Georgia Election 2026: Penny Brown Reynolds becomes first Black woman elected Secretary of State

Judge Penny Brown Reynolds has won the election for Georgia Secretary of State.

Reynolds is the first Black woman elected to the role that oversees Georgia’s elections.

She served as a Fulton County judge for nearly 10 years and says at the time of her appointment, she was one of the youngest judges in the state.

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Most recently, Reynolds served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Chief EEO Officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Senator Raphael Warnock posted his support for Reynolds on social media.

Georgia has a new Secretary of State! Congratulations to my friend Judge Penny Brown Reynolds on your historic win! pic.twitter.com/jo3XtpHBAx

— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) November 4, 2026

RELATED STORIES:

• Keisha Lance Bottoms elected Georgia’s first female governor, first Black female Governor in US
• Tanya Miller makes history, becomes first female Georgia Attorney General
• Jon Ossoff wins reelection to hold Senate seat
• Democrat Josh McLaurin wins Georgia lieutenant governor’s race

She defeated Republican Tim Fleming.

Incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger did not seek re-election. He instead ran in the gubernatorial election, but did not secure the Republican nomination.

Robyn Crittenden was the first Black woman to serve as Georgia’s Secretary of State, but was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal rather than elected by the general public.

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