Gas prices down; Early voting in GA-14; No Kings protests across the state

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast: March 30, 2026

Host: Peter Biello (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Episode Theme:
This episode provides a timely roundup of Georgia’s top news stories, including relief at the gas pump following a gas tax suspension, the start of early voting in the special election for Georgia’s 14th congressional district, and widespread “No Kings” protests across the state advocating for dignity and against policies seen as anti-immigrant or anti-democratic. It also touches on legal, legislative, and community responses to major events affecting Georgians.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Relief at the Gas Pump

• Georgia’s gas tax suspension has lowered fuel prices, offering residents tangible relief.
  • Average price per gallon of regular gasoline is now $3.58, down 11 cents from the previous week ([04:06]).
  • Governor Brian Kemp signed a 60-day suspension on March 20.

Fulton County Ballot Lawsuit

• Fulton County leaders appeared in federal court in a case against the U.S. government, seeking return of hundreds of original 2020 ballots seized by the FBI in January ([00:32]–[01:45]).
  • US government argues the county should be satisfied with ballot copies.
  • County attorneys argue originals are needed for open records and litigation.
  • Expert testified elections were fair and accurate.
  • Notable quote:

    “The affidavit that was used to secure the warrant in the first place was full of lies, innuendo and the same old falsehoods and accusations, the false accusations that had hurled and levied at Fulton County regarding the 2020 elections.”
    — Rob Pitts, Fulton County Commissioner ([01:19])

“No Kings” Protests Across Georgia

• Over 50 No Kings protests took place statewide as part of a National Day of Action, drawing thousands ([01:45]–[03:51]).
  • Events in cities including Calhoun, Atlanta, Macon, Albany, and Madison.
  • Focus: dignity for all, opposition to restrictive immigration and voting laws, protest of Trump administration.
• Voices from the protests:
  • Claudia Crenshaw (Morgan County):

    “I'm hoping against hope that we have a new leader with Homeland Security and hopefully all that will slow down and we can have a blue House of Representatives and we can get rid of all this as long as it all slows down.”
    ([02:18])

  • Jill Marie Hankinson (Decatur): shares personal impact of immigration policies ([02:41]):

    “Her husband was so close to getting documentation. ... They left and she's not here and I've gone to visit her once but it's really hard to get to Guatemala.”

  • Courtney Briner (Decatur, pediatric psychologist): impact of partial government shutdown ([03:06]):

    “I've had families come in this week ... they're not getting a paycheck because they work for DHS, they work for TSA. ... we're not going to talk about what's going on with their kid this week. We're just talking about how you get through some family stressors.”

• Sen. Raphael Warnock at Atlanta rally, on voting rights:

  “You're trying to make it difficult for the American people to vote, but come November we are going to hold you accountable.”
  ([03:46])

Early Voting in GA-14 Special Election

• Early voting began to fill the seat of former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene ([04:29]).
  • Democrat Sean Harris (retired Army general) vs. Republican Clay Fuller (district attorney).
  • Analysts describe Democrats’ chances as slim in this deeply Republican district.
  • Election is scheduled for April 7.

AI and Legal Ethics Incident in Clayton County

• Clayton County ADA Deborah Leslie apologized to Georgia Supreme Court for citing fake cases generated by AI in a legal brief ([04:47]).
  • Leslie says the error was unintentional and takes full responsibility.

Human Trafficking Prevention Efforts Ahead of FIFA World Cup

• GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger relaunched the Georgia Businesses Against Trafficking program ([05:43]–[06:39]).
  • Special trainings for businesses and the public, warning signs materials distributed.
  • FBI ranks Atlanta among highest US cities for trafficking.

Nonpartisan Local Elections Bill

• State bill to make specific county-level elections in Atlanta’s heavily Democratic counties nonpartisan is headed to Governor Kemp ([06:39]–[07:37]).
  • Offices affected: DA, solicitor general, county commissioners in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton.
  • Supporters say it reduces partisanship in local government.
  • Critics warn it unfairly targets Democrats and might be unconstitutional.
  • Notable quote:

    “These local officials should be above partisan politics. There's enough partisan politics in Washington, D.C. and other places. At the local level, it should be all about serving the residents.”
    — House Majority Leader Chuck E. Strachan ([07:25])

Economic & Business Updates

• Temo Americas, an EV auto parts manufacturer, is closing its West Georgia factory, laying off 60 of its 80,000 employees worldwide ([06:39]).
• Atlanta Braves: After comeback victory featuring a walk-off grand slam in a player's team debut, the team prepares for a new series ([07:37]).
  • Notable:

    “Dominic Smith hit a grand slam to walk it off. Smith became the first player in MLB history to hit a walk off grand slam in his debut with a new team, and he did it less than two weeks after the death of his mother.”

