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NGA CAN's Progressive Picks: Georgia Supreme Court Races on May 19, 2026
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
About These Voter Guides
North Georgia Community Action Network (NGA CAN) is built on a simple principle: democracy works when everyone participates, and it works better when ordinary people—not billionaires and corporations—drive the decisions that affect our lives.
Our membership is genuinely diverse. We have leftists and progressives, Democrats and Independents, libertarians and anarchists, and yes, even some Republicans. We have people who disagree on plenty of things.
What unites us is not a single ideology, but shared commitments:
Transparency in government. We believe decisions that affect our communities should be made in public, with input from the people they affect.
Real access to democracy. We fight for voting rights, fair elections, and an end to gerrymandering and voter suppression.
Civic engagement. We believe ordinary people should have a seat at the table—in city council meetings, school board meetings, county commissions, and state legislatures.
People over billionaires. We oppose the consolidation of power in the hands of wealthy individuals and corporations that can buy elections, block affordable housing, raise utility rates, and dodge accountability.
We Are Unapologetically Progressive
Our voter guides are assembled by NGA CAN using publicly available candidate information, endorsements, and platforms. They reflect our research into who will advance these shared values in the races we cover.
We are unapologetically progressive in these guides. That is intentional, not accidental. NGA CAN was founded on progressive, common-sense values—the belief that government should work for working people, that public services matter, that the environment is worth protecting, that everyone deserves healthcare and a decent wage. Our guides reflect that perspective.
This does not mean candidates who aren't our top pick are "bad." Politics is not binary. A candidate might excel on government transparency but disagree with us on healthcare policy. Another might prioritize environmental protection differently than we do. Our guides are written for people whose north star is progressivism—but we respect that your north star might point somewhere else entirely.
How to Use These Guides
These guides are tools for thinking, not commands for voting. We research candidates' stated positions, endorsements, track records, and willingness to be accountable. We share what we find.
You should:
Read the information critically
Research candidates on your own
Attend candidate forums and debates
Talk to your neighbors about who they support and why
Vote according to your values, not ours
Our Endorsements
Coming May 16, NGA CAN will announce formal endorsements for select races chosen by our vetted members in their specific districts and counties. Those endorsements go further—they represent not just research, but active member deliberation and democratic decision-making within our organization.
These guides are the research foundation for those endorsements. They are as honest as we can make them about candidates' positions and priorities.
The guides are biased toward progressivism. That's the point. If you're looking for an unbiased, neutral guide, this isn't it. We're transparent about who we are and what we value. From there, you decide what matters to you.
Voting Information
Election Day: May 19, 2026, 7 AM to 7 PM
Early Voting: April 27 through May 15, 2026 (location varies by county)
Check your registration and sample ballot: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov
Find your polling location: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov
These guides were prepared by North Georgia Community Action Network (NGA CAN) and reflect publicly available information as of May 7, 2026.
The Georgia Supreme Court will hear the cases that determine abortion rights, voting rights, and whether corporations can be held accountable for pollution and fraud. On May 19, two incumbent justices face challenges from progressive candidates who will fight for working Georgians instead of corporate interests.
Bethel Seat: VOTE FOR MIRACLE RANKIN
Incumbent Justice Charlie Bethel (Republican appointee, 2018) is running for re-election. He faces Miracle Rankin, a personal injury attorney and former president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.
Bethel's Record:
Bethel voted to reinstate Georgia's six-week abortion ban, restricting reproductive freedom. He declined to intervene in the prosecution of Trump, signaling that the court will not check executive power. His decisions consistently favor corporate and government interests over working people.
Rankin's Platform:
Rankin is running explicitly on protecting working people, voting rights, and checking corporate power. She argues that Georgia's courts have been captured by powerful interests and serve the powerful, not the people. As a personal injury attorney, she has fought corporations on behalf of injured workers and their families.
Vote for Miracle Rankin for Georgia Supreme Court.
Warren Seat: VOTE FOR JEN JORDAN
Incumbent Justice Sarah Hawkins Warren (Republican appointee, 2018) is running for re-election. She faces Jen Jordan, a former Democratic state senator and trial lawyer.
Warren's Record:
Warren voted to reinstate Georgia's abortion ban. She declined to intervene in the Trump prosecution. Her decisions have consistently sided with corporate interests and government power over the rights of working Georgians.
Jordan's Platform:
Jordan is running on protecting reproductive rights, voting rights, and holding corporations accountable. She has called the court's recent decisions "clearly political" when they benefit powerful interests over working Georgians. As a former state senator, she understands legislative priorities and will protect voting rights and fair elections. As a trial lawyer, she understands how to hold corporations accountable for harm.
Vote for Jen Jordan for Georgia Supreme Court. Look for "Jennifer Auer Jordan" or "Jen Auer Jordan" on the ballot.
Land Seat: UNCONTESTED—And No Write-In Option That Will Count
Incumbent Justice Ben Land is running unopposed. You will see his name on the May 19 ballot.
The Reality:
No other candidate filed to run against Ben Land. And here's the problem: Georgia law allowed write-in candidates to file through March 13, 2026. That deadline has passed. No certified write-in candidates filed for this seat.
Why This Matters for Voters:
You can technically write in a name on your ballot for Justice Land's seat. But your vote will NOT count unless you write in someone who filed official notice of intent as a certified write-in candidate by March 13. The Georgia Secretary of State maintains a list of certified write-in candidates. If nobody filed, there's nobody to write in whose vote will actually count.
Don't waste your time writing in a name that won't be counted. You can vote to re-elect Ben Land or leave this race blank.
Why This System is a Problem:
Georgia's judicial elections are often uncontested. Over the last decade, sitting justices have run unopposed in 11 of the state's 15 elections. When no challenger emerges, and no one files as a certified write-in, Republican-appointed judges run unchallenged and win re-election automatically.
This is how incumbents maintain power even when voters might prefer another choice. The burden is on someone to officially file months in advance as a write-in candidate. If no one does, there's no option.
Why These Races Matter
Eight of Georgia's nine Supreme Court justices were appointed by Republican governors. The court's decisions on abortion, voting rights, and corporate accountability will shape Georgia's future for decades.
A progressive majority on this court could:
Protect reproductive freedom by refusing to enforce restrictions on abortion access
Protect voting rights by striking down voter suppression and gerrymandering
Hold powerful corporations accountable for pollution, fraud, and harm to working people
Ensure fair elections and prevent election manipulation
Vote for Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan for Georgia Supreme Court on May 19, 2026.
Early voting: April 27 through May 15, 2026 Check your sample ballot: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov
North Georgia Community Action Network (NGA CAN) is a volunteer-led progressive civic organization with thousands of members across Cherokee, Pickens, Bartow, Forsyth, Cobb, and surrounding Georgia counties. We fight for transparency in government, real access to democracy, and a Georgia where ordinary people—not billionaires and corporations—drive the decisions that affect our lives.
A Final Disclaimer
NGA CAN creates voter guides to help our community make informed progressive choices in elections where multiple candidates are running. This guide reflects research into candidates' stated platforms, endorsements from labor unions, environmental organizations, civil rights groups, and other progressive allies, as well as candidates' records in public service where available. Voters should conduct their own research and vote according to their values.
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