State Affairs selects 10 Georgians for election team focus group
Election coverage is not for the faint-hearted. It’s often messy and loud and vicious – and that’s just around the family dinner table. Media tends to take the herd approach, focusing on candidates and the conundrums swirling around them.
State Affairs has decided to break away from the (media) pack and take this year’s midterms to the streets or, more importantly, to the everyday citizen.
Know the most important news affecting Georgia
Get the weekly email that covers government, policy and politics that impact your everyday life—in 5 minutes or less.
By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
We can’t be in all 159 counties or talk to all of Georgia’s 7 million-plus registered voters. So we’ve assembled 10 Georgians from diverse political and social backgrounds from throughout the state. They’ll help report this year’s midterm election, which is a culmination of two years of political unrest, mistrust and division. Vitriol aside, this is an important election that could have a dire impact on democracy and change the direction of this country for years to come.
“As a news organization, we believe firmly that diversity in voices, experiences and even political persuasion is critical in telling the stories of all Georgians,” said Alison Bethel, founding editor-in-chief of State Affairs. “We are excited to engage with these residents of the great state of Georgia to help draw attention to the kitchen table issues they, their neighbors, family and friends care most about.”
Over the next month, the group will be asked to weigh in on issues such as inflation, abortion, preserving democracy, healthcare and immigration – topics Georgians have deemed to be of greatest importance to them. We’ll check in with them weekly and report what they have to say. It’s a small but important glimpse into what Georgia voters may be thinking.
On election day, “The E-Team,” as we call them, will be the eyes and ears in their communities, helping State Affairs chronicle what their family, friends, neighbors and other citizens are thinking and saying about one of the most important and contentious midterms in modern memory.
Without further ado, meet our team:
Catch-up with our E-Team:
Georgia Votes: Inflation remains top of mind for Georgians
Georgia Votes: Inflation remains top of mind for Georgians (pt. 2)
ELECTION FOCUS GROUP: ON HEALTH CARE COSTS, MEDICAID EXPANSION AND ABORTION RIGHTS (PT.1)
ELECTION FOCUS GROUP: ON HEALTH CARE COSTS, MEDICAID EXPANSION AND ABORTION RIGHTS (PT. 2)
ELECTION FOCUS GROUP (PT. 1): DEMOCRACY FACES CHALLENGES, BUT OPTIMISM REMAINS STRONG
ELECTION FOCUS GROUP (PT. 2): DEMOCRACY FACES CHALLENGES, BUT OPTIMISM REMAINS STRONG
CONCERNS OVER CRIME CRITICAL IN MIDTERMS FOR ELECTION FOCUS GROUP (PT. 1)
Concerns over crime critical in midterms (Pt 2): Election Focus Group
Legislative push to regulate food delivery apps growing; food delivery devotees push back
Legislative interest in regulating third-party food delivery apps in Georgia appears to be growing. A House bill calling for, among other things, third-party food delivery services to itemize the cost of online food orders and regularly display and update those orders has been introduced by Reps. Kasey Carpenter, Lauren Daniel, Steve Sainz, Rey Martinez and …
DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond on Georgia’s labor department, its work-for-Medicaid plan and a possible gubernatorial bid
Michael Thurmond’s work in welfare reform and workforce development has arguably made him the go-to turnaround expert when it comes to fixing government agencies and social programs here and abroad. In 1994, he was tapped by then-Gov. Zell Miller to transform the culture and operations of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). He …
State’s ‘Pathways’ Medicaid program set to begin July 1 amid continued controversy
The Gist Gov. Brian Kemp is holding firm to his pledge not to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of low-income Georgians. Instead, the second-term governor is touting a work-for-Medicaid plan that will require low-income individuals to complete 80 hours a month of work, school or volunteering to qualify for the benefit. The plan is …
Can legislation to reduce risks posed by dangerous sexual offenders succeed this time?
ATLANTA — Two state legislators are planning to introduce bills that would affect how people convicted of sexual offenses in Georgia are sentenced and monitored. One bill focuses on the highest-risk class of “sexually dangerous predators” who are repeat offenders, and the other attempts to address the staggering backlog of cases at the Sexual Offender …