Paper Ballot Standoff Continues

State lawmakers adjourned the 2026 legislative session without resolving whether to switch to counting hand-marked paper ballots ahead of a July 1 deadline.

House Speaker Jon Burns said he would consult with Gov. Brian Kemp about next steps, and a special session remains a possibility. In the interim, election officials may seek guidance from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office on how to proceed.

A 2024 state law that takes effect this summer bans counting votes using ballot QR codes, but the House and Senate could not agree on legislation implementing the changeover.

The Senate pushed for an immediate switch, while the House sought to extend the deadline to 2028.

  Drought Deepens

Georgia faces its most significant drought since 2011–2012 after a record dry fall and winter in parts of the state.

Rainfall from September through March set all-time lows in Macon and Columbus and posted the driest mark in over a century in Atlanta.

In the Coastal Empire, farmers face difficult choices. One Evans County grower told reporters he may forgo planting if rain doesn’t arrive by mid-April.

In north Georgia, state forestry officials say the drought has fueled dangerous wildfire conditions.

Greene Seat Runoff Today

Voters in northwest Georgia head to the polls today for a runoff election to fill the 14th Congressional District seat vacated by former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in January.

Republican Clay Fuller, a Lookout Mountain district attorney backed by President Trump, faces Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army brigadier general and rancher.

They were the top vote-getters in a crowded March 10 special election.

Fuller enters the runoff as the favorite in a district Trump carried by 37 points in 2024.  Democrats see the outcome as a potential bellwether for the November midterms.

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➤ Byron: A 34-year-old man faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to setting a 2024 fire at Byron United Methodist Church. (More)

➤ Rome: Floyd County commissioners approved spending up to $520,000 to stabilize the historic courthouse gutted by fire on March 23, with crews set to remove damaged materials and reinforce the clock tower. (More)

➤ Turner County: Shepherd’s Food Pantry cut distributions from weekly to every other week, citing limited funding. The pantry began a campaign to raise $15,000 to restore weekly service. (More)

➤ Cordele: A police officer was relieved of duties pending further investigation into an undisclosed misconduct complaint. (More)

➤ Atlanta: A water main break on McDaniel Street SW shut down an 8-inch main, cutting service to an apartment building, two businesses, and two hydrants. (More)

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➤ Emory fell one play short of the Division III men’s basketball title after Mary Washington scored on a putback at the buzzer for a 75-73 win. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Dream acquired two-time All-Star Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky on Monday in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. (More)

➤ Georgia hired McNeese State’s Ayla Guzzardo as its next women’s basketball coach, one day after parting ways with Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. (More)

➤ Three-star offensive tackle Abram Eisenhower of Valdosta committed to the Georgia Bulldogs for their 2027 recruiting class. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

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➤ Zillow ranks Atlanta among the top five U.S. cities for first-time homebuyers, trailing Jacksonville, Florida; Birmingham, Alabama; and San Antonio, Texas. (More)

➤ Atlanta Gas Light plans to open a $50 million liquefied natural gas plant in the Valdosta area, creating nearly 100 construction jobs. (More)

➤ Atlanta-based Coca-Cola signed a deal to replace Pepsi as beverage provider across Marriott International’s roughly 9,700 properties worldwide, ending Pepsi’s partnership with the hotel chain that began in 1992. (More)

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➤ An Augusta girl is back at her Masters Week lemonade stand for a second year, selling $1 cups to golf fans to add money to her college fund. (More)

➤ Baker’s Dozen Donuts and Diner opened in Americus, staying open late to serve long lines of visitors to the city’s first dedicated donut shop in 25 years. (More)

➤ The 105th Rose Show and Festival in Thomasville will take place April 24-25, featuring a parade, street dancing, an artisan market, and a new drone show. (More)

Whose version of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” is your favorite?

1. Vicki Lawrence
2. Reba McEntire 
3. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s your favorite thing about Masters Week?

1. The golf: 30%
2. The atmosphere: 23%
3. The people: 12%
4. Other/never been: 35%

What business operated on Augusta National property before it became a golf course?

Show me the answer