up to 11 pages and you can bring it with you to your voting booth). When you get to the section “Georgia General Assembly & County Offices,” you may see something different than what I have here. These are your Georgia Senate and Georgia House offices. If you are in Fulton County however, some will be the same. Your last few pages will likely differ from mine, so please print it out. Don’t worry, I am breaking it into chunks to cut out the overwhelm. Let’s go. I will only be addressing the “Official Democratic Ballot” during this primary election. In my lifetime, I am unashamed to say that I have voted on both sides of the aisle–but the aisle is gone, and an orange canyon exists in its place. Context is everything. Respectfully, I will not waste my or my audience's time in this hyper-polarized moment (context is everything). 

My Recommendations are highlighted in GREEN. Where there are incumbent candidates with no challengers, I have left recommendations blank. Where there are races in which I believe a particular candidate should not be voted for, I have added a “strikethrough” to their name.

Finally, take all of this with a grain of salt. You may not agree with me and that is OK. These are the primary races… the only thing I feel comfortable with asking you to do outright is this: come general election in November, brothers, Ima need you ro match the 92%. If you know, you know. Where we disagree, I have placed links for all candidates who had a website (in few cases, a Faceboook Page) pop up in the first 15 results in a google search. Otherwise there is no link. This is for YOU to do your own research. 

In love and hope,

-Erika Brayboy Collier

Official Democratic Ballot

OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC BALLOTMay 19, 2026 – General PrimaryMay 19, 2026

In accordance with GA Law, phone use in a voting area is prohibited except for visually impaired voters who need to use their phone as an assistive device to read their ballot before casting. To print your Sample Ballot, click “Open in New Tab,” and select “Print Ballot.” This is not your official ballot. Any marks on this ballot will not count.

Federal and Statewide Offices

For United States Senate(Vote for One)

For Governor(Vote for One)

For Lieutenant Governor(Vote for One)

For Secretary of State(Vote for One)

For Attorney General(Vote for One)

For Commissioner of Agriculture(Vote for One)

For Commissioner of Insurance(Vote for One)

For State School Superintendent(Vote for One)

For Commissioner of Labor(Vote for One)

Public Service Commission and Congress

For Public Service Commissioner – District 3(Vote for One)

For Public Service Commissioner – District 5(Vote for One)

For United States House of Representatives – District 5(Vote for One)

General Assembly and County Offices

For State Senate – District 39(Vote for One)

For State House of Representatives – District 58(Vote for One)

For County Commission Chairperson(Vote for One)

State Democratic Party Questions

Question 1Should 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?

  • Yes

  • No

Question 2Is 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?

  • Yes

  • No

County Democratic Party Questions

Question 3-Did you know that Georgia Republicans want to defund police and fire departments across 15 cities in Fulton County through their proposal to eliminate property taxes, which fund municipal services?

  • Yes

  • No

Question 4-On January 28, 2026, the FBI raided the Fulton County elections office and took your personal data. Do you think they should have your personal voter data?

  • Yes

  • No

Question 5-Are you aware a sitting Republican Fulton County Board of Commissioner served as a witness, alongside other 2020 election conspiracy theorists, on the affidavit the FBI used to steal your private election information?

  • Yes

  • No

Question 6-Should known 2020 election deniers sit on the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections?

  • Yes

  • No

Nonpartisan General Election – Supreme Court of Georgia

For Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia(To Succeed Charlie Bethel)(Vote for One)

For Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia(To Succeed Benjamin Land)(Vote for One)

  • Ben Land (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia(To Succeed Sarah Hawkins Warren)(Vote for One)

Nonpartisan General Election – Court of Appeals of Georgia

For Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia(To Succeed Trenton "Trent" Brown, III)(Vote for One)

For Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia(To Succeed Sara Doyle)(Vote for One)

  • Sara Doyle (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia(To Succeed Elizabeth Dallas Gobeil)(Vote for One)

For Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia(To Succeed David Todd Markle)(Vote for One)

  • David Todd Markle (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge, Court of Appeals of Georgia(To Succeed J. Wade Padgett)(Vote for One)

  • J. Wade Padgett (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

Nonpartisan General Election – Superior Court (Atlanta Judicial Circuit)

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Alice Benton)(Vote for One)

  • Alice Benton (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Charles M. Eaton, Jr.)(Vote for One)

  • Chuck Eaton (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Kelly Lee Ellerbe)(Vote for One)

  • Kelly Lee Ellerbe (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Kevin M. Farmer)(Vote for One)

  • Kevin M. Farmer (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Robert C. I. McBurney)(Vote for One)

  • Robert C. I. McBurney (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Craig L. Schwall, Sr.)(Vote for One)

For Judge – Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit(To Succeed Paige R. Whitaker)(Vote for One)

  • Nikia Smith Sellers

  • Paige Reese Whitaker (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

Nonpartisan General Election – Fulton County State Court

For Judge – Fulton County State Court(To Succeed Fred C. Eady)(Vote for One)

  • Fred Eady (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Fulton County State Court(To Succeed Eric A. Richardson)(Vote for One)

  • Eric Richardson (Incumbent)

  • Write-in

For Judge – Fulton County State Court(To Succeed Jay M. Roth)(Vote for One)

For Judge – Chief Magistrate, Fulton County(To Succeed Cassandra Kirk)(Vote for One)

  • Cassandra Kirk (Incumbent)

  • Write-in


If you like this guide and want to appreciate me by buying me a cup of coffee or tea? Feel free to donate right here. I will be writing soon.

In the meantime, enjoy cascade!

Erika Brayboy Collier
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