Max Burns
Georgia State Senator, District 23 since 2020. Ran in 6 elections between 2002 and 2024, winning 4. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.
Georgia State Senator, District 23Born 1948University teacher
- In office
- 6 yrs
- Since 2020
- Bills became law
- 52
- 287 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 0.0%
- Chamber median 5.1%
- With party
- 100%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +7.0
- Won 2026
- Next election
- 2028
- Nov 7, 2028
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 3:00 PM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Appropriations · ex officio
- Higher Education · chair
- Transportation · ex officio
- Agriculture and Consumer Affairs
- Children and Families
- Economic Development and Tourism
- Ethics
Source: congress-legislators committeesUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 3:00 PM ET
Legislation
ELECTIONS · Became law Jun 2026
MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC · Became law Jul 2027
COURTS · Became law Jul 2026
AGRICULTURE · Became law Jul 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Burns sits in the Georgia State Senate
Burns is closer to the center than 71% of the chamber's Republicans.
Closest: Bo Hatchett, Lanny Thomas, Lee Anderson
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:48 PM ET
With Burns’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Republicans100%
Black tick: the average of Republicans in the Georgia State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Career
Offices held, and every time Burns was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia State Senate, District 23 | Won | R+7.0 | R+18.1 | −11.1 |
| 2024 | Georgia State Senate, District 23 | Won | R+23.7 | R+18.1 | +5.6 |
| 2022 | Georgia State Senate, District 23 | Won | — | — | — |
| 2020 | Georgia State Senate, District 23 | Won | R+18.6 | — | — |
| 2006 | U.S. House, GA-12 | Lost | D+0.6 | — | — |
| 2004 | U.S. House, GA-12 | Lost | D+3.6 | — | — |
| 2002 | U.S. House, GA-12 | Won | R+10.4 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Georgia Secretary of State (unofficial)Updated Nov 8, 2026, 7:01 PM ET
Campaign money, 2025–26
- Raised
- $194.1K
- Spent
- $392.3K
- Cash
- $121.2K
Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission filings through Oct 13, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 5:44 PM ET
Campaign committees
Open committees can still raise and spend money.
| Burns, Othell M. State | Active |
Source: Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission filings through Oct 13, 2026Updated Oct 31, 2026, 5:44 PM ET
Seats Burns has held
- Georgia State Senate, District 23 · since 2020
- U.S. House, GA-12 · 2003–2005
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Burns has run against
- Shayna Boston (D) · 2026 election, won
- Ceretta Smith (D) · 2020 election, won
- John Barrow (D) · 2006 election, lost
- Champ Walker (D) · 2002 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive; 2026: Georgia Secretary of State (unofficial)
In the polls
Included in 3 polls; Burns’s best result was 48% (Georgia's 12th District, 2002).
Burns’s polls in the database →How we know Burns
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Bioguide B001249
- FEC H2GA12097
- Open States ocd-person/918888ac-edc7-4178-9133-d058f0f21010
- Wikidata Q1912332
- GovTrack 400053
- OpenSecrets N00025597
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Nov 7, 2026, 3:00 PM ET