2022 Candidate Forums

One of the core missions of the DeKalb County Democratic Committee is to educate voters. To help you get more information about the contested statewide primaries in 2022, we hosted a forum series highlighting candidates from many of these races. More information about the candidates that won the Democratic primaries and who will be up for election this November will be posted soon.

RUN-OFF Forums for Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner, and Labor Commissioner - 6/12/2022

Lieutenant Governor Candidates: Charlie Bailey and Kwanza Hall

Secretary of State Candidates: Lauren Alexander and Michelle Long Spears

Insurance Commissioner: Raphael Baker and Janice Laws-Robinson

Labor Commissioner: William Boddie, Jr. and Nichole Horn

RUN-OFF Forums for District 2 School Board and County Commissioner, and HD 86 & 90 State Representatives - 6/11/2022

District 2 School Board Candidates: Whitney McGinniss and Candice McKinley

District 2 County Commissioner Candidates: Lauren Alexander and Michelle Long Spears

HD 86 State Representative Candidates: Jacqueline Adams and Imani Barnes

HD 90 State Representative Candidates: Saira Draper and Michelle Schriener

HD 88 and HD 90 State Representatives Forum - 5/7/2022

HD 88 State Representative Candidates: Billy Mitchell and Gabrielle Rogers

HD 90 State Representative Candidates: Saira Draper, Peter Hubbard, Bentley Hudgins and Michelle Schriener

HD 84 and HD 86 State Representatives Forum - 5/7/2022

HD 84 State Representative Candidates: Omari J. Crawford and Maurice Raeford 

HD 86 State Representative Candidates: Jacqueline Adams, Imani Barnes, and Marvis McDaniel-Ivey 

Secretary of State Candidate Forum - 4/20/2022

Secretary of State Candidates: Dee Dawkins-Haigler, John Eaves, Floyd Griffin, Bee Nguyen, Michael Owens

Insurance Commissioner and State School Superintendent Forum - 4/16/2022

Insurance Commissioner Candidates: Raphael Baker, Janice Laws Robinson, and Matthew Wilson.

State School Superintendent Candidates: Curry Hutchins, Jaha V. Howard, James Morrow, Jr., Alisha Thomas Searcy

Stonecrest Mayoral Candidate Forum - 4/6/2022

Stonecrest Mayoral Candidates: Diane Adoma, Jazzmin Cobble, Kirby Frazier, and Charles Hill, Sr. 

Agriculture Commissioner and Labor Commissioner Forum - 4/2/2022

Agriculture Commissioner Candidates: Wilfred Dukes, Nakita Hemingway, Fred Swann

Labor Commissioner Candidates: Rep. William “Will” Boddie, Jr., Thomas Dean (no show), Nicole Horn, Lester G. Jackson, III, Nadia Surrency

Lieutenant Governor Forum - 3/23/2022

Candidates include: Rep. Erick Allen, Charlie Bailey, Tyrone J. Brooks, Jr., Tony Brown, Kwanza Hall, Jason Hayes, Rep. Derrick Jackson, Rashid Malik, Rep. Renitta Shannon

A Message From Our Chair

Hello DeKalb County Democrats!

Despite incorrect information that has been disseminated, the DeKalb County Democratic Committee has not and will not endorse, campaign or deploy resources for candidates in Municipal Races where there are multiple Democrats. In elections where there is only one Democrat against a known Republican or multiple Republicans, resources are being deployed to ensure that the Democrat is victorious just as we would do in any competitive election where a Democrat faces Republican opposition.

In the races where it’s Democrat on Republican, the Democratic Party of Georgia has used Votebuilder’s likely party and DNC score to determine party identity. Additionally, there is qualitative information as well. For example, the Mayor of Tucker Frank Auman is the two-time Republican Party Chair. He is also scored as a Strong Republican in Votebuilder with a low DNC score.

DeKalb Dems leadership along with Candidate Development, Campaign Research and Field Operations have worked hard to ensure that every municipal seat held by a Republican is contested and that the Democrats contesting them have the resources to win. You will find that our literature is consistent with the Democratic Party of Georgia’s spreadsheet which reveals whose Democrats and whose not. You can view the spreadsheet HERE. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me or contact Sarah Todd at the Democratic Party of Georgia. 

