On this special episode, we focus on some of the big races in the state for November's election. Early voting is already shattering midterm records as Georgians hit the polls in what will likely be a defining election for the course of our state and country. Our news team looks at the races for governor, U. S. senator, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and labor commissioner. The topics vary from personal attacks to data centers to unfounded claims of voter fraud. You can find more at our special election hub at wabe.org/2026election.

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Some advocates are raising questions after the State Election Board’s Executive Director called on the Trump Administration to examine whether Georgia should be allowed to use its current voting machines. Plus, we breakdown the one and only debate in Georgia's race for governor. Also, nearly two weeks after termed-out Governor Brian Kemp signed the initial gas tax suspension, high diesel prices continue to impact Georgia’s agriculture sector. And five-and-a-half years after the Atlanta spa shootings, where eight people were killed, new delays in Fulton County's death penalty case against the alleged gunman have drawn a rare rebuke from the presiding judge. Atlanta officials are wrapping up the design phase of a transformation project for a memorial and park on the 75-acre site of the former Chattahoochee Brick Company.

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DeKalb County is suing a real estate company over a controversial 2021 land swap just after it reopened a large portion of Intrenchment Creek Park that had been blocked off for years because of the deal. Plus, backlash over the possible sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center to Fulton County is intensifying after city officials proposed using the proceeds for Mayor Andre Dickens' neighborhood reinvestment plan. Also, some immigrants who are legally in Georgia could lose their health coverage as more provisions of the Republican law H.R. 1 took effect October 1. And MARTA is looking to expand transit on Atlanta's Southside through a rapid bus expansion project, but some residents have questions. We'll also hit the campaign trail with Georgia's race for U.S. Senate.

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Some local lawmakers are joining the push for guardrails on police surveillance as a growing national concern over the misuse of automated license plate readers, like those made by Atlanta-based Flock Safety. And diesel prices in Georgia recently hit the highest level on record. We look at the pressure it is placing on food supply, transportation and retail prices. Plus, as Google looks to cut a deal for energy for its data centers, one climate group is releasing tips for how to understand the massive facilities popping up all over the state. Also, the Atlanta City Council made moves on parental leave, rail on the Beltline and rules around short-term rentals.

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Teachers in rural Georgia create a support system for students whose parents have been detained by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. A church in Buckhead that was started after the Civil War by people who had been enslaved is recognized for its long history. We look at a new program in Georgia for employers to provide health insurance funding to their staff. And the CDC's director makes one of her first public appearances.

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Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and election officials from nine other states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop mail-in ballot restrictions put forth by the Trump Administration. Plus, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering eliminating public notice requirements for air pollution permits, and it could change how Georgians hear about proposed data center projects in their area. Also, a large-scale, targeted immigration operation in Atlanta over the summer shows U.S. officials are taking a quieter approach than they did in Chicago and Minneapolis. We'll also hear the on-going impacts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks 25 years later.

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The Department of Homeland Security is asking a federal judge to pause a lawsuit filed by a Georgia city. The suit is trying to block an empty warehouse from being converted into an immigrant detention center. The candidates for Georgia Governor are weighing in on the use of automated license plate readers, like those made by Atlanta-based Flock Safety, just as Florida is ending its use on state highways. Plus, some Georgia businesses worry that costs may rise as President Donald Trump’s trade battle with Canada intensifies.

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Georgia Power has agreed to new protections it says will shield ordinary customers from the costs of serving data centers. Critics of the utility are cautiously optimistic. And staying on the controversial facilities, a movie production company in southwest DeKalb County is vying for community approval in a mission to pivot its business to build and operate a data center on its property. Plus, Georgia’s immigration detention centers have improved their inspection scores compared to last year, but accounts from people in detention do not match the scores. And an Augusta woman who spent more than a decade in prison is now back home after prosecutors heard testimony this week that she was convicted of a crime that never occurred.

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