2026 Georgia General Election

Bárbara Rivera Holmes

Buket Urgen

Bárbara Yolanda Rivera Holmes lives in Albany with her husband and daughter. 

Bárbara currently serves as labor commissioner. She was appointed in 2025. 

Advocates for policies that strengthen wages, improve worker protections, and create opportunities for advancement.

Plans on collaborating with businesses to promote compliance.

- Advocates for policies that strengthen wages, improve worker protections, and create opportunities for advancement.
- Plans on collaborating with businesses to promote compliance.

Labor

Plans on cutting unnecessary red tape, simplifying hiring, and building stronger connections-to talent-pipelines to ensure that small employers have the tools to grow, create jobs, and thrive.

Plans to strengthen partnerships with colleges and universities, employers and training programs to open new pathways in manufacturing, technology, health care, or other in-demand industries.

- Plans on cutting unnecessary red tape, simplifying hiring, and building stronger connections-to talent-pipelines to ensure that small employers have the tools to grow, create jobs, and thrive.
- Plans to strengthen partnerships with colleges and universities, employers and training programs to open new pathways in manufacturing, technology, health care, or other in-demand industries.

Businesses

Plans on examining outdated systems, improving technology, and streamlining services to deliver faster, more reliable support for workers and businesses.

Seeks to reform the claims process, eliminate backlogs, and ensure benefits for those who need them.

- Plans on examining outdated systems, improving technology, and streamlining services to deliver faster, more reliable support for workers and businesses.
- Seeks to reform the claims process, eliminate backlogs, and ensure benefits for those who need them.

Administration

Endorsements

Twitter

Instagram

Nikki Porcher has a college degree. She is a mother. 

Nikki owns her own business and is the founder of a national nonprofit network. She previously worked as a public school teacher. She is a veteran. 

Aims to protect workers’ rights, promote fair wages, and ensure work in a secure, respectful environment.

- Aims to protect workers’ rights, promote fair wages, and ensure work in a secure, respectful environment.

Supports workforce policies that allow access to affordable childcare for working parents and small businesses.

Seeks to ensure small businesses have the tools and resources to grow and create jobs.

- Supports workforce policies that allow access to affordable childcare for working parents and small businesses.
- Seeks to ensure small businesses have the tools and resources to grow and create jobs.

Supports modernizing the Department of Labor so people can more easily access benefits, training, and job support without delays.

Supports creating workforce development partnerships that lead to jobs, modern skills, and livable wages.

- Supports modernizing the Department of Labor so people can more easily access benefits, training, and job support without delays.
- Supports creating workforce development partnerships that lead to jobs, modern skills, and livable wages.

As of July 23, 2026, Nikki Porcher’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Nikki Porcher

- The Labor Commissioner is responsible for implementing the state's labor regulations, such as maintaining the minimum wage and enforcing child labor protections. 
- The Labor Commissioner is responsible for operating Georgia’s unemployment benefits program and rehabilitation programs. During the COVID pandemic, this role has become increasingly important as more people have lost their jobs and have filed for unemployment insurance and other related benefits. 
- In addition to these primary responsibilities, the Labor Commissioner produces statistics and research covering the Georgia labor market. The Labor Commissioner also creates workforce development and training programs, such as the GeorgiaBEST high school certificate vocational program. 
- The Labor Commissioner is elected to 4-year terms in a statewide election. There are no term limits for the Labor Commissioner and the salary is typically around $122,000/year.

Oversees labor regulations and development of Georgia’s workforce

Georgia Commissioner of Labor

Candidates (2)