Ware County voters: What’s on your 2026 ballot?

Georgia voters will have a chance to shape the future of their state during this election year, with an open seat for governor highlighting the races on the 2026 ballot, with the first votes to be cast for the May 19 primaries.

Republican Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited, and both Republicans and Democrats have multiple candidates vying for their party’s nomination for the general election. But the race for governor is far from the only statewide race gaining attention: Republicans are lining up for the chance to run for the U.S. Senate in November, and challenge Democrat Jon Ossoff.

The crowded fields for these high-profile races could add a twist to how the primaries play out. Unlike in Florida, where there are not runoffs for party primaries, Georgia does require more than 50% of the vote to win a primary election. That means some races could send the top two vote-getters on to a primary runoff on June 16.

In Ware County, the primary features a county commission race and a Board of Education race, as well as a non-binding county referendum. There are also several questions from the local Republican Party.

Ware County Commission - District 3

Incumbent Republican Timothy Lucas is seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race. The race will only appear on the ballots of voters who live in District 3.

• Jonathan Reid Daniell - EMA director
• Raylan Vonderau Guy - Social worker (Campaign Facebook page)
• Timothy Richard Lucas - Insurance agent

Ware County Board of Education - District 6

Incumbent Brandi Waters is seeking re-election in this non-partisan race. This race will only appear on the ballots of voters in District 6.

• Leonard DeWitt Meadows - Fire chief
• Brandi R. Waters - Hospital administrator (Campaign Facebook page)

Ware County Nonbinding Advisory Referendum - Perimeter Highway

Ware County officials are looking at the feasibility of a perimeter roadway around Waycross. A feasibility study completed in February examined the proposal, looking at travel times, environmental and community concerns, and the possible routes for a perimeter road. A bill approved by the Georgia legislature and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp this spring placed the nonbinding advisory referendum on the ballot:

• “Do you support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross?”

Ware County Republican Party Questions

In Georgia’s primary elections, the state parties typically place non-binding questions on the ballot in order to gauge voter opinion on various issues. In addition to the eight questions from the Georgia Republican Party, the Ware County Republican Party placed three additional questions on the ballot:

• Question 9: Are you in favor of prohibiting any new form/type/methods of gambling in the state of Georgia?
• Question 10: Should the Georgia General Assembly require all individuals to provide physical documentary proof of U.S. Citizenship when registering to vote?
• Question 11: Are you in favor of consolidating City and County Government?

Read about the rest of the races in the primary in our 2026 Georgia Voter’s Guide.