State Senate District 39
October 29, 2020
A special Democratic primary election for Georgia State Senate District 39 was called after incumbent candidate Nikema Williams became the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives following the death of U.S. Rep. John Lewis in July.
However, some voters may be missing a chance to vote for their next state senator. When voting in person, poll workers must ask voters in the 39th District if they would like to vote in the Democratic primary special election. If a poll worker does not ask, a request can be made that the special election is added to a voter’s ballot.
Four Democratic candidates are currently running to fill the vacant seat. Zan Fort, an insurance agent and son of former state Sen. Vincent Fort; Sonya Halpern, a former advertising and marketing executive; Jo Anna Potts, an entrepreneur; and Linda Pritchett, a paralegal who has previously launched many unsuccessful bids for elected office.
Senate District 39 includes the City of South Fulton, part of Union City, part of College Park, part of East Point, and several Atlanta neighborhoods including Buckhead, West End, Cascade Park, Adams Park, Midtown, Ansley, Sherwood Forest, and Venitian Hills.
Sonya Halpern
Sonya Halpern is running in a special election to the Georgia State Senate to represent District 39.
COVID
- Supports expansion of medicare to bring healthcare coverage to high-risk Georgians
- Increase funding for hospitals
- Prepare for vaccine distribution once there is one available
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
- End cash bails
- Eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing
- Ban excessive use of force and no-knock warrants
- Prohibitions on hiring officers with histories of misconduct and abuse
EDUCATION
- Reinvesting and increasing funding for k-12 public schools
- Restore HOPE scholarship
HEALTHCARE
- Expanding medicaid
- “Everyone should have the right to health insurance regardless of their employment status or income.”
- Supports a woman’s right to chose
ECONOMY
- $15 per hour minimum wage
- Increase availability of affordable housing
VOTING RIGHTS
- Invest in local county boards of education to make it easier to have absentee ballot counted
- Same day voter registration
- Advocate for a fair and non-partisan redistricting process
Zan Fort
Zan Fort lives in southwest Atlanta and is currently running in the special Democratic primary election for Georgia State Senate District 39. Fort is graduate of Georgia State University and works as a senior account executive and manager at an insurance agency.
COVID
- State policy based on science, not politics
- Supports a statewide mask mandate and easily accessible free testing
- Expand moratorium on COVID-19 evictions
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
- Supports legislation to end racial profiling and collect data on police stops
- Ban chokeholds
- End qualified immunity and no-knock warrants
EDUCATION
- Full funding for public schools
- No public money for private schools
- Free public and technical college
- Restore HOPE scholarship
- Protect teacher pensions
HEALTHCARE
- Supports universal healthcare coverage and Medicare for All
- Expansion of Medicaid
- Stop Republicans from shutting down Obamacare exchanges
ECONOMY
- $15 per hour minimum wage
- Advocate for policies that will foster job training and apprenticeship
VOTING RIGHTS
- Increase early voting from 21 to 42 days
- Same-day voter registration
- Make election day a holiday