Georgia is at the heart of our fight to protect our future.
From our climate to our democracy, the next stage of the battle to protect our future—and our children’s’ future—will be decided at Georgia’s polling places. Your vote this year matters more than ever.
Without record turnout from Georgians in November 2020 and the special elections of January 2021, the United States would not have just passed the biggest piece of climate legislation in the history of our nation: the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill will provide states with almost $370 billion to invest in clean energy and ensure climate justice for communities across the country. But that’s just one drop in the large bucket of work left ahead of us to ensure climate justice and energy equity for all.
With so much work to be done to secure the future of our planet—as well as our democracy—it’s vital that we keep up this momentum and ensure pro-climate voters turn out to the polls in Georgia this year.
Everything you need to know about voting this year in Georgia:
- THE WHEN: Important dates
- THE WHO: Meet the candidates
- THE HOW: Take Action
- THE WHY: Building our climate majority in Georgia
- THE RESULTS: As of December 7, 2022
THE WHEN: Important dates
Don’t know if you’re registered to vote? Want to request a mail-in ballot? You’re in the right spot to have all your logistical questions answered!
Please note there have been important changes to absentee/mail-in ballot voting procedures since the last major election in Georgia. Check out these key deadlines and resources to make sure you don’t miss the chance to vote by November 8.
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Questions or having technical problems? Get in touch with your county elections office or the secretary of state’s elections division at 404-656-2871 or toll-free at 844-753-7825 (TTY at 404-656-1787).
THE WHO: Meet the candidates
We need true climate champions to lead the way in Georgia, a state whose political makeup has unique potential for significant climate and energy industry innovation in the coming years. We believe these candidates fit that bill.
STACEY ABRAMS
Running for governor
Former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives from January 2011 to July 2017
Why we support Abrams
- As a career public servant, she has a long record of fighting for justice, including pioneering a Southern climate organizing strategy, and is credited for bringing a pro–environmental justice majority to the U.S. Senate through her work during the senate runoffs in January 2021.
- Although she may be best known for her tireless voting rights work, she has long been dedicated to the fight for climate justice and has worked on environmental issues since her earliest days in politics.
- She has laid out detailed plans to protect critical infrastructure, coastal industries, marine ecosystems, and low-income Georgians by investing in hazard mitigation and community resilience. On the campaign trail, she has also vowed to prioritize the creation of jobs alongside the modernization of the state’s infrastructure.
- If elected governor, we know she will continue her long-standing work to address the unique climate challenges and opportunities in America’s Southern states, with Georgia at the forefront of these ongoing economic and environmental justice efforts.
RAPHAEL WARNOCK
Running for U.S. Senate
Senator for Georgia since 2021
Why we support Reverend Warnock
- Since being elected to serve as Georgia’s senator, he has continued to work passionately to make sure our nation’s leaders, as well as the environmental community, better understand the links between pollution, race, and poverty.
- In the Senate, he introduced legislation to rapidly boost American solar manufacturing, accelerate our transition to clean energy, and support American energy independence.
- While serving as senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta—the former congregation of Martin Luther King Jr.—he started Project Green: Sustainable Ebenezer to get congregants involved with environmental projects and preached frequently about the urgent need for environmental justice, not only in Georgia but across the country.
- If he is re-elected, we know he will follow the science, invest in infrastructure, and work to combat the climate crisis already at our door.
LUCY MCBATH
Running for her third term in the U.S. House of Representatives (GA-07)
Representative for Georgia since 2019
Why we support McBath
- After a 30-year career with Delta Air Lines, she has focused her congressional work on reforms that will make our communities safer and better for all Americans of every background, including addressing the threats posed by climate change.
- In Congress, she will continue to fight for strong investments in clean energy and advocate for legislation that would increase subsidies for homeowners who want to use solar and other forms of clean power at home.
- If re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, we know she will continue fighting to mitigate the damage from climate change while securing a sustainable energy future for all of us.
Important note: This election cycle, the NRDC Action Fund focused on endorsements for key federal and gubernatorial races. We know there are other important races on the ballot, so we encourage you to seek out other trusted resources to help you learn about candidates in races we have not covered.
THE HOW: Take action!
