Georgia isn't holding its presidential primary on Super Tuesday

ATLANTA — A date has been set for Georgia’s presidential primary election.

Channel 2's Aaron Diamant learned it will be on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

“I know it sounds like it’s a huge window of time, but it’s not,” Channel 2 political analyst Bill Crane said.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office is still in the process of selecting one of at least four bidders on a $150 million contract to replace Georgia’s aging voting machines.

The new system will use touchscreen voting machines that print out paper ballots.

The biggest test for local election leaders is how thousands of poll workers handle the change.

“It’s going to be a complete rewrite of the training as far as training on the equipment and how it works,” Cobb County elections director Janine Eveler said.

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The Georgia primary was held on Super Tuesday -- the first Tuesday in March -- in each of the past two presidential election years. The new date puts Georgia’s primary weeks after other key states.

“Moving outside of that will somewhat diminish Georgia’s role in the nominating process; however, Georgia will still play a significant role for many reasons,” Crane said.

“This new date puts into play the opportunity for a lot of the candidates, who make it through the first round to spend time in Georgia,” Ted Terry, Democratic Party of Georgia first vice chair, said.

A member of the secretary of state's team said they expect to name the winning bidder for the new machines in early July.

The Democratic candidates running for president include Former Vice President Joe Biden, Gov. Steve Bullock, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, Former Rep. John Delaney, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Kamala Harris, Former Gov. John Hickenlooper, Gov. Jay Inslee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam, Rep. Seth Moulton, Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson, Andrew Yang.

President Donald Trump officially kicked off his Republican reelection campaign Tuesday night in Orlando, Florida.

Cox Media Group