Secretary of State of Georgia · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Georgia secretary of state race?
Tim Fleming has the strongest record in the Georgia secretary of state race. Tim Fleming scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Penny Brown Reynolds at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tim Fleming's highest marks are command of the job and relevant experience. Penny Brown Reynolds's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Strongest record
Tim Fleming
65 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 75
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Penny Brown Reynolds
56 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
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.
Tim Fleming
- On the record2026-04-28
Did not appear at the Atlanta Press Club's April 2026 Republican primary debate for secretary of state; he accepted the club's Oct. 12 general election debate.
Sources: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Georgia Public Broadcasting, Sept. 22, 2026
- On the record2026-07
Has said there were 'irregularities' in Georgia's 2020 presidential election while saying the state has since made 'great strides' to address them.
Source: CBS News Atlanta, July 21, 2026
- Credit2025
Led a legislative study committee on Georgia's voting system in 2025 that recommended hand-counting QR-code ballots in 2026 before buying a new system.
Source: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026
- Credit2024
Rated Meets expectations by the Center for Effective Lawmaking for the 2023 to 2024 Georgia House, with three bills enacted.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Penny Brown Reynolds
- Credit2026-04-28
Debated in the Atlanta Press Club's 2026 Democratic primary series and accepted its Oct. 12 general election debate.
Sources: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Georgia Public Broadcasting, Sept. 22, 2026
- Credit2022
Appointed deputy assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2022.
Sources: WABE, May 1, 2026, Law.com, Sept. 24, 2025
- Credit2008
Hosted the Daytime Emmy-winning program Family Court with Judge Penny after leaving the bench in 2008.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Tim Fleming. 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
Penny Brown Reynolds. No final order of the state campaign finance commission (2020 to 2026 list) names her or her committee. No ethics or court finding found.
Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, Final Orders
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Tim Fleming. No public record found.
Penny Brown Reynolds. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Tim Fleming. Did not appear at the Atlanta Press Club's 2026 Republican primary debate; accepted its Oct. 12 general election debate with Penny Brown Reynolds.
Sources: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Capitol Beat News Service, September 2026
Penny Brown Reynolds. Debated in the Atlanta Press Club's 2026 Democratic primary series and is scheduled for its Oct. 12 general election debate with Tim Fleming.
Sources: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Capitol Beat News Service, September 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Tim Fleming. Newton County commissioner, deputy secretary of state, chief of staff to Gov. Brian Kemp and state representative since 2023, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming
Penny Brown Reynolds. About a decade in the state legal system, mostly as a judge, then a federal civil rights post, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: WABE, May 1, 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Tim Fleming. Sworn county commissioner (2009 to 2013) and state representative since 2023. No official finding of misuse of office and no recorded vote or legal filing to reject certified results found. Has said there were 'irregularities' in 2020 (speech, not an E2 act).
Penny Brown Reynolds. Held sworn office as a state judge and served as a federal appointee (USDA deputy assistant secretary for civil rights, 2022). No official finding of misuse of office and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: WABE, May 1, 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Tim Fleming. Deputy secretary of state in the office he seeks, chief of staff to the governor, Newton County commissioner 2009 to 2013, and state representative since 2023 (second term).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming, WABE, May 1, 2026
Penny Brown Reynolds. Former state judge and lawyer for Gov. Roy Barnes; USDA deputy assistant secretary for civil rights from 2022; professor at Georgia State University.
Sources: Law.com, Sept. 24, 2025, WABE, May 1, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Tim Fleming. Led a legislative study committee on the state voting system that recommended hand-counting QR-code ballots before buying a new system; serves on Governmental Affairs. Campaign lists election and licensing priorities.
Sources: WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming
Penny Brown Reynolds. Campaign priorities (expanding ballot access, a public data portal, help for small businesses) are published in general terms.
Source: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Tim Fleming. Two channels documented: published campaign priorities and the accepted Atlanta Press Club general election debate. Skipped the primary debate, did not respond to a UGA newsroom voter guide and has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026, Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming
Penny Brown Reynolds. Three channels documented: published priorities, Atlanta Press Club debates and broadcast interviews. Did not respond to a UGA newsroom voter guide; has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: CBS News Atlanta, July 21, 2026, WABE (Capitol Beat), May 8, 2026, Grady Newsource (University of Georgia), Oct. 8, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Tim Fleming. Lives in Covington and served on the Newton County Commission from 2009 to 2013. In-state share of contributions not available from the sources opened.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming, WABE, May 1, 2026
Penny Brown Reynolds. Lives in Atlanta and served as a Fulton County judge. In-state share of contributions not available from the sources opened.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Tim Fleming. Served as chief of staff to the governor and deputy secretary of state, and managed Kemp's 2018 campaign. No campaign finance commission final order names him.
Source: Ballotpedia, Tim Fleming
Penny Brown Reynolds. Founded a nonprofit and held a federal management post; size of organizations led not documented. No campaign finance commission final order names her.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Tim Fleming. Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him Meets expectations for the 2023 to 2024 Georgia House (SLES 1.315, 50th), with three bills passed into law.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, State Legislative Effectiveness Scores data file
Penny Brown Reynolds. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Tim Fleming. No public record found.
Penny Brown Reynolds. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Tim Fleming. No public record found.
Penny Brown Reynolds. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Tim Fleming. No public record found.
Penny Brown Reynolds. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Tim Fleming. No public record found.
Penny Brown Reynolds. 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 secretary of state race?
Tim Fleming has the strongest record in the Georgia secretary of state race. Tim Fleming scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Penny Brown Reynolds at 56, as of October 9, 2026. Tim Fleming's highest marks are command of the job and relevant experience. Penny Brown Reynolds's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Georgia secretary of state race in 2026?
Tim Fleming (Republican), Penny Brown Reynolds (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Tim Fleming a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Tim Fleming scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 75 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Penny Brown Reynolds a good candidate for Secretary of State?
Penny Brown Reynolds scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. 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.