Thanks, 

John Jackson
Chair, DeKalb County Democratic Committee
UPDATED DATE EXTENSION: Request For Proposal – LOGO & BRAND GUIDE

UPDATED DATE EXTENSION: Request For Proposal – LOGO & BRAND GUIDE

Project Summary

The DeKalb County Democratic Committee (DCDC) seeks an experienced contractor or firm to create a strong redesign of DCDC’s existing brand identity, brand guide, and merchandise. It is DCDC’s goal that our brand and collateral reflect the urgency and vibrancy of our work. The selected contractor will work with the DCDC communications lead to bring our brand update to life.  

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Dekalb County Board of Commissioners Passes John Lewis Voting Rights Day of Action Proclamation

Dekalb County Board of Commissioners Passes John Lewis Voting Rights Day of Action Proclamation

Whereas, DeKalb County is committed to advancing equitable voting rights and justice for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities; and

Whereas, the communities in DeKalb County are immensely diverse, consisting of multiple ethnicities, languages and dialects, wide-ranging socioeconomic characteristics, and the home of more than 750,000 residents; and

Whereas, the right to vote is one of the foundational rights of all-American citizens; and

Whereas, Congressman John Lewis spent his life fighting against hate, bigotry, and equal opportunity at the voting booth inside and outside of Congress to advance voting rights for everyone; and

Whereas, voting rights are under attack nationally by state legislators introducing and passing laws to create barriers to our participation in elections; and

Whereas, May 9, 1961 marks the 60th anniversary of the South Carolina stop of the “Freedom Riders” historic bus trip from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans where John Lewis withstood violent beatings only to say, “Ours was not a struggle against individuals, ours is a struggle against a system of injustice”; and

Whereas, the late Congressman John Lewis shed his blood crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge to fight for rights of black voters and voters of color to participate in America’s electoral process, and for the enactment of the 1965 Voting Rights Act; and

Whereas, The John Lewis Day of Advocacy and Action will raise awareness and protect voting rights from anti-democratic laws; and

Whereas, it behooves us as heirs of his sacrifice and life-long endeavor to celebrate his life and accomplishments and continue his life’s work to ensure everyone’s right to vote; and

Whereas, May 8, 2021, the national day of activism will bring together local coalition partners to raise awareness and create energy around protecting voting rights and all eligible voters.

Now, Therefore, WE the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaim, Saturday, May 8, 2021, as John Lewis’ Voting Rights Advancement Day of Action.

PROCLAIMED THIS 8th day of May 2021.

Read the official proclamation.

Bi-partisan DeKalb Board of Elections and DeKalb Democratic party urge Gov. Kemp to veto Voting Bills

Bi-partisan DeKalb Board of Elections and DeKalb Democratic party urge Gov. Kemp to veto Voting Bills

The DeKalb County Democratic Committee and Board of Registrations and Elections (DeKalb BRE) joined the DeKalb House and Senate Delegation to denounce proposed voting bills on the steps of the Gold Dome on March 17.

“I was taught never to take our precious freedoms for granted,” Republican DeKalb BRE Vice-Chair Baoky Vu said in a statement. “The proposed so-called ‘elections integrity’ legislation … is nothing short of real voter suppression. If men and women in uniform such as Pat Tillman and Humayun Khan were willing to die fighting to defend our American democracy, then we must be willing to live fighting for it.”

DeKalb Democrats Support Bipartisan DeKalb County Board of Elections And Protests Voter Suppression

DeKalb Democrats Support Bipartisan DeKalb County Board of Elections And Protests Voter Suppression

Dekalb Delegation Urges Veto, March 17th, 12:30 PM, Press Conference, GA Capital

March  15, DeKalb County, GA – The DeKalb County Democratic Committee applauds the DeKalb County Board of Registration & Elections’ statement, reaffirming the 2020 presidential election results and calling on the Georgia General Assembly to reject legislation that restricts voting access. 

 We are calling on the sponsors of HB 531 and SB 241 to withdraw their respective pieces of legislation. These continued attempts to overturn the lawful, free, and fair vote of DeKalb residents, particularly  Black and other voters of color, is a shameful and unconstitutional bid to rig future elections. 

