Politics & Power

Black Women of the South Got Something to Say

Georgia voters elected eight Black women, from Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms to PSC Commissioner Shelia Edwards. Here is what each job does and what each woman promised voters.

By Kulture Newz Staff·November 4, 2026·3 min read

Black Women of the South Got Something to Say — eight Georgia winners — Be The Vote

Georgia voters made history on Election Day. Eight Black women won statewide and Public Service Commission races on the 2026 ballot, opening a new chapter in Georgia leadership. Results remain unofficial until they are certified by the state. Here is what each woman will be responsible for, and the top three promises she made to voters on the campaign trail.

<h2>Keisha Lance Bottoms — Governor</h2> The job: The governor is Georgia's top executive. She oversees state agencies, proposes the state budget, signs or vetoes bills passed by the Legislature and can call special sessions. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Lower health care costs: expand Medicaid, end the Georgia Pathways program and stabilize rural hospitals.</li> <li>Affordable housing: speed up permitting, create an affordable-housing trust fund and expand down-payment and renter assistance.</li> <li>Fully fund schools: modernize the school funding formula, eliminate state income tax for teachers and create a path to free technical and community college.</li> </ul>

<h2>Tanya Miller — Attorney General</h2> The job: The attorney general is the state's chief lawyer. The office represents Georgia in court, prosecutes certain crimes and enforces consumer-protection laws. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Public safety: target violent criminal networks, human trafficking and the trafficking of guns and fentanyl.</li> <li>Protect the vulnerable: prioritize crimes against children and domestic violence.</li> <li>Protect your pocketbook: take on price gouging, fraud and unfair utility hikes, and serve as "the people's lawyer."</li> </ul>

<h2>Penny Brown Reynolds — Secretary of State</h2> The job: The secretary of state oversees elections, business filings and professional licensing, and regulates Georgia's securities market. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Voting access: expand early-voting sites, strengthen absentee-ballot access with clear instructions and drop boxes, and protect election workers.</li> <li>Small businesses: simplify business formation, reduce licensing backlogs and offer mobile-friendly renewals.</li> <li>Fraud prevention: launch a statewide fraud-education campaign with law enforcement and nonprofits.</li> </ul>

<h2>Keisha Sean Waites — Insurance & Safety Fire Commissioner</h2> The job: The commissioner regulates insurance companies, licenses agents, investigates insurance fraud and conducts fire-safety inspections of buildings. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Challenge rate hikes: push back on rising home and auto insurance premiums.</li> <li>Fair pricing: work to outlaw premiums based on ZIP code and credit score.</li> <li>Stop scams: create a task force to investigate scams targeting seniors and other vulnerable residents.</li> </ul>

<h2>Katherine Juhan-Arnold — Agriculture Commissioner</h2> The job: The commissioner runs the Department of Agriculture, which inspects grocery stores and food, supports farmers, responds to disasters in rural Georgia and enforces fair-market rules. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Support farmers: improve market access, address rising costs and protect generational farm transitions.</li> <li>Food access for families: expand farm-to-school programs and access to fresh, locally grown food.</li> <li>Stronger rural communities: improve disaster response and make sure small operations are not an afterthought.</li> </ul>

<h2>Nikki Porcher — Labor Commissioner</h2> The job: The labor commissioner leads the Georgia Department of Labor, which runs unemployment benefits, job services and workforce programs. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Modernize the department: make workforce and unemployment services modern, efficient and accessible to every community.</li> <li>Workforce development that works: expand job training and real career pathways.</li> <li>Fair pay and safe workplaces: along with affordable child care so more Georgians can work.</li> </ul>

<h2>Dr. Lydia Powell — State School Superintendent</h2> The job: The superintendent leads the Georgia Department of Education, which oversees public schools, distributes state funding and sets academic standards. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Fair funding: modernize the school funding formula, with a permanent poverty weight as her top priority.</li> <li>Help districts get every dollar: train districts so schools receive the full funding they are entitled to.</li> <li>Accountability and results: raise standards and track improvements in achievement, graduation and career readiness.</li> </ul>

<h2>Shelia Edwards — Public Service Commission, District 5</h2> The job: The five-member Public Service Commission regulates utilities, including Georgia Power, and decides the rates customers pay. Her top campaign promises: <ul> <li>Lower electric bills: hold Georgia Power accountable for rate hikes.</li> <li>Make data centers pay their way: keep their grid costs off families and small businesses.</li> <li>Transparency and accountability: make the commission open about who benefits and who pays.</li> </ul>

<h2>Now comes the work</h2> Behind these wins are voters who wanted change, organizers who kept showing up, and communities that refused to be counted out. To the little Black girls watching: look at how much room there is for you. Congratulations, ladies. History made. Power claimed. Now comes the work.

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