We need your help to spread the word about this year’s election and make sure that every eligible voter you know in Georgia has all the information they need to cast their ballot in support of a pro-climate majority.
Share this Georgia voter guide on social media
Share to Facebook. >>
Share to Twitter. >>
Don’t have social media? Share this page directly with your Georgian friends, family, and community!
Sign up to be a poll worker on Election Day!
Poll workers power our democracy—and Georgia’s polling stations need your help this year more than ever, particularly in the wake of recent election rule changes.
Connect with our climate activist community on Slack!
On our All In for Climate Action Slack channel, you’ll find other people who care just as much about protecting our planet’s future as you do. From volunteer opportunities (both at home and in person) to campaign updates, this activist community is the best way you can stay active this midterm season.
Join our All In For Climate Action Slack channel! >>
Sign up to write letters to Georgia voters
We’re partnering with Vote Forward to mobilize volunteers like you to write thousands of get-out-the-vote (GOTV) letters to voters in Georgia. This is one of the most effective ways to make sure people turn up to vote—in fact, writing personal letters can increase turnout results by up to 3.4 percentage points!
Sign up to write letters on NRDC Action Fund’s Vote Forward hub. >>
Sign up for volunteer opportunities!
Whether you’re interested in canvassing door to door, texting voters on your couch, or anything in between, there are always new volunteer opportunities during election season.
Check out Georgia Get Out the Vote events here! >>
Check your voter registration status
Every voter’s first step in an election year should be to double-check their voter registration status. With so many voting rights fights going on across the country these days, it’s vital for everyone to check—even if you think you’re registered already.
Use our Vote.org tool to check on your voter registration! >>
A polling place worker handing out “I’m a Georgia Voter” stickers (Leah Millis/Reuters via Alamy)
THE WHY: Building our climate majority in Georgia
Georgia’s coasts are on the frontline of the increased flooding and other extreme weather damages that are a direct result of warming global temperatures. And in the wake of the pandemic, our communities need the new jobs and energy cost savings that will result from transitioning to a clean energy economy.
At the polls this year, we’re fighting for the right of every Georgian to live safe from extreme weather events and have affordable access to clean air, water, and energy.
Given the history of discriminatory voting practices in Georgia and across the South—particularly for Black voters—and the current wash of election misinformation spreading across the country, it’s even more important that we join forces to get out the climate vote.
One curveball facing Georgian voters now is last year’s passage of Senate Bill 202, which burdens the state’s voters with unnecessary restrictions. In addition to updates to the identification required in order to be able to register and vote in the state, there has been a significant cut to the number and accessibility of ballot drop boxes across Georgia.
An NPR analysis of voting habits during the May 24 primary found that under the new rules, almost 1.9 million Goergians—about a quarter of the state’s voters—have seen their travel time to a drop box increase from 2020. Back in 2020, there were exponentially more drop boxes, and they were available 24 hours a day; this year, the smaller number of boxes are only typically available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Even seemingly small changes like this to voting rules can have a big impact on turnout, so the NRDC Action Fund is calling on you to help us make sure every Georgian has what they need to vote this fall.
The results of Georgia’s 2022 midterm elections will be pivotal not only in determining control of the next Congress but also in helping us keep the climate action momentum going for years to come. It’s up to us to work together to ensure that we come out of Election Day with strong pro-climate leaders in office.
THE RESULTS: As of December 7, 2022
We know that when it comes to fighting climate change and securing a clean and healthy future, every election counts. This one was no different. But a split Congress means leaders from both parties have a responsibility to work together to build a livable future for all. Now, it is important to continue to push for equitable climate action and insist that both parties work to deliver a clean energy future. The NRDC Action Fund has a long history of working with bipartisan legislatures to achieve real climate progress. There is tough work ahead—but for now, let’s celebrate the new and returning climate champions.
- Reverend Raphael Warnock has been re-elected as senator
- Lucy McBath has been re-elected as representative for District 7
The following candidates were not elected this year:
- Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor
Our journey does not end on Election Day, and we will continue to defend the wins and learn from the losses over the last two years. We hope that you will continue to support this work. Tell President Biden and key environmental cabinet officials to keep the momentum going and accelerate climate progress before it’s too late.
Paid for by the NRDC Action Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
