The candidate filing deadline passed on January 8 for the special election in District 176 of the Georgia House of Representatives. Barbara Griffin (D), Barbara Seidman (D), James Burchett (R), and Franklin Patten (R) filed to run in the special election being held on February 12. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff will be held between the top two candidates on March 12.

 

District 176 became vacant after Jason Shaw (R) was appointed to serve the remainder of H. Doug Everett’s term on the Georgia Public Service Commission, beginning January 1, 2019. Shaw was elected to District 176 in 2010, which was also the only year in which he faced general election opposition. He won in 2010 with 69 percent of the vote.

 

The Georgia House of Representatives currently has 64 Democrats, 112 Republicans, and four vacancies. Another special election is being held in District 5, which has gone to a runoff scheduled for February 5. Georgia has a Republican trifecta. A state government trifecta exists when one political party simultaneously holds the governor’s office and both state legislative chambers.

 

In 2019, 21 state legislative special elections have been scheduled or held in 11 states. Between 2011 and 2018, an average of 77 special elections took place each year.