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rob Pitts on Fulton ballot seizure ([01:19]):
  “The affidavit that was used to secure the warrant in the first place was full of lies, innuendo and the same old falsehoods and accusations, the false accusations that had hurled and levied at Fulton county regarding the 2020 elections.”
• Claudia Crenshaw on protest hopes ([02:18]):
  “I'm hoping against hope that we have a new leader with Homeland Security and hopefully all that will slow down...”
• Jill Marie Hankinson on friend leaving Georgia ([02:51]):
  “They left and she's not here and I've gone to visit her once but it's really hard to get to Guatemala.”
• Courtney Briner on shutdown’s impact ([03:14]):
  “...we're not going to talk about what's going on with their kid this week. We're just talking about how you get through some family stressors.”
• Sen. Raphael Warnock at No Kings rally ([03:46]):
  “You're trying to make it difficult for the American people to vote, but come November we are going to hold you accountable.”
• House Majority Leader Chuck E. Strachan on nonpartisan election bill ([07:25]):
  “These local officials should be above partisan politics. ... At the local level, it should be all about serving the residents.”

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Gas tax suspension effect: [04:06]
• Fulton County ballot lawsuit: [00:32]–[01:45]
• No Kings protests statewide: [01:45]–[03:51]
• Sen. Warnock No Kings rally: [03:46]
• Early voting in GA-14: [04:29]
• AI legal brief incident: [04:47]
• Human trafficking prevention: [05:43]–[06:39]
• Temo Americas plant closure: [06:39]
• Nonpartisan elections bill: [06:39]–[07:37]
• Atlanta Braves historic walk-off: [07:37]

---

This episode captures pressing civic debates, economic news, and stories of activism and community resilience across Georgia, illustrated with first-hand voices and legislative updates. Perfect for listeners seeking a fast yet comprehensive scan of Georgia's news landscape.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the gas tax suspension in Georgia provides some relief at the pump. Early voting begins in an election to fill the seat of former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. And over the weekend, thousands of Georgians attended more than 50 no Kings protests across the state.

[B]

And I'm hoping against hope that we have a new leader with Homeland Security and hopefully all that will slow down.

[A]

Today is Monday, March 30th. I'm Peter Biello and this is Georgia Today. Bolton county leaders had their day in federal court on Friday for a case against the US government. GPB's Amanda Andrews reports they're seeking the return of hundreds of boxes of ballots from the 2020 election that the FBI seized in January.

[C]

The legal team representing the United States argued the search warrant was valid and and the county should be satisfied with copies of ballots. Attorneys representing Fulton leaders argued original ballots are still necessary for open records requests and pending litigation. After serious debate, an election expert was allowed to testify that Fulton 2020 election results were fair and accurate. Fulton County Commissioner Rob Pitts says he's known that all along.

[D]

The affidavit that was used to secure the warrant in the first place was full of lies, innuendo and the same old falsehoods and accusations, the false accusations that had hurled and levied at Fulton county regarding the 2020 elections.

[C]

Judge JP Boulay is expected to issue a decision on the civil hearing in the coming days. For GPB News, I'm Amanda Andrews.

[A]

Over the weekend, thousands of Georgians attended more than 50 no Kings protests across the state as part of a national day of action. GPB's Chase McGee reports from one of the events held in Morgan county, east

[E]

of Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Around 100 people met in Madison Town park for the third national no Kings. Prot. Claudia Crenshaw is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and Morgan County's representative to the state Democratic Party. She says she hopes these protests share a message of dignity for all, especially with an ICE detention center opening about 20 minutes away in Social Circle.

[B]

And I'm hoping against hope that we have a new leader with Homeland Security and hopefully all that will slow down and we can have a blue House of Representatives and we can get rid of all this as long as it all slows down.

[E]

Cities from all corners of the state held events, including Calhoun, Atlanta, Macon and Albany. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee in Madison.

[A]

In Decatur, Jill Marie Hankinson said that she joined the protest to feel less alone. She said that her best friend recently had to leave the country to keep her family together.

[F]

Her husband was so close to getting documentation. They've been married for five years. They have two small children. She's sick with lupus and we were afraid that he would end up in a detention center. They left and she's not here and I've gone to visit her once but it's really hard to get to Guatemala.

[A]

Also in Decatur, Courtney Briner says the partial government shutdown has reached families of kids that she serves as a pediatric psychologist.

