ATLANTA — Gabe Sterling, the former Chief Operating Officer at the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, confirmed to WSB that he is running for the post currently held by his former boss, Brad Raffensperger.

Sterling served as COO for six years before leaving the office in August.

He now joins Republican State Representative Tim Fleming and Kelvin King in the GOP race. No Democrats have announced their candidacy.

In a statement, Sterling said, “Georgia elections are the safest in the nation, and I will fight every day to keep it that way.”