Fulton County, Georgia

Candidate fields are set for county commission, school board and other local races across eight North Georgia counties — Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Forsyth, Hall, Cherokee and Paulding — ahead of the 2026 midterms. The contests mix incumbents seeking reelection, open seats and several unopposed candidates. Notable races include Fulton County's commission chair contest between Mo Ivory and Eric Tatum, a crowded special election for Fulton's District 4 seat, and rematches such as Bridget Thorne versus Maggie Goldman in Fulton District 1.

These local races typically draw less prediction-market attention than statewide or federal contests, but the lineups give early visibility into competitive seats and turnout dynamics heading into next year's elections.

Early voting opened in Georgia for the 2026 midterm election, running through Oct. 30, with Oct. 23 as the deadline to request an absentee ballot. Nearly every major statewide office is open, with new officeholders guaranteed in most races. The headline contest pits Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms against Republican Rick Jackson for governor, while incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff faces Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins in a closely watched Senate race.

Down-ballot races include lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, agriculture, insurance and labor commissioner, plus two Public Service Commission seats, congressional and legislative contests. Voters will also decide three constitutional amendments covering conservation-use acreage limits, nonpartisan election of probate judges, and dedicated funding for 911 systems. Turnout data is tracked through the secretary of state's Election Data Hub. The races carry significant implications for prediction markets given Georgia's status as a key battleground state.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has rejected Illinois' request for a major disaster declaration following severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that struck the state in August. FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton said federal assistance was "not warranted," affecting Champaign, Cook, Ford, Fulton, McLean, Tazewell, Vermilion and Will counties. Gov. JB Pritzker's office says the state will appeal, citing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure and widespread power outages. Pritzker accused Trump of playing politics with disaster relief, a charge echoed by Illinois Democrats including Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Robin Kelly, while Republican Rep. Darin LaHood also urged approval of the declaration.

The denial follows renewed attacks by Trump on Chicago over crime and comes amid separate reporting that Trump approved disaster aid for Ohio ahead of a campaign rally while leaving other states' requests pending. Trump has also approved aid for Hawaii and New Hampshire, complicating claims of a partisan pattern. The White House denies any political motive behind its disaster aid decisions.

Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy are courting rural Ohio voters ahead of the Nov. 3 governor's race to succeed term-limited Mike DeWine, with the Cook Political Report ranking the contest a toss-up. In Marietta, Acton proposed a three-year moratorium on new fracking injection wells over groundwater fears, winning praise from a local Republican official. Both candidates have also targeted data centers, with Ramaswamy pushing a plan requiring tech companies to cover residents' electricity bills, halt non-disclosure agreements, and build only on pre-zoned industrial land rather than farmland, while Acton wants data center projects to prove they can cover utility costs and use union labor before proceeding.

The race has grown notably hostile, including an incident in which an armed man charged toward Acton at a campaign stop, injuring bystanders. Acton has refused to debate Ramaswamy, accusing him of lying and attacking her family, though she remains open to forums. Early voting began Oct. 6, with polling showing Acton holding a narrow lead. Other close Ohio contests include U.S. House races in the 7th and 9th districts.

Grand Rapids voters will decide the city's 2nd Ward commission seat on Nov. 3, with incumbent Lisa Knight facing challenger Bryan Cody. Knight, first elected in 2022 after unseating then-incumbent Joe Jones, is the executive director of Girls Choral Academy and is seeking her second and final four-year term under the city's term-limit rules. Cody, 32, is a real estate broker and small business owner who has led the Heritage Hill Association and served on real estate industry boards. The winner will join Commissioner Milinda Ysasi, whose term runs through 2028, representing the city's northeast side.

Both candidates cite housing affordability, homelessness, and neighborhood stability as top priorities, though they differ on approach: Knight emphasizes targeted zoning and partnerships like Family Promise of West Michigan, while Cody focuses on transparency, permitting reform, and measurable performance metrics. Both expressed openness to data center development if paired with safeguards protecting residents from added costs. The race is nonpartisan, as are all city commission seats.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has requested a presidential major disaster declaration from FEMA for eight counties — Champaign, Cook, Ford, Fulton, McLean, Tazewell, Vermilion and Will — hit by tornadoes, high winds and flooding in mid-August. The state also extended its disaster proclamation for another month. A preliminary damage assessment found the destruction exceeds what Illinois can handle on its own, following an Aug. 11 storm with tornadoes and near-100 mph winds, additional wind damage on Aug. 13, and flooding on Aug. 14.

Approval is not guaranteed. An earlier analysis found Democrat-led states had a much lower FEMA request approval rate under the current administration compared to Republican-led states, and Illinois' two most recent FEMA requests in 2025 were denied. Illinois leads the nation with 210 confirmed tornadoes this year but had not previously sought FEMA help, instead relying on Small Business Administration assistance. If approved, FEMA aid would fund individual housing and repair grants and public infrastructure reimbursements. The request also drew political criticism from Pritzker's gubernatorial rival, Darren Bailey.