[F]

I've had families come in this week who, you know they're not getting a paycheck because they work, you know, for dhs, they work for TSA looking for resources for them, trying to support them. Like, okay, we're not going to talk about what's going on with their kid this week. We're just talking about how you get through some family stressors.

[A]

US Senator Raphael Warnock rallied a crowd no Kings protest in Atlanta on Saturday. During his remarks, Warnock reaffirmed his opposition to the federal voting bill called the SAVE act that would require a photo ID at the polls and a document proving citizenship to vote. You're trying to make it difficult for

[D]

the American people to vote, but come November we are going to hold you accountable.

[A]

Non citizen voting is already illegal in the United States. The bill has passed the US House but has not been voted on in the Senate yet. Thousands of demonstrators joined the rally in Atlanta in protest of the Trump administration and and marched to the state Capitol. Georgia's suspension of the state gas tax has provided relief for drivers at the pump. That's According to Auto Club aaa, the average price of a gallon of Regular gasoline is $3.58, down 11 cents from a week ago. AAA says prices are likely to continue to fluctuate, though. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on March 20 signed a 60 day suspension of the state's gas tax. Early voting began today in an election to fill the seat of former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Democrats are drumming up enthusiasm for their long shot candidate. Retired army general Sean Harris believes he can win over voters upset with President Donald Trump. Republicans doubt his chances in the solid red northwest Georgia district. Harris is up against Republican candidate Clay Fuller, a district attorney, and the election set for April 7. A prosecutor in metro Atlanta's Clayton county is apologizing for using artificial intelligence to cite fake cases and a legal brief to the Georgia Supreme Court. Assistant District Attorney Deborah Leslie told the court on Friday that she used AI to prepare for a hearing in a murder trial appeal but did not verify what AI had cited. She told the court the errors were not intentional and she takes full responsibility for them. The incident comes a year after a panel of experts convened by the court issued a 48 page report on challenges the justice system is facing because of AI.

[G]

There's a new season of the Fork in the Road podcast. Taste the flavors, hear the voices and feel the soul of the Peach Date. You can find it [e-mail] podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

Several members of Georgia's business community are working together to combat human trafficking ahead of the 2026 FIFA World cup in Atlanta. GPB Sarah Kalis reports.

[H]

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says his office is relaunching the Georgia Businesses Against Trafficking program ahead of the World Cup. Advocates combating human trafficking warn the event could cause an uptick. Businesses participating in the effort will receive exclusive training to identify the warning signs of trafficking and flyers to place in their bathrooms and windows, making people aware of their participation. Raffensperger said that the coalition will also provide training to the public, so we'll

[G]

be holding a large scale in person training in May. This free half day training is available for any member of the community to participate, but it's going to be geared towards businesses.

[H]

The FBI says that Atlanta is one of the US Cities with the highest rates of trafficking. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallas.

[A]

A multinational auto parts manufacturer focused on the electric vehicle industry is closing its factory in West Georgia as Temo Americas notified state officials on Friday that it intends to lay off 60 people at its plant in Harrelson County. The Japanese company employs about 80,000 people at 40 sites worldwide. A bill that would make certain elections in five heavily Democratic areas of metro Atlanta nonpartisan is headed to governor Brian Kemp's desk to be signed into law. The legislation would make district attorney solicitor general and county commissioner elections in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton counties non partisan. Currently, candidates for those offices run as either Democrats or Republicans. Mulberry Republican House Majority Leader Chuck E. Strachan supports the bill.

[E]

These local officials should be above partisan politics. There's enough partisan Politics in Washington, D.C. and other places at the local level, it should be all about serving the residents.

[A]

Democrats said the measure targets their party and might be unconstitutional. The Atlanta Braves host the Athletics tonight for the start of a three game series. The Braves open the season with a pair of wins against the Royals before dropping yesterday's game against Kansas City 4 1. Saturday night's game ended in particularly dramatic fashion. The Braves trailed two nothing in the bottom of the ninth when hitters rallied to tie the game. And then with the bases loaded, new designated hitter Dominic Smith hit a grand slam to walk it off. Smith became the first player in MLB history to hit a walk off grand slam in his debut with a new team, and he did it less than two weeks after the death of his mother. He said he felt his mom's presence in the post game celebration, but Bryce Elder takes the mound for Atlanta tonight. That's a wrap on the podcast for today. Thank you so much for choosing GPB as your source for news in Georgia. You can find more headlines and updates to the stories you heard on the podcast [e-mail] news and remember to subscribe to this podcast because we're going to be back in your news feed tomorrow. You won't want to miss a thing. And if you've got feedback, we would love to hear from you. Email us. The address is George the in [e-mail] I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.