Campaign Kickoff
I AM THRILLED TO BE ENDORSED BY MY FRIEND, STACEY!
YOU ARE INVITED!
You are invited to our first campaign event (there will be others!) at the Intown Ace Hardware in the parking lot on Scott Boulevard on Saturday, April 13th from 11:30-1:30pm. Free hot dogs and yard signs!! Mayor Pro-Tem and store co-owner Tony Powers has endorsed me, and both new and old friends are welcome!
LEGISLATIVE RECAP - APRIL 17TH TOWN HALL
Many of you have been asking for a recap of legislative events throughout the 2024 Session. And I want to know what issues are most important to you! Please join me, Representative Omari Crawford and Senator Elena Parent on Wednesday, April 17th from 7-8pm at Decatur City Hall as we discuss in detail the good and the bad of both houses of the GA General Assembly. Join in person or via Zoom. We look forward to seeing you!
Send us your questions at bit.ly/WHATMATTERSTOYOU
Attend by Zoom: bit.ly/TOWNHALLZOOMAPRIL2024
I have an opponent in the Democratic Primary for the new HD84 - I need your vote on May 21st! Now that the Session is over, I am allowed to ask for contributions. Please make a donation of any amount to my campaign. Thank you!!
MENTAL HEALTH
Many of you have asked for a summary of all the mental health reform bills that successfully passed in the 2024 Session. Below is great work provided by NAMI to give us a list of bills passed by both Chambers that are now waiting for Governor Kemp's signature. Many of these bills deal with licensure of mental health professionals and other modifications to procedures that will give better access to mental health care. If you want to read any you may read each of these bills on the General Assembly website, and you should feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.We will be discussing these bills at our Legislative Recap Town Hall on Wednesday night. Stay tuned!
DEKALB COUNTY VOTING INFORMATION
General Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 21st
Before you vote, check your registration status at the My Voter Page. In order to vote, you must register 30 days before an election.
Bring your ID: For more about Georgia ID requirements, click HERE.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR PRIMARY ELECTION
Now: Request an Absentee Ballot
April 29: Advance voting begins for the General Primary
May 10: Last day to submit an absentee application for the May 21 election
May 17: Advance voting ends for the General Primary Election
May 21: Election Day
*absentee ballot due by 7pm on Election Day
ADVANCE VOTING
Monday–Friday (Apr. 29–May 17), 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Saturday (May 4 & May 11), 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday (May 5), 12 p.m.–5 p.m. (Closed Sunday, May 12 in observance of Mother’s Day)
Find your advance voting location HERE.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION
Visit the Secretary of State's website to submit an application online (a printer is required) or download an Absentee Ballot Application. Return your application by:
EMAIL: absenteeballot@dekalbcountyga.gov
FAX: (404) 298-4038
MAIL: Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 30, Decatur, GA 30032
ABSENTEE BALLOT RETURN
Here are Instructions for Marking and Returning an Absentee Ballot. Please return your absentee ballot at least one week before election day.
MAIL: Board of Registrars, 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur, GA 30032
DROP BOXES
Drop boxes are open during advance voting hours
Decide to vote in person? No problem. As long as you have not returned your absentee ballot, you can go to your polling location and vote in person instead. If possible, bring your absentee ballot with you.
Check the Status of Your Absentee Ballot at My Voter Page. For more information about absentee ballots,
click HERE.
ELECTION DAY
You must vote at your assigned precinct. Find it at My Voter Page or using this interactive map.
You can also find your Election Day Polling Place HERE.
MMO IN THE NEWS
4/9 WSB-2 TV - A new bill could hold parents responsible for minors who commit mass shootings by Channel 2’s Candace McCowan. "Last session, House Bill 135 was introduced by Representative Mary Margaret Oliver. “If your gun is taken from your home by a child or a friend of your child, you are responsible for committing a crime because that means that child had access to that gun,” said Rep. Oliver. The bill would also hold gun owners responsible for unsecured weapons taken from their cars and homes and used in crimes."
To read the entire article, go here.
OUT AND ABOUT
Yesterday I was delighted to join Tayari Jones, one of my favorite authors, and Ernie Suggs with the AJC to be inspired by the work of Motherhood Beyond Bars—- a group that supports women who deliver babies while incarcerated. Those women and babies need our help. Amy Ard, Amy's mother, and Amy's daughter with the basketball all came to cheer. Great and necessary work!
I joined the cool crowd last night to see Mozart's Don Giovanni: A Rock Opera at 7 Stages Theater - I loved it!!
Thanks to Benjamin and Katie Bell and the East Clairmont Democrats for their support on Wednesday night!
THE ECLIPSE! DOWNTOWN DECATUR!
Last Thursday, the DeKalb Dems allowed all May 21 primary candidates to introduce themselves— thank you! And, I was asked additionally to give part of the Sine Die legislative report about the Senate Rs multiple attempts to make Speaker Burns bring the anti-trans children bill for a House vote. I am grateful for the trans parents who bravely stayed until the bitter end, and to the Speaker for refusing to call the bill. Whew!
Sometimes Henry and I just need to nap in the sunshine and listen to the river.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, April 13 - CAMPAIGN KICKOFF at Intown Ace Hardware from 11:30am-1:30pm
Saturday, April 13 - Amplify Decatur Festival!
Sunday, April 14 - St. Philip AME Church with Billy Mitchell
Monday, April 15th - Georgia Trial Lawyers Panel
Wednesday, April 17th - Legislative Town Hall
Thursday, April 18th - Antioch AME Church Panel
Saturday, April 20th - NAACP Breakfast
Tuesday, April 23rd - Decatur City Schools Luncheon
Wednesday, April 24th - DeKalb County Board of Health Centennial Celebration
Wednesday, April 24th - Druid Hills Tour Gala
Monday, April 29th - Early Voting Begins!
Tuesday, May 21st - Election Day!
QUICK LINKS FOR YOU
I am on the following legislative committees. You can watch live every time they meet. Click on the links below for livestreams, agendas, archives and more.
Committees:
- Appropriations
- Governmental Affairs
- Judiciary
- Juvenile Justice
- Public Health - Secretary
- Technology and Infrastructure Innovation
Subcommittees:
- Appropriations - Human Resources
- Governmental Affairs - State and Local Government
- Judicial - Leverett (two)
You can search for and track bills, watch the House (or Senate) in Session, watch committee hearings, monitor legislation by committee, and find contact information —- all on the revamped General Assembly website. Here are quick links:
- General Assembly website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/
- House Session meetings and many committee hearings are available to watch online: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house
- Archived videos of meetings and hearings: https://www.legis.ga.gov/house/media-services
Make your views known and tell me what issues interest you the most.
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