The DeKalb Democrats stand in solidarity with the Board and with all our county’s voters in the emphatic position that the legislative efforts of the Georgia General Assembly are cynical and undemocratic. If passed, these bills would advance frivolous barricades to voting access based on false claims of voter fraud, and as the Board warns in their statement “. . . restrict and complicate voting access and hamper the ability of counties to effectively administer elections.” 

With one of the lowest drops in voter turnout (373,439 votes casted in the general and 349,927 in the runoff), DeKalb played a crucial role in determining the outcome in races won by a less than 3 percent vote margin.Despite “assurance from the highest level of elections’ authority ” that Georgia’s elections process and outcomes were the most secure and accurate in history, 28 Georgia Rebublican state legislators signed an amicus brief in support of a conspiracy-fueled Texas lawsuit to overturn the November results and invalidate the votes of hundreds of thousands of DeKalb voters. 

Now, 14 of the same legislators* have sponsored bills aimed at attacking and undermining our voting liberties. We condemn their votes against the electors of January 6th, 2021, and urge them to withdraw the anti-voter bills HB 531 and SB 241. These undemocratic proposals perpetuate bad-faith lies, undermine trust in our elections and spread misinformation about voter fraud in DeKalb.  Any other action will be a betrayal to their duty as lawmakers under Georgia and the U.S. Constitution. 

We are calling on all DeKalb elected and community leaders to stand with the Board in a bipartisan show of support against anti-democratic voter suppression bills, and to join us on Wednesday, March 17th at 12:30 pm at King Memorial MARTA station for a solidarity walk to the Capitol, followed by a brief press conference at the South Wing of the Capitol.

Co-Signed By: 

State Sen. Tonya Anderson 
State Sen. Gloria Butler
State Sen. Gail Davenport 
State Sen. Sally Harrell
State Sen. Kim Jackson
State Sen. Emanuel Jones
State Sen. Elena Parent 
State Rep. Karen Bennett
State Rep. Doreen Carter
State Rep. Viola Davis
State Rep. Karla Drenner
State Rep. Becky Evans
State Rep. Scott Holcomb
State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick
State Rep. Zulma Lopez
State Rep. Billy Mitchell
State Rep. Bee Nguyen 
State Rep. Mary Oliver 
State Rep. Renitta Shannon 
State Rep. Rhonda Taylor 
State Rep. Mike Wilensky 
State Rep. Matthew Wilson
DeKalb County District 1 Commissioner Robert Patrick 
DeKalb County District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader
DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson
DeKalb County District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw
DeKalb County District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson 
DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry
DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
Brian Mock, Chamblee City Council Member, At Large
Karen Lupton, Chamblee City Council Member, District 3

DeKalb Democrats Policy Committee assembles team

The DeKalb Democrats Policy Committee has created teams to address our priorities for 2021. The teams are listed below:

State budget—Jacinda Jackson, team lead

  • Teresa Hardy
  • Abdul Henderson
  • Taylor Pool
  • Luke Rogers
  • Jean-Louis Sankale
  • Otha Thornton
  • Natalie Towns

Redistricting—Karen McCown, team lead

  • Teresa Hardy
  • Jay Harrell
  • Janet Grant

Voting rights—Susan McWeathy, team lead

  • Teresa Hardy
  • Jay Harrell
  • Abdul Henderson
  • Nancy Larson
  • Brandi Wyche

Board of Elections—Janet Grant, team lead

  • Teresa Hardy
  • Karen Mixon
  • Karen McCown
  • Brandi Wyche
  • Clare Schexnyder

DeKalb Democrats Reelect Chair and Elect New Officers

DeKalb Democrats Reelect Chair and Elect New Officers

The DeKalb County Democratic Committee held elections on Thursday, January 14, 2021 for officers and vacant state committee seats. We are proud to have re-elected John Jackson as Chair, who currently serves as the Chair of the Veterans Caucus for the Democratic Party of Georgia and has served as Deputy Director of Veterans, Military and National Security for Senator-elect Raphael Warnock’s campaign. Other re-elected officers include Karen Mixon as First Vice Chair, Karen Davenport as Second Vice Chair and Andrew Heaton, Treasurer. New officers elected include Gloria Moore as Third Vice Chair and Alisa Hamilton as Secretary.

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