2018 Georgia gubernatorial election

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The 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, with voters choosing Georgia’s next governor. Republican Brian Kemp, then the state’s Secretary of State, defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams. Kemp won 50.22% of the vote to Abrams’ 48.83%, a margin of 54,723 votes, with turnout around 56.8%. This was Georgia’s closest governor’s race since 1966.

Primary elections
- Republican primary: Kemp faced Casey Cagle and won in a runoff held on July 24, 2018.
- Democratic primary: Abrams won more than 75% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.

Controversies and issues
- Kemp’s role as Secretary of State while running for governor led to accusations of a conflict of interest, since he oversaw the election in which he was a candidate. He resigned as Secretary of State on November 7, after declaring victory.
- Abrams and her group Fair Fight filed lawsuits challenging Georgia’s voting laws, alleging unfair practices. Some court rulings in 2021 and 2022 addressed these claims, ultimately ruling against Fair Fight on remaining issues.
- Critics highlighted voter registration removals and other changes that could affect turnout, while supporters argued safeguards protected the integrity of elections. There were reports of polling place closures and long lines in some areas.

Aftermath
- Kemp declared victory on November 7 and was certified the next day. Abrams suspended her campaign and did not concede, but accepted Kemp as the declared winner while continuing to challenge aspects of the process.
- Kemp was re-elected governor in 2022 in a rematch with Abrams.

Other notes
- Kemp carried eight of Georgia’s fourteen congressional districts; Abrams carried six.