There’s never a dull moment in Atlanta or Georgia politics, and that reality definitely isn’t changing in 2026:
- Atlanta leaders are making final preparations for the World Cup beginning in June in a push that has major implications for Mayor Andre Dickens’ second term.
- Candidates vying for governor will hit the ground running in January ahead of a pivotal May primary election season that will decide which Democratic and Republican contenders will face off in November to replace outgoing GOP Gov. Brian Kemp.
- A trio of GOP U.S. Senate hopefuls will compete in May to decide which of them gets to take on incumbent Jon Ossoff in one of the nation’s most critical midterm election battles.
- There’s also a group of new Black mayors taking office and looking to chart new courses in predominantly Black Atlanta suburbs, where locals are looking for change and economic development.
The following is a breakdown of key questions as we head into 2026:
Will FIFA World Cup be a boon or bust for Black Atlanta?
The most high-profile stage for the world’s most popular sport is expected to bring more than 300,000 visitors and $1 billion to the local economy. Metro Atlanta business leaders and Mayor Andre Dickens have spent years preparing to ensure the city is ready.
A total of 48 teams are participating in 104 World Cup matches hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States next year. Atlanta will host eight of those matches.
Invest Atlanta has approved 13 small-business improvement grants for local entrepreneurs to pay for exterior and interior improvements to their shops to help ensure they capitalize on the FIFA frenzy.
What will be the impact of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful” federal budget cuts?
2026 will reveal how well city leaders and Atlanta residents will adjust to decreases in federal funding for government programs, including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Housing and Urban Development rental assistance.
Republicans contend the cuts will make the government run more efficiently. Democrats argue the cuts will cause poverty to rise and increase the state’s affordability crisis.
Will Keisha Lance Bottoms make history as Georgia’s first Black governor?
An AJC poll released in November showed the former mayor of Atlanta receiving 40% support in a crowded field of six contenders for the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor, making her the clear frontrunner in the party’s May primary race.
Bottoms would become the first Black person and first woman to serve as governor if she wins in November.
What will be the outcome of midterm mayhem?
The balance of power between Republicans and Democrats in the Georgia General Assembly and one of Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats will be up for grabs next year.
The GOP has maintained majority control of the state House and the state Senate since 2004. During the 2020 election cycle, Black voters helped make Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock the first two Democrats in two decades to win election to the U.S. Senate from Georgia. Republicans regained ground with voters in 2022 and 2024, but recent election results have signaled the party’s long-held grip on power may be slipping.
The pendulum of statewide office support swung back in Democrats’ favor in November when voter concerns about affordability helped Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson win two seats on the state’s Public Service Commission.
Voter disenchantment over the rising cost of living — especially lack of housing affordability — could turn the tide in favor of Democrats next fall as well.
Will Democrats take control of the Public Service Commission?
Majority control of Georgia’s five seat Public Service Commission will be up for grabs when two incumbents — one Democrat, one Republican — are up for reelection.
Affordability was the most crucial issue for PSC voters in 2025. Georgia voters, angry over their rising energy bills and a recent vote supporting future data center construction, may take their anger to the polls in November.
The PSC is the regulatory body that governs most major utility companies in Georgia, including Georgia Power, the state’s largest electricity provider. The board of PSC commissioners has taken fire recently for approving six Georgia Power rate hikes since 2023 at a time when many voters are weary of cost of living increases.
How will state lawmakers address housing affordability?
Republican leaders in the Gold Dome are more wary of voter angst over the issue of affordability. As a result, they may be more open to passing legislation, such as HB 555 and HB 374, which advocates contend will help address rising housing affordability and homelessness crises. Findings from the latest Point In Time Count showed the growth of Atlanta’s unhoused community slowed dramatically between 2024 and 2025, but still increased for the third consecutive year.
Will South Fulton’s new mayor lead the city into a new era?
Voters in America’s Blackest city want fewer data centers and more places to shop in 2026. They also want to turn the page on the outgoing mayor’s alleged corruption scandals. The unveiling of a $200 million economic development project and the election of a new mayor may be just what the doctor ordered.
Carmelitha Gumbs will become the first female mayor of South Fulton on Jan, 10, and has promised to improve government transparency by supporting open budgeting and raising the ethics standards. She also ran on increasing public safety with more sidewalks, parks and outdoor lighting as well as investing in programs for youth, seniors and small business owners.
Could 2026 usher in a changing of the guard in Fulton County?
The race to become chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners is gearing up to be a hotly contested election in 2026 with three Democrats already announcing their intentions to run. The seven-person board consists of six district commissioners and the chairperson, who is the only commissioner elected at-large. The chair is responsible for setting the agenda, presiding over meetings and nominating a person to be appointed to the county’s Registration and Elections Board.
Will Republicans eliminate the state income tax?
Georgia currently has a flat 5.19% income tax rate that will decrease every year by 0.10% until it reaches 4.99%. However, Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones wants to eliminate personal income tax entirely. In July, he appointed eight Republicans and three Democrats to serve on the newly created Georgia Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax. The committee is scheduled to present its recommendations on the first day of the 2026 legislative session.
The plan is already drawing criticism from political scientists who say the move would harm more Georgians than it would help, and increase the cost of living overall.
How will Georgia celebrate America’s 250th anniversary?
Georgia US250, a commission created by Gov. Brian Kemp last year, will be spearheading the initiative to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding. The events will center on Georgia’s role throughout American history from the Revolution, to the Civil War and Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, and the 1996 Olympic Games.
Read More:
