Too soon to tell if Democrats will flip Georgia House

(The Center Square) – Who will control the Georgia House of Representatives is still unclear the morning after Tuesday’s elections.

Republicans hold 99 of the 180 seats in the House. Nine Republicans trail their Democrat opponents by 2 percentage points or more, according to results from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

To request a recount, the margin between the candidates must be 0.5% or less, according to a Georgia law passed in 2019. Candidates must request the recounts within two business days of the election’s certification. County officials have until Monday to certify the results and submit them to the secretary of state’s office. The secretary of state has until Nov. 20 to certify the election.

Seven races are close to the recount margin, according to the results.

One race appears headed for a runoff. Republican incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus, received 47.88% of the vote in his House District 151 contest. Democrat Ethan Wolfe received 40.85% and independent candidate Travis Lockhart received 11.26%. Georgia law requires candidates to receive more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.

Republicans will hold the Georgia Senate, but the margin is tighter. The Senate had a 33-22 majority before the election, with Rep. Freddie Sims’ seat vacant. She resigned in March, citing her husband’s health as a reason. Democrat Edward Brown won the seat on Tuesday.

The unofficial results show Republicans with 29 seats and Democrats with 26. The race between incumbent Republican Sen. Ed Setzler and Democrat Darcy Castro was close. Castro leads 50.25%-49.25%.

Georgia voters said yes to a constitutional amendment that increased the amount of farmland eligible for a conservation tax break from 2,000 to 4,000 acres. Also approved were amendments creating a special fund for a Next Generation 911 system and making probate judges’ races nonpartisan.

— By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square

This article was published by The Center Square and is republished here with permission. Click here to view the original.

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