Primary election season isn't over yet in GA. These races go to runoff

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Midterm primary election night came to a late and inconclusive end Tuesday as multiple races were unable to reach a clear winner.Results poured in from most of the state after polls closed at 7 p.m. on May 19, showing many candidates equally matched with their opponents. Fulton County held its results until the final polling location closed in Sandy Springs. The polling site had been temporarily shutdown earlier in the day due to nearby police activity, and polling hours were extended to 11:02 p.m.In Georgia, a candidate must pass the 50% threshold to win a race. This means even if one candidate outperforms all others, if they don't reach that midway point, their race goes to a runoff between the top two contenders.Here are the statewide races that will be heading to a runoff this summer.Republican gubernatorial primaryAfter months of intense political battle between Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and healthcare CEO Rick Jackson, neither had the momentum going into election day to win outright.Jones received the most votes overall, totaling 357,880 or 38.36%, according to results from the Georgia Secretary of State.Jackson came in a surprisingly not-so-close second with 303,402 votes, or 32.52%.The two will continue to fight it out until the runoff election, so Georgians should prepare for another barrage of political ads and pointed attacks between the candidates.In remarks made on election night, Jackson appealed to Jones voters by lobbing accusations that the lieutenant governor has been using his position to financially benefit his own family. He doubled-down on his "self-made" image and asked Jones voters to consider if they want a "conservative leader" like himself or a "politician."In posts on social media, Jones said the election "sent a clear message" that "Georgia isn't for sale," referencing Jackson's multi-million dollar campaign spending from his own personal fortune. He appealed to Jackson voters by saying it was risky to be led by "a billionaire Never Trumper with a checkbook."Republican US Senate primaryIncumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff was running unopposed in his primary, meaning the race in November was down to the Republican candidates hoping to take him on. Control of the Senate could ultimately come down to whether the Democrats can keep Ossoff's seat, or if it becomes a major gain for the Republicans.State representative Mike Collins took home the most votes in the Republican primary race, securing 40.50% of the vote. But, it wasn't enough to avoid the runoff.State representative Buddy Carter and former college football coach Derek Dooley were going back and forth for second place most of the night as election results were reported, and it wasn't until some of the final numbers came in that a runoff race could be called.Dooley will be joining Collins on the ballot after securing 30.19% of the vote over Carter's 25.11%.Dooley is backed by outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp, who will likely throw his hefty political capital behind the coach in the weeks ahead.Lieutenant governor primariesRaces on both sides of the lieutenant governor ballot will be heading to a runoff.On the Democratic side, state senator Josh McLaurin narrowly beat out former state representative Nabilah Parkes, earning 41.41% and 39.50%, respectively. The candidates were only one of three on the ballot.The Republican primary was much more crowded, with seven candidates vying for the position and largely splitting the vote.Ultimately, John F. Kennedy came out on top with 27.29% of the vote, followed by Greg Dolezal with 23.11%, and they will both head to a runoff.Secretary of state primariesBoth sides of the secretary of state race will also be heading to runoff elections next month.Tim Fleming, 39.22%, and Vernon Jones, 27.29% were the top candidates in the five-person race for the Republicans and well join the runoff.The runoff on the Democratic side will be between Penny Brown Reynolds, 42.34%, and Dana Barrett, 35.22%.When is the Georgia runoff election?All of these races will be back on the ballot on June 16 across the state.The runoffs will take place just one day before the Georgia General Assembly is back in Atlanta for a special session to decide changes to the voting process and machines, and discuss possible redistricting for the 2028 election cycle.The general election in Georgia will be held on Nov. 3.Some candidates still had big winsThere might not have been clear wins for many candidates on the ballot Tuesday, but it didn't stop a few candidates from standing out from the crowd.Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, dominated the Democratic gubernatorial primary race, ending the night with 56.22% of the vote after Fulton County reported results. The closest second place was Jason Esteves at 18.66% in the crowded field. Many predictions had Bottoms just below the 50% threshold, and the race was preparing for a runoff. But Bottoms support across the state was higher than predicted, and she will face either Jackson or Jones in November.There were also clear victories on the Georgia Supreme Court. The race was not a primary and it will not be on the ballot again in November, meaning the winner Tuesday will be headed to the bench.Ben Land was running unopposed, but both incumbents Charlie Bethel and Sarah Hawkins Warren faced challenges from liberal attorneys hoping to change the balance on the court. Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, running in the technically non-partisan race, even secured endorsements from Barack Obama and Kamala Harris.Warren secured her seat against Jordan with 59.34% of the vote.Bethel had a much closer race, but ultimately won over Rankin with 51.12% of the vote.Irene Wright covers midterm races in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.