With legislators running for higher office, longtime lawmakers retiring, and many challenges to incumbents, the Georgia General Assembly is set for high turnover after this year’s elections.

Control of the state House and Senate is at stake as Republicans are defending the majorities they’ve held in both chambers for over 20 years.

Eighteen senators and representatives signed up to run for higher offices before candidate qualifying ended last week, leaving behind districts where they would have been incumbents seeking reelection. In the contest for lieutenant governor alone, five senators are competing against each other.

And many new challengers entered the fray. A total of 537 candidates are running for 236 seats in the General Assembly.

To take control of the House, Democrats need to flip 10 seats. Republicans currently hold a 99-77 advantage, with four Democratic-leaning seats vacant. Democrats have already secured two of those seats because no Republicans are running.

“The wave is building, and Georgia can feel it,” said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus. “We are within striking distance of the majority, and this qualifying period has made one thing absolutely clear: House Democrats are not just competing — we are coming to win.”

Republicans hold firmer control of the Senate, where they have a 32-23 advantage, with one GOP-leaning seat vacant.

Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon said Georgia remains a center-right state, but no election can be taken for granted.

“Republicans have been great stewards of the public trust. When you look at the Republican record, it’s really striking how they’ve made Georgia such an engine of economic growth,” McKoon said. “Voters will continue to reward Republicans for that record.”

Despite the flood of candidates, some incumbents lack any challengers, especially in deeply conservative or liberal districts.

There are 54 seats where only one candidate filed to run for election, effectively winning their races before a vote is cast.

Besides candidates running for higher office, retirements and resignations also created openings.

The nine retiring legislators include House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton; House Natural Resources Chair Lynn Smith, R-Newnan; Sen. Ed Harbison, D-Columbus; and Sen. Elena Parent, D-Decatur.

Three Democrats left the House after facing federal charges for COVID-19 unemployment fraud. Reps. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, and Dexter Sharper, D-Valdosta, resigned from office. Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, was suspended from the House by Gov. Brian Kemp, and she’s running for state Senate.