Commissioner of Insurance of Georgia · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Georgia commissioner of insurance race?
John King has the strongest record in the Georgia commissioner of insurance race. John King scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Keisha Sean Waites at 55, as of October 9, 2026. John King's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Keisha Sean Waites's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
John King
68 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Keisha Sean Waites
55 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 38
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
John King
- Credit2026-01-19
Announced about $25 million in fines in January 2026 against health insurers his office found had violated Georgia's mental health parity law, after exams of 22 insurers.
Sources: WSB-TV via Yahoo News, Jan. 19, 2026, Insurance Journal, Aug. 18, 2025
- Credit2026-09
Accepted the Atlanta Press Club's Oct. 13, 2026 general election debate for insurance commissioner.
- Credit2019-06-12
Appointed insurance commissioner by Gov. Brian Kemp on June 12, 2019, after Commissioner Jim Beck was suspended following his indictment; elected to the office in 2022.
Source: Ballotpedia, John King
Keisha Sean Waites
- Mark against2025-12-04
Agreed in a Dec. 4, 2025 consent order to pay a $14,000 civil penalty after the state ethics commission found a $24,963 city-funded mailer was a prohibited contribution, six reporting violations and commingled campaign accounts.
Sources: Georgia State Ethics Commission, Consent Order, Case 24-0052-C (Dec. 4, 2025), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
- Mark against2022-03-21
Agreed in a March 2022 consent order with the state campaign finance commission to pay $5,000 for unfiled and incomplete 2021 city council campaign reports, including 'zero' reports while raising and spending money.
Sources: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Consent Order, Case 21-0044-C (2022), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
- Credit2026-09
Accepted the Atlanta Press Club's Oct. 13, 2026 general election debate for insurance commissioner.
- Credit2016
Rated Above expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking in the Georgia House for 2013 to 2014 and 2015 to 2016.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
John King. No final order of the state campaign finance commission (2020 to 2026 list) names him or his committee. No ethics or court finding found.
Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
Keisha Sean Waites. The state ethics commission found she filed 'zero' reports while taking in and spending money: three 2021 campaign reports ($5,000 penalty, 2022) and six 2024 violations ($14,000 penalty, December 2025).
Sources: Georgia State Ethics Commission, Consent Order, Case 24-0052-C (Dec. 4, 2025), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Consent Order, Case 21-0044-C (2022), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
John King. No public record found.
Keisha Sean Waites. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
John King. Accepted the Atlanta Press Club's Oct. 13, 2026 insurance commissioner debate, which every statewide candidate except one or two agreed to attend. Did not respond to a UGA newsroom voter guide.
Sources: Capitol Beat News Service, September 2026, Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Keisha Sean Waites. Took part in a June 2026 runoff candidate forum and accepted the Atlanta Press Club's Oct. 13 general election debate; gave interviews to a UGA newsroom voter guide.
Sources: Capitol Beat News Service, September 2026, Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
John King. Atlanta police officer, Doraville police chief, retired Army National Guard major general and commissioner since 2019, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Keisha Sean Waites. State representative 2012 to 2017 and Atlanta City Council member 2022 to 2024; no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found. Her campaign finance orders are scored under criteria 1, 5 and 10.
Source: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
John King. Sworn police officer, military officer and insurance commissioner since July 1, 2019. No official finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, John King
Keisha Sean Waites. The state ethics commission found in December 2025 that she received a prohibited $24,963 campaign contribution from City of Atlanta funds: a council-funded mailer that linked to her county clerk campaign.
Sources: Georgia State Ethics Commission, Consent Order, Case 24-0052-C (Dec. 4, 2025), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
John King. Insurance and safety fire commissioner since July 2019 (appointed, then elected in 2022); former Doraville police chief and retired National Guard major general.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John King, Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Keisha Sean Waites. Three terms in the Georgia House (2012 to 2017) and an at-large Atlanta City Council seat (2022 to 2024); worked in FEMA's legislative and external affairs division.
Sources: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026, Ballotpedia, Keisha Waites
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
John King. Sitting commissioner who leads the statewide insurance and fire safety regulator; campaign lists priorities on recovering consumer money and fraud.
Source: Ballotpedia, John King
Keisha Sean Waites. Published specific plans that fit the office: an insurer scorecard within 100 days, a team to review claim-denial appeals and a consumer fraud task force.
Source: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
John King. Two channels documented: a campaign issues page and the accepted Atlanta Press Club debate. Did not complete Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey or respond to a UGA newsroom guide.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia, John King
Keisha Sean Waites. Several channels documented: completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, a UGA newsroom interview, forums and a campaign site.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Keisha Waites, Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
John King. Has lived in Georgia for about 45 years and served as a police officer and chief in metro Atlanta. In-state share of contributions not available from the sources opened.
Source: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Keisha Sean Waites. Born and raised in Atlanta; represented Atlanta in the state House and on the city council. In-state share of contributions not available from the sources opened.
Source: Ballotpedia, Keisha Waites
Management
Can build and run an organization.
John King. Has led the statewide Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner since 2019 and was Doraville police chief. Office headcount not opened. No campaign finance commission final order names him.
Source: Ballotpedia, John King
Keisha Sean Waites. Two state ethics commission consent orders on her campaigns: $5,000 (2022) for unfiled and incomplete 2021 reports, and $14,000 (December 2025) for a city-funded contribution, six reporting violations, commingled accounts and 13 unreported reimbursement recipients.
Sources: Georgia State Ethics Commission, Consent Order, Case 24-0052-C (Dec. 4, 2025), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Consent Order, Case 21-0044-C (2022), Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
John King. His office ran market conduct exams of 22 insurers under the 2022 Mental Health Parity Act, found more than 6,000 violations and announced about $25 million in fines in January 2026.
Sources: WSB-TV via Yahoo News, Jan. 19, 2026, Insurance Journal, Aug. 18, 2025
Keisha Sean Waites. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated her Meets expectations for her last scored House term (2017 to 2018, no laws enacted), after Above ratings in 2013 to 2016 with three laws enacted in total.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
John King. No public record found.
Keisha Sean Waites. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
John King. No public record found.
Keisha Sean Waites. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
John King. No public record found.
Keisha Sean Waites. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
John King. No public record found.
Keisha Sean Waites. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Georgia commissioner of insurance race?
John King has the strongest record in the Georgia commissioner of insurance race. John King scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Keisha Sean Waites at 55, as of October 9, 2026. John King's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Keisha Sean Waites's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Georgia commissioner of insurance race in 2026?
John King (Republican, incumbent), Keisha Sean Waites (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is John King a good candidate for Commissioner of Insurance?
John King scores 68 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Keisha Sean Waites a good candidate for Commissioner of Insurance?
Keisha Sean Waites scores 55 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 38 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Georgia race scored, and the Georgia 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.