2026 Georgia General Election

2026 Georgia Primary Election

Democrat

Nonpartisan

Republican

2026 Georgia Primary Runoff

Register to vote

Check my registration

Request a ballot

Find my polling place

Find my early voting site

NC Voter Coalition (demo)

North Carolina

Ray Smith is from Athens, Georgia. He has a bachelor 27s degree in computer science from the University of Georgia. He lives in Oconee County with his wife and son. He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Georgia Legislative Action Network.

Ray Smith is from Athens, Georgia. He has a bachelor 's degree in computer science from the University of Georgia. He lives in Oconee County with his wife and son. He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Georgia Legislative Action Network.

Ray is a software engineer and consultant. He recently launched a consulting practice focused on helping nonprofits and political organizations make better use of technology. He previously worked as a senior site reliability engineer. 

Ray's campaign for Georgia State Senator, District 46, is his first time running for public office.

Supports eliminating the tipped minimum wage so all workers earn a living wage.

Supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Supports restoring collective bargaining rights for state employees.

Supports strengthening wage theft enforcement and penalties.

Supports redirecting economic development incentives from large retail stores to revitalizing downtown areas.

Supports walkable, mixed-use development that creates affordable commercial space for local businesses.

Supports reforming zoning laws to facilitate "Main Street development" that historically built local communities.

Supports passing right-to-repair legislation.

Supports enforcing antitrust laws to prevent corporate consolidation in agriculture.

- Supports eliminating the tipped minimum wage so all workers earn a living wage.
- Supports raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
- Supports restoring collective bargaining rights for state employees.
- Supports strengthening wage theft enforcement and penalties.
- Supports redirecting economic development incentives from large retail stores to revitalizing downtown areas.
- Supports walkable, mixed-use development that creates affordable commercial space for local businesses.
- Supports reforming zoning laws to facilitate "Main Street development" that historically built local communities.
- Supports passing right-to-repair legislation.
- Supports enforcing antitrust laws to prevent corporate consolidation in agriculture.

Economy

Supports expanding solar energy, which he says is "now cheaper than natural gas and creates local jobs."

Supports accelerating the deployment of solar and battery storage.

Supports protecting wetlands and water quality.

Supports sustainable farming practices with real funding, not just mandates.

Supports holding polluters accountable for contaminating land and water.

Aims to ensure environmental protections apply equally to rural communities.

Wants to make sure that environmental protections apply equally to rural communities.

Supports expanding rural broadband access.

Supports protecting drinking water, especially in rural areas that rely on wells.

- Supports expanding solar energy, which he says is "now cheaper than natural gas and creates local jobs."
- Supports accelerating the deployment of solar and battery storage.
- Supports protecting wetlands and water quality.
- Supports sustainable farming practices with real funding, not just mandates.
- Supports holding polluters accountable for contaminating land and water.
- Wants to make sure that environmental protections apply equally to rural communities.
- Supports expanding rural broadband access.
- Supports protecting drinking water, especially in rural areas that rely on wells.

Energy & the Environment

Supports expanding Medicaid to close the coverage gap.

Supports creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to prevent price increases.

Supports regulating pharmacy benefit managers to reduce costs.

Wants to "roll back laws that protect insurance companies from accountability."

Supports requiring commercial insurers to pay adequate rates to rural healthcare facilities.

Supports the Rural Emergency Hospital designation to maintain emergency services in communities that have lost full hospitals.

Supports investing in telemedicine infrastructure to extend specialist access to rural areas.

- Supports expanding Medicaid to close the coverage gap.
- Supports creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to prevent price increases.
- Supports regulating pharmacy benefit managers to reduce costs.
- Wants to "roll back laws that protect insurance companies from accountability."
- Supports requiring commercial insurers to pay adequate rates to rural healthcare facilities.
- Supports the Rural Emergency Hospital designation to maintain emergency services in communities that have lost full hospitals.
- Supports investing in telemedicine infrastructure to extend specialist access to rural areas.

Healthcare

Supports expanding early voting and mail-in voting.

Supports creating an independent redistricting commission to end gerrymandering.

Supports accessible voting for all eligible Georgians.

Supports strengthening ethics enforcement for state officials.

Supports limiting mid-decade redistricting to only court-ordered changes.

Supports mandating public transparency and meaningful comment periods for Public Service Commission (PSC) proceedings.

- Supports expanding early voting and mail-in voting.
- Supports creating an independent redistricting commission to end gerrymandering.
- Supports accessible voting for all eligible Georgians.
- Supports strengthening ethics enforcement for state officials.
- Supports limiting mid-decade redistricting to only court-ordered changes.
- Supports mandating public transparency and meaningful comment periods for Public Service Commission (PSC) proceedings.

Voting & Elections

Supports legalizing and regulating marijuana like alcohol, with taxes funding education.

Supports expanding pre-trial diversion programs for nonviolent offenses.

Supports regulating prison commissary and phone call prices.

Wants to invest in reentry programs to reduce recidivism.

Supports gun control and advocates for "safe storage laws and red flag provisions to keep guns away from children and people in crisis."

Supports gun control and "safe storage laws and red flag provisions to keep guns away from children and people in crisis."

Supports mandating public transparency and "meaningful comment periods" for Public Safety Commission (PSC) proceedings.

Supports investing in road designs to enhance community safety and walkability.

