SAVANNAH ― Voting records in Georgia and Nevada show Georgia House candidate David Dillie cast ballots in both states in the 2026 primary elections.
Dillie, 24, is the Democratic nominee in District 161, which encompasses a swath of Savannah’s northwest suburbs. The race is one Savannah-area Democrats view as a possible pickup opportunity given public outcry over tech giant OpenAI’s plans to build a massive data center in the district. Dillie faces seven-term Republican incumbent Bill Hitchens in the Nov. 3 general election.
Dillie denies voting in the Nevada primary, held three weeks after he cast a ballot in the Georgia election. But Nevada voting records, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution via a public records request, indicate Dillie voted absentee in the state’s June 9 Republican primary. Dillie confirmed to the AJC that the address listed on the voting record is his former residence in Las Vegas and is owned by his godfather.
Dillie moved to Georgia in 2024 and works as an aircraft mechanic at Gulfstream, the Savanah-based business jet manufacturer.
“I’ll be making a phone call asking, ‘What the f---?’” Dillie said in a telephone interview.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Dillie for State House 161
Credit: Photo courtesy of Dillie for State House 161
Casting ballots in two states in the same election is considered voter fraud. Violators can face criminal charges.
Dillie’s opponent said casting ballots in two states is a disqualifying offense and a breach of public trust.
“Preserving free, fair and transparent elections has to be a priority of any candidate,” said Hitchens, the former Georgia Homeland Security director and the father of the state Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col. Billy Hitchens.
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer
Dillie’s voting record adds new intrigue to a race that’s exploded into the public consciousness since the July announcement that tech giant OpenAI would construct a $20 billion data center in the district. The facility would be the state’s largest as measured by energy usage and has drawn broad criticism — and legal challenges — from local residents.
Much of the opposition stems from disappointment that the deal was struck in secret between OpenAI and county officials with no public knowledge or input.
Dillie has criticized that process. At a Georgia Public Service Commission meeting last week, he told commissioners that residents he’s met while canvassing say they hate the data center, that its “the worst thing they’ve ever seen” and that the issue will motivate them to vote in November.
Local residents’ data center angst extends to state lawmakers who have resisted multiple calls to restrict data centers or repeal tax incentives for those facilities in recent years. In the 2026 legislative session alone, 20 data center-related bills were unsuccessful as Gov. Brian Kemp championed the facilities as economic drivers.
The proposed OpenAI campus is projected to use enough electricity to power 2 million homes or all of the New York City borough of Manhattan.
Georgia Democrats are leveraging the data center backlash on the campaign trail. The party needs a net gain of 10 seats to seize control of the Georgia House for the first time since 2002, and the District 161 race is seen as a long shot pickup opportunity despite Hitchens’ record of success — he’s run unopposed in two of the last three elections and won the other by a 20% margin.
A spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia said reports of Dillie’s voting record “are troubling and should be fully investigated.”
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
