Former Judge Penny Brown Reynolds Enters Race for Georgia Secretary of State

A former state judge and brief TV personality, Penny Brown Reynolds, has announced her 2026 run for Georgia Secretary of State, promising to defend voter rights and expand access to the ballot.

What We Know:

• Penny Brown Reynolds is running as a Democrat for Georgia Secretary of State.

• She was previously a state judge and hosted a TV show, Family Court with Judge Penny, which ran for one season and was Emmy-nominated in 2009.

• Her background includes serving as deputy assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and working for former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, who has endorsed her campaign.

• Issues in her platform include: making early voting and drop boxes more accessible; reducing business startup barriers; protecting seniors from fraud; enhancing cybersecurity; and defending election workers from harassment.

• The current Secretary of State, Republican Brad Raffensperger, is not seeking reelection for that post—he has entered the 2026 governor’s race.

• Other candidates running for the post include GOP contenders Gabriel Sterling, Kelvin King, and Tim Fleming, as well as Democrat Adrian Consonery Jr.

• Georgia hasn’t had a Democrat in that office in almost 20 years.

Reynolds’ entry adds another strong Democratic voice to the race for Secretary of State. Her civil‐rights legal experience, TV exposure, and commitment to both voting access and election integrity position her as a notable challenger in what is shaping up to be a high‐stakes contest in 2026.