2026 Georgia General Election

2026 Georgia Primary Election

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2026 Georgia Primary Runoff

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NC Voter Coalition (demo)

North Carolina

Elaine Padgett has a bachelor 27s degree in nursing from Emory University and a master 27s degree in finance from Kennesaw State University. She is married and has three children. Elaine has lived in Forsyth County for over 21 years.

Elaine Padgett has a bachelor's degree in nursing from Emory University and a master's degree in finance from Kennesaw State University. She volunteers as a nurse for the Forsyth Community Clinic. Elaine lives with her husband in Forsyth County, Georgia, and has three children.

Elaine is a nurse with 30 years of experience in healthcare and the health insurance industry. She has worked at Grady Hospital and hospitals in North Metro Atlanta. After working in hospitals for many years, she became a case manager for Home Depot and later AIG. Elaine also has an MBA in Finance. She previously started multiple successful businesses with her husband, which they sold a few years ago.

Elaine worked as a nurse for Grady Hospital and other hospitals in North Metro Atlanta. She also worked as a case manager for Home Depot and the American International Group (AIG). Elaine has also launched and sold several businesses with her husband and became a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system.

Elaine previously ran for Georgia State Representative in 2022 but did not win.

Elaine Padgett - Ballotpedia

Elaine previously ran for the Georgia House of Representatives to represent District 25 in 2024 and the Forsyth County Schools School Board to represent District 5 in 2022, but did not win.

Supports the legalization of marijuana and using the tax revenue to fund education, opioid treatment programs, reduce property taxes, and invest in communities.

Supports encouraging local Green Technology, building Green Infrastructure, and attracting Green Technology investment in her district.

Said, "As a small business owner, Elaine has experienced the undue burden that is being placed on small businesses in order to provide healthcare to their employees. Elaine will work to make it easier for small businesses to succeed."

Plans to make it easier for small businesses to succeed while balancing healthcare costs.

- Supports the legalization of marijuana and using the tax revenue to fund education, opioid treatment programs, reduce property taxes, and invest in communities.
- Supports encouraging local Green Technology, building Green Infrastructure, and attracting Green Technology investment in her district.
- Plans to make it easier for small businesses to succeed while balancing healthcare costs.

Economy

As of March 11, 2026, Elaine Padgett’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Said, "Reproductive Rights are on the ballot in 2024. Elaine is a strong supporter of reproductive freedom and healthcare privacy, believing that every woman has the RIGHT to make her own healthcare decisions along with her doctor. We must not allow Government to take away this fundamental and essential right."

Supports abortion access, believing healthcare decisions should be made between every woman and their doctor.

Said, "Elaine believes in accessible and affordable healthcare for all residents of District 25. As a nurse, she understands the importance of quality care and will fight to ensure everyone can access it."

Believes in accessible and affordable healthcare for all residents of District 25.

- Supports abortion access, believing healthcare decisions should be made between every woman and their doctor.
- Believes in accessible and affordable healthcare for all residents of District 25.

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Said, "Elaine supports responsible gun ownership and advocates for safe storage laws, especially when there are minors in the household, in order to prevent accidents and tragedies."

Supports policies that limit access to guns, including safe storage laws to protect minors and prevent accidents and tragedies.

- Supports policies that limit access to guns, including safe storage laws to protect minors and prevent accidents and tragedies.

Public Safety

Said, "Elaine advocates for quality education for every child in District 25. She opposes diverting resources from away from public schools and supports initiatives to strengthen our education system."

Opposes diverting resources from away from public schools and supports initiatives to strengthen the local education system.

- Opposes diverting resources from away from public schools and supports initiatives to strengthen the local education system.

Education

Instagram

Elaine Padgett

Muhammed Metin Vargonen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He has a bachelor's degree in applied physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master's in materials science and engineering, and an MBA with a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation from the University of North Georgia. He has lived in Georgia since 2012. He and his wife have two children.

Metin Vargonen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He has a bachelor's degree in applied physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a master's in materials science and engineering, and an MBA with a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation from the University of North Georgia. He has lived in Georgia since 2012 with his wife and two children.

Muhammed is a director of product management at GE Vernova. He previously worked as a research and development engineer at Exide Technologies, where he developed advanced batteries for cars and trucks. He also worked on special defense applications, including armored tank batteries for the US Army and submarine batteries for the US Navy. After Exide, he took a role at Fluence Energy, overseeing the product line and commercialization of battery energy storage system products. 

Metin is a director of product management at GE Vernova. He previously worked as a research and development engineer at Exide Technologies, where he developed advanced batteries for cars and trucks. He also worked on special defense applications, including armored tank batteries for the US Army and submarine batteries for the US Navy.

Metin Vargonen's campaign for Georgia State House District 25 is his first time running for public office.

Supports raising the minimum wage to a "living wage" and indexing it to inflation.

Plans to reduce sales tax and increase income taxes on those making over $200,000 individually or $400,000 for married couples filing jointly.

Plans to introduce an "AI bill of rights" for Georgians, including datacenter utility cost sharing, worker protections against AI job displacement, and opt-out provisions for personal online work used in AI training.

Supports introducing an "AI bill of rights" for Georgians, including datacenter utility cost sharing, worker protections against AI job displacement, and opt-out provisions for personal online work used in AI training.

- Supports raising the minimum wage to a "living wage" and indexing it to inflation.
- Plans to reduce sales tax and increase income taxes on those making over $200,000 individually or $400,000 for married couples filing jointly.
- Supports introducing an "AI bill of rights" for Georgians, including datacenter utility cost sharing, worker protections against AI job displacement, and opt-out provisions for personal online work used in AI training.

As of March 11, 2026, Metin Vargonen’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes healthcare decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor without government interference.

Metin Vargonen

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Georgia State House of Representatives.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. All bills dealing with the state budget originate in the Georgia House of Representatives.
- The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up our state lawmaking body: the Georgia General Assembly.
- There are 180 members of the Georgia House of Representatives, each representing a single district.
- State Representatives are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $17,342. They only serve in the role part-time.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Georgia House of Representatives

Georgia State Representative, District 25, Democratic Primary

Candidates (2)