AJC:

In the wake of the 2020 presidential election, authority over voting in Georgia is on the line in this year’s race for secretary of state.

The Republican contest is defined by a clear contrast between Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who defied Donald Trump’s pleas to change the results, and U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, a Trump disciple who objected to counting Georgia’s electoral votes in Congress.

Raffensperger and Hice are statistically tied, according to a poll of likely Republican voters by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. About 28% of respondents supported Raffensperger, and 26% backed Hice, within the poll’s margin of error. About 37% are undecided, and 8% supported other candidates.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the race are more similar to each other in their messages of voting access and resistance to election subversion. The Democratic candidates include former Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves, state Rep. Bee Nguyen and former Cobb County Democratic Party Chairman Michael Owens.

The down-ballot Georgia race is drawing national attention because the winner will gain authority to certify elections in one of the most competitive states in the country. The May 24 primary between four Republicans and five Democrats could lead to runoffs four weeks later, setting up a November showdown.