Cobb County voters head to polls for Georgia and national midterms

Cobb County voters are at the polls today, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for the midterm elections. Polls in Georgia are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, according to Ballotpedia. Residents of Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Mableton, Marietta, and Brookhaven are casting ballots to decide the next governor of Georgia and select their representatives for Congress and local offices. The Associated Press describes the day as a referendum on the second term of President Donald Trump, with many voters citing high prices and an unpopular war with Iran as primary concerns.

In Georgia, the governor’s office is an open seat as former Governor Brian Kemp does not run for re-election. The race pits Republican health care executive Rick Jackson against Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. According to Ballotpedia, Republicans currently hold 26 governorships nationwide, while Democrats hold 24. Democrats need a net gain of two governorships to secure a nationwide majority, a position Republicans have held since 2010. The outcome in Georgia will be a significant factor in this national balance of power.

Cobb County voters are also deciding the fate of a U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. He faces Republican Representative Mike Collins in a race that the Associated Press and other analysts rate as leaning or likely Democratic. The Associated Press notes that the state voted for President Trump by a margin of 2.2 percentage points in 2024, making the race closely watched. Georgia is one of several states using new congressional maps or facing competitive dynamics that could shift the balance in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Beyond Georgia, voters in nine other states are choosing their governors today. In Nevada, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo seeks re-election against Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. In Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy faces Democrat Amy Acton in a race marked by an advertising dispute. In Arizona, Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs runs for re-election. In Michigan, the seat is open, and in Pennsylvania, Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro seeks a second term. In Wisconsin, the seat is also open. In New Hampshire, Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte runs for re-election. In Vermont, Republican Governor Phil Scott seeks another term. In Kansas, the seat is open, and the race is considered a key battleground for Senate control.

The Associated Press reports that more than 57 million people had already voted as of Monday, surpassing early voting totals from four years ago in many closely watched states. In Georgia, the U.S. House race involves all state seats, with Democrats holding 214 seats and Republicans 218 in the current Congress. Democrats need a net gain of three districts to take control of the House. Ballotpedia identifies 46 battleground districts nationwide, including 21 Democratic-held districts that voted for Trump in 2024 and nine Republican-held districts that voted for Kamala Harris.

The Associated Press notes that 35% of U.S. adults approve of President Trump’s job performance, while about seven in 10 say the country is heading in the wrong direction. The president held rallies in multiple states leading up to election day, including a stop in Salina, Kansas, where he encouraged voters to support his party. Republican committees have outspent Democratic committees at the committee level, with 88.1% of Republican general election TV ad spending directed to states and districts Trump won in 2024, according to an Associated Press analysis of AdImpact data.

In the U.S. Senate, 35 seats are up for election, including two special elections for the remainder of the terms held by Marco Rubio and JD Vance. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to achieve a majority in the 100-seat chamber. The Associated Press highlights races in Maine, Iowa, and Kansas as particularly competitive, with Maine rated a toss-up by all four major ratings groups. The Associated Press also notes that the Trump administration filed a lawsuit related to the certification of the Senate result in Alaska, adding a layer of legal scrutiny to the election process.

Voters in Cobb County are also weighing local measures and state legislative races. Ballotpedia indicates that state and local offices vary by county, with school boards and municipal government positions on the ballot in many jurisdictions. The Associated Press reports that the election is expected to be the most expensive in history, with significant spending on both sides. Democrats are described as cautiously optimistic, while Republicans are bracing for potential losses in the House but fighting to hold the Senate.

The United States Postal Service has added hours and staff to ensure mail ballots are counted on time, a critical step in many states that rely heavily on mail-in voting. A federal judge temporarily barred the Trump administration from implementing a plan to prevent noncitizen voting, a move that critics said could risk disenfranchising eligible voters. In California, a judge ordered the administration to stop demanding that election officials segregate ballots cast by people on lists of suspected noncitizens. These legal developments have drawn attention to the administration’s role in the election process, with Democrats expressing concern over potential interference.

As polls close, the focus shifts to the counting of votes, a process that may take days in closely contested races. The Associated Press notes that the results will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of President Trump’s term. A Democratic victory in either chamber would likely lead to investigations and possible impeachment proceedings, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries outlining a 100-day agenda focused on the cost of living and oversight. The election also has implications for potential 2028 presidential candidates, including Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, and Pete Buttigieg.