Independents & Write-Ins, Sapelo Suits

Sunday Solutions — Sept. 27, 2026

Good morning! We’ve been basking in the lower temperatures, but that hasn’t kept us from looking at a few other numbers for you. We’ve got a look at how one signature can change a ballot, two sets of data that could drive an election, two lawsuits over McIntosh zoning, and at least another 4.5 million reasons to keep reading.

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NEWS: ELECTIONS

Independent candidates face tough road

If you’re an independent voter — like 2 million other Georgians — and you want to run for office, you’ve got a slog ahead. This year’s midterms will feature some independents, but most candidates who aren’t Republicans or Democrats are running as write-ins. One Coastal Georgia candidate found out that it’s often tougher to qualify for a third party than it is to run a write-in campaign. And she should know, she missed qualifying as and Independent by one signature. The reasons for that go back to the state’s process for getting on the ballot in the first place. The Current‘s Glynn County reporter explains why you’ll need to study this year’s write-in lists more than ever.

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Secrecy complaint in Effingham County

Effingham County residents and the environmental group One Hundred Miles are bringing the county’s development authority to court, claiming the public agency unfairly did public business in private as it wooed OpenAI to an industrial park near Rincon. Read the complaint filed in Effingham County Superior Court on Monday or skip straight to Maggie Lee’s coverage of why the plaintiffs say a judge should nullify public agency deals with OpenAI’s local affiliate, Octans Georgia.

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COME JOIN US today in Daffin Park. The Current GA‘s staff will be at the Mediation Center’s 5th annual Peace in the Park: Savannah Day of Peace from 1-4 p.m. Bring the family — there’s plenty to do with music, activities and food trucks!

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NEWS: COMMUNITY

New Sapelo zoning draws 2 lawsuits

There’s another twist in the zoning fight over the Gullah Geechee community of Hogg Hummock in McIntosh County: Two lawsuits were filed on Sept. 4. The residents, who are not Gullah Geechee descendants, challenge the McIntosh County Commission’s recent zoning changes and allege the county bypassed legal procedures and violated open records acts during the amendment process. Additionally, another complaint claims the county failed to observe a constitutionally mandated waiting period following a previous referendum regarding island development. The Current‘s Mary Landers breaks down the complaints.

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ANALYSIS: ELECTIONS

Cost frustrations drive deep

Last week, a Georgetown University research team reported 36% of Georgians struggled with food costs versus 32% nationwide. With healthcare, 48% of Georgians were burdened or severely burdened, compared to 41% nationally. You can read how the study was conducted here in a report from Capitol Beat.

That data dump arrived just as a new Associated Press-KFF Health News survey revealed significant economic frustration among rural American voters during President Donald Trump’s second term. Approximately half of rural voters believe the economy is worse off now than when he returned to office, citing rising costs for groceries, gas, and healthcare. While many remain loyal to the Republican Party, deep dissatisfaction with inflation and healthcare access could influence turnout in upcoming midterm elections.

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NEWS: UPDATES & MORE

From the week

In July 1944, Walter Okrongley landed on Utah Beach in Normandy, France, where the 19-year-old Army medic would help care for wounded soldiers as Allied forces advanced across a country still under Nazi occupation. On Monday, France came to thank him. Okrongley, 102, was conferred the French Legion of Honor, the country’s highest award, in a ceremony at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Pooler. The Current‘s Justin Taylor was there and brought photos of the event. See them here.

• Lights over Buc-ee’s interstate exit dimmer – but not to help baby turtles: The county commission passed on ordinances, advice and permissions for dimmer lights, but Mother Nature had another idea. From Jabari Gibbs at The Current.
• Warnock urges federal oversight of automatic license plate readers: U.S. senators weigh in on privacy and lack of discipline for public safety tool. From Georgia Recorder.
• Google to help fund upgrades for Georgia Power nuclear reactors: Plant Vogtle reactors will get a boost in agreement between Google and Georgia Power. From WABE, Grist.

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☕ Your second cup: Your neighbors

The Associated Press took a detailed look at where immigrants settle once they arrive in the United States. Exclusive data paints a picture of who these migrants are and where they went. The analysis is based on federal records giving the self-reported destinations of 4.5 million migrants released in the United States after crossing the Mexican border — both legally and illegally — between October 2018 and July 2025. Take a moment and zoom in to see your Zip code and neighborhood.

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