- Supports legalizing and regulating marijuana like alcohol, with taxes funding education.
- Supports expanding pre-trial diversion programs for nonviolent offenses.
- Supports regulating prison commissary and phone call prices.
- Opposes the death penalty.
- Wants to invest in reentry programs to reduce recidivism.
- Supports gun control and "safe storage laws and red flag provisions to keep guns away from children and people in crisis."
- Supports mandating public transparency and "meaningful comment periods" for Public Safety Commission (PSC) proceedings.
- Supports investing in road designs to enhance community safety and walkability.

Public Safety

Supports expanding access to pre-K programs.

Supports fully funding the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula.

Wants to "commission a modern cost study to determine what schools actually need."

Wants to increase teacher pay and lessen administrative tasks to improve teacher retention.

Opposes diverting public education funds to private school vouchers.

Supports restoring criminal liability protections for librarians targeted by book ban legislation.

Supports creating a universal childcare trust fund using state budget surpluses.

Supports investing in childcare worker pay and training.

- Supports expanding access to pre-K programs.
- Supports fully funding the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula.
- Wants to "commission a modern cost study to determine what schools actually need."
- Wants to increase teacher pay and lessen administrative tasks to improve teacher retention.
- Opposes diverting public education funds to private school vouchers.
- Supports restoring criminal liability protections for librarians targeted by book ban legislation.
- Supports creating a universal childcare trust fund using state budget surpluses.
- Supports investing in childcare worker pay and training.

Education

Ray Smith

Facebook

William C. Gaulden, Jr. attended Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service. He lives in Athens.

William currently works at Winfery Mutual Funeral Home. He previously worked as the head of candidate relations at Clarke County School District and the owner of W. Gaulden Enterprise, Inc.

William previously ran for coroner in 2024 but did not win. 

Democratic Party primaries in Georgia, 2026 - Ballotpedia

William previously ran for Clarke County Coroner in 2024, but did not win.

Said, "A strong supporter of economic growth, William champions policies that empower local entrepreneurs, expand job opportunities, and keep communities thriving. He believes that government should be responsive, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves."

Said he "champions policies that empower local entrepreneurs, expand job opportunities, and keep communities thriving [and] believes that government should be responsive, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves."

Said, "Affordable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. Housing costs, both for renters and homeowners, have been rising at a pace far faster than local incomes. The median household income in the county is just under $63,000, yet median home prices exceed $280,000 and rents for a modest two-bedroom apartment average over $1,100 per month. This mismatch means many families spend well over 30% of their income on housing, leaving them “cost-burdened” and struggling to keep up with other essential expenses like food, transportation, and healthcare."

Said "[a]ffordable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia... This mismatch means many families spend well over 30% of their income on housing, leaving them 'cost-burdened' and struggling to keep up with other essential expenses like food, transportation, and healthcare."

Said "[c]itizens require robust infrastructure planning to keep pace with growing population demands. Road improvements, traffic management, and expanded public transportation options are becoming more pressing as development continues."

- Said he "champions policies that empower local entrepreneurs, expand job opportunities, and keep communities thriving [and] believes that government should be responsive, transparent, and accountable to the people it serves."
- Said "[a]ffordable housing remains one of the most pressing challenges in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia... This mismatch means many families spend well over 30% of their income on housing, leaving them 'cost-burdened' and struggling to keep up with other essential expenses like food, transportation, and healthcare."
- Said "[c]itizens require robust infrastructure planning to keep pace with growing population demands. Road improvements, traffic management, and expanded public transportation options are becoming more pressing as development continues."

Said "[r]esidents also want to preserve the county’s rural character and green spaces, striking a balance between growth and responsible land use and environmental stewardship."

- Said "[r]esidents also want to preserve the county’s rural character and green spaces, striking a balance between growth and responsible land use and environmental stewardship."

Said, "Georgia faces some serious healthcare challenges that affect families across the state. One of the biggest problems is the high number of uninsured residents. Georgia consistently ranks near the top in the nation for people without health coverage, largely because the state has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This leaves many working adults in a coverage gap—they earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance."

Said "Georgia consistently ranks near the top in the nation for people without health coverage, largely because the state has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This leaves many working adults in a coverage gap—they earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance."

- Said "Georgia consistently ranks near the top in the nation for people without health coverage, largely because the state has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This leaves many working adults in a coverage gap—they earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance."

As of March 11, 2026, William C. Gaulden Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Said, "School safety in Georgia has become a top priority in recent years, especially after high-profile tragedies, but serious challenges remain. One of the biggest problems is the gap in resources between districts. Wealthier schools can afford advanced security measures such as cameras, panic alert systems, and school resource officers, while rural and lower-income districts often struggle to implement even the basics. This creates an uneven level of protection across the state, despite laws that mandate statewide standards."

Said "[w]ealthier schools can afford advanced security measures such as cameras, panic alert systems, and school resource officers, while rural and lower-income districts often struggle to implement even the basics. This creates an uneven level of protection across the state, despite laws that mandate statewide standards."

- Said "[w]ealthier schools can afford advanced security measures such as cameras, panic alert systems, and school resource officers, while rural and lower-income districts often struggle to implement even the basics. This creates an uneven level of protection across the state, despite laws that mandate statewide standards."

William C. Gaulden Jr.

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Georgia State Senate.
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process. 
- State Senators are involved in approving some appointments by the Governor.
- The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up our state lawmaking body: the Georgia General Assembly.
- There are 56 Georgia senators, each representing a single district.
- State Senators are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $17,342.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Georgia Senate

Georgia State Senator, District 46, Democratic Primary

Candidates (2)