Four seats on the
Supreme Court of Georgia were being up for election to a six-year term on May 21. Of these four, only the seat held by
Andrew Pinson was contested by former
Democratic U.S. House member
John Barrow. Justices Michael Boggs, John Ellington and Nels Peterson were unopposed for re-election.
Seven seats on the
Georgia Court of Appeals were being up for election on May 21, of these seven, only the seat held by justice
M. Yvette Miller, (who decided not to run for re-election)[1] was contested between Jeff Davis and Tabitha Ponder.[2] Justices Stephen Dillard, Ken Hodges, Benjamin Land, Amanda Mercier, Brian Rickman, and Jeffrey Watkins were unopposed for re-election.
Since 1896, justices on the Supreme Court and judges on the Court of Appeals have been directly elected in statewide elections. Judicial elections were made
non-partisan in 1983. Elections for nonpartisan state judgeships have been held on the date of the legislative primary since 2012, and were previously held on the general election ballot in November during even-numbered years.
Court of Appeals
Miller's seat
Justice
M. Yvette Miller, who was appointed in 1999 by
Democratic Governor
Roy Barnes retired, which made the seat open.[3] Conservative candidate Jeff Davis defeated liberal candidate Tabitha Ponder with 57.0% of the vote.[4]
Results
Final results by county:
Davis
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
Ponder
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
2024 Georgia Jeff Davis's Court of Appeals election[5]
Pinson performed very well statewide, most notably in
Metro Atlanta, while Barrow performed well in
Georgia's 12th congressional district, where he used to represent in the
House of Representatives. Despite the margin, the result was the most competitive two-way election for Supreme Court since 2020, when incumbent
Charlie Bethel defeated
Beth Beskin 52.2 to 47.8, as well as the second most competitive since judicial elections made nonpartisan in 1983.
John Barrow previously campaigned in 2019 and 2020 to succeed retiring justice
Robert Benham, but the election was canceled by Kemp's appointment of
Carla Wong McMillian to fill Benham's remaining term. Barrow also campaigned to succeed
Keith R. Blackwell in 2020, but that election was similarly cancelled by Kemp's appointment of
Shawn Ellen LaGrua, and again with the appointment of
Verda Colvin to succeed retiring justice
Harold Melton in 2021.[19] Finally, in 2022, Kemp cancelled a potential election by appointing Pinson to succeed Nahmias.[20][21] Barrow, along with fellow candidate Beth Beskin, unsuccessfully sued in state court to challenge the law allowing for cancellations of judicial elections following the appointment of LaGrua.[22]
Four seats on the
Supreme Court of Georgia were being up for election to a six-year term on May 21. Of these four, only the seat held by
Andrew Pinson was contested by former
Democratic U.S. House member
John Barrow. Justices Michael Boggs, John Ellington and Nels Peterson were unopposed for re-election.
Seven seats on the
Georgia Court of Appeals were being up for election on May 21, of these seven, only the seat held by justice
M. Yvette Miller, (who decided not to run for re-election)[1] was contested between Jeff Davis and Tabitha Ponder.[2] Justices Stephen Dillard, Ken Hodges, Benjamin Land, Amanda Mercier, Brian Rickman, and Jeffrey Watkins were unopposed for re-election.
Since 1896, justices on the Supreme Court and judges on the Court of Appeals have been directly elected in statewide elections. Judicial elections were made
non-partisan in 1983. Elections for nonpartisan state judgeships have been held on the date of the legislative primary since 2012, and were previously held on the general election ballot in November during even-numbered years.
Court of Appeals
Miller's seat
Justice
M. Yvette Miller, who was appointed in 1999 by
Democratic Governor
Roy Barnes retired, which made the seat open.[3] Conservative candidate Jeff Davis defeated liberal candidate Tabitha Ponder with 57.0% of the vote.[4]
Results
Final results by county:
Davis
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
80–90%
Ponder
50–60%
60–70%
70–80%
2024 Georgia Jeff Davis's Court of Appeals election[5]
Pinson performed very well statewide, most notably in
Metro Atlanta, while Barrow performed well in
Georgia's 12th congressional district, where he used to represent in the
House of Representatives. Despite the margin, the result was the most competitive two-way election for Supreme Court since 2020, when incumbent
Charlie Bethel defeated
Beth Beskin 52.2 to 47.8, as well as the second most competitive since judicial elections made nonpartisan in 1983.
John Barrow previously campaigned in 2019 and 2020 to succeed retiring justice
Robert Benham, but the election was canceled by Kemp's appointment of
Carla Wong McMillian to fill Benham's remaining term. Barrow also campaigned to succeed
Keith R. Blackwell in 2020, but that election was similarly cancelled by Kemp's appointment of
Shawn Ellen LaGrua, and again with the appointment of
Verda Colvin to succeed retiring justice
Harold Melton in 2021.[19] Finally, in 2022, Kemp cancelled a potential election by appointing Pinson to succeed Nahmias.[20][21] Barrow, along with fellow candidate Beth Beskin, unsuccessfully sued in state court to challenge the law allowing for cancellations of judicial elections following the appointment of LaGrua.[22]