Sunday, February 1, 2026–1:25 p.m.
-Staff reports-
Qualifying concludes Monday for the District 53 seat in the Georgia State Senate.
The Special Election will be held on March 10 in Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker, and a portion of Floyd Counties to fill a vacancy due to the qualifying of Senator Colton Moore for the Special Election to fill a vacancy in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District for the United States House of Representatives.
The qualified candidates, so far, include Republicans Blake Elsberry, a regional director from Walker County; Denise Pierce Burns, a homemaker and home educator from Catoosa County; and Lanny Thomas, a retired educator from Chattooga County.
One Democrat, John Bentley (Jack) Zibluk, a professor of communication from Walker County, has also qualified.
Qualifying runs today from 8 am until 1 pm at the Elections Division in Atlanta.
The fee is $400.
