As the busy cycle of primaries continues across the country, the runoff elections are approaching.
Candidates in Georgia and Alabamaah receive enough sThe two parties, which supported winning the May primary but did not receive 50% of the vote, will face off again on June 16. The winner of the runoff election will be on the ballot in November, as President Donald Trump and the Republican Party seek to maintain a narrow majority on Capitol Hill.
However, it is not clear whether the same voters will turn up at the ballot box on June 16 after the May election.ssaid Enrijeta Sino, assistant professor of political science at the University of Alabama. Typically, fewer voters participate in runoff elections than in the first round, she said.
“What I want to focus on the most is voter turnout,” Shino said. “The real question is which voters will return and which candidate’s supporters will return in greater numbers in a mid-June election with low turnout.”
Here’s a look at the June 16th races and some of the major contests to keep an eye on.
Which states will have elections on June 16th?
- Alabama: House and Senate runoff elections
- California: Special House election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell
- washington, DC: mayoral primary election
- Georgia: House, Senate, and gubernatorial runoff elections
- Oklahoma: House, Senate, and gubernatorial primaries
Races to watch on June 16: Georgia runoff elections
Two Republican senators are facing off in June’s Republican Senate runoff elections in the Peach State. Congressman Mike Collins and college football coach Derek Dooley will face off after neither won a majority in the May 19 primary, according to the Associated Press and CNN. Last month, Collins received 40.5% of the vote and Dooley 30.2%.
Mr. Dooley had momentum leading up to the runoff election thanks to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. According to reports, Mr. Kemp’s political action committee funneled millions of dollars to Dooley’s campaign.
But the race suffered a new upheaval when Trump weighed in days before the election and announced his support for Collins in a late-night Truth Social post. President Trump called Collins a MAGA “warrior” and resurfaced his claims about the legitimacy of the vote in Georgia.
Polls show Collins and Dooley in a close race.
The winner will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
On the House side, Democrats Joyce Griggs (34.5% of the vote) and Amanda Hollowell (24.7%) in Georgia’s 1st Congressional District failed to win a majority and went to a runoff on May 19, according to the Associated Press and CNN. The winner will face Republican Jim Kingston in the race to replace Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter, who did not seek re-election to the Senate.
The Peach State’s gubernatorial primary also heads to a runoff, with Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones and Healthcare CEO Rick Jackson receiving the most votes in the May 19 midterm primary, but falling short of a majority. Mr. Jones has the support of Mr. Trump. The winner will face Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta, in the general election.
In the Georgia (and Alabama) runoff elections, voters cannot switch from the party they voted for in the first round in May. But if you haven’t yet voted in either state’s primary, Shino said either party’s primary is fair game.
“No matter which party you choose to vote for in May, that will be tied to which party you will vote for on June 16th,” Shino said. “However, those who did not vote in the May primary are free to choose either runoff, a rule that may be surprising to first-time runoff voters.”
Alabama House and Senate runoff elections
Alabama is seeking to replace Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor. According to the Associated Press and CNN, the Republican primary was a runoff between Representatives Barry Moore and Jared Hudson after Moore (39.2% of the vote) and Hudson (25.6%) each failed to receive more than 50% of the vote in the May 19 primary. Moore has the support of President Trump and has been a member of Congress since 2025. Mr. Hudson is a former U.S. Navy SEAL.
There’s also the issue of actually getting voters to the polls, Shino said. Unlike Georgia, Alabama does not allow early in-person voting and requires a state-approved excuse to request a mail-in ballot for the runoff.
“Most Alabamians must vote in person on June 16,” she said. “There are only a few weeks between the primary and runoff elections, but these election rules have a huge impact on who comes back to vote.”
Last month, Everett Wess (39.6% of the vote) and Dakarai Lariet (29.1%) also fell short of the 50% threshold, sending the Democratic race to a runoff, according to the Associated Press and CNN.
Alabama’s House of Representatives primary also heads to a runoff, with Democrats Andrew Snead (42% of the vote) and Candace Dubiere (35.7%) in the 5th District. The winner will face incumbent Republican Rep. Dale Strong, who won unopposed in the May 19 race.
There will be no primaries in Alabama after today. Voters in some Alabama districts cast their ballots in the U.S. House of Representatives primary on Tuesday, May 19, following the state’s redistricting push to pass new maps that favor Republicans. Only Alabama’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th districts held their primaries on May 19th, while the 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th districts will each hold their primaries on August 11th.
Seats Oklahoma Democrats want to flip
Two Democrats are seeking to unseat Rep. Stephanie Bice and seek the nomination in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District. Trey Martin, a steelworker and union leader who has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, will face former educator and 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Jenna Nelson.
Regardless of who wins, Bice, who has been a member of Congress since 2021 and has not faced any challenges, will advance to the general election.
The battle for Mr. Swalwell’s seat
California is hosting one of two races this year for the House seat vacated by former Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned from Congress amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
A special House primary election on June 16 will select names from more than a dozen candidates to immediately fill the seat until the end of the term in December. If no candidate receives a majority of votes Tuesday, the top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to a special general election on Aug. 18, according to the Associated Press.
Democrats Aisha Wahab and Melissa Hernandez won the June 2 primary for the regularly scheduled general election in November and will serve two-year terms starting January 27.
Contributor: Eileen Wright
