Gwinnett County Primary Runoff Voter Guide 2020

Chairman, County Commission

Nicole Love Hendrickson (D)

• Two decades of experience in the Public Service sector in education, non-profit, philanthropy and government
• Serves on the boards of the United Way Gwinnett Community Board, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the Aurora Theatre and the Gwinnett Young Professionals and Treasurer for the Rotary Club of Gwinnett.
• Won the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Public Service Award in 2017, was named Georgia Trend’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2018, received the Trailblazer Award from the 100 Black Men of Metro Atlanta in 2019.
• Economic Development: job creation, utilize smart zoning policies and maximize use of vacant retail space.
• Wants to invest in regional transportation and walkability by funding micro & mass transit options and exploring technological advances in transit.
• Wants to prioritize investment in literacy, community & civic infrastructure, advance career & workforce training.

Lee Thompson Jr. (D) campaign suspended

• Attorney
• Platform: Public transportation, Infrastructure , Economic Growth, Homelessness, Criminal Justice reform,affordable housing, Voting Rights, Transparency, immigration, Public Safety
• Suspended campaign and asks that supporters and all Democrats to support Nicole Love Hendrickson in her campaign saying, “My opponent is a woman; she is an African American; and she is twenty years younger than me. When I started this campaign, I said that I wanted to give a voice to those who felt excluded by their government.”

County Commissioner, District 3

Derrick J. Wilson (D)

• Originally from Houston, Texas. Currently the majority owner of a tax preparation and bookkeeping company. First time Politician.
• Member of Gwinnett NAACP, Gwinnett County Young Democrats
• Stood against the racist comments made by current commissioner Tommy Hunter towards Rep John Lewis (D)
• Wants to: Champion diversity and inclusion by making a concerted effort to recruit and retain a diverse workforce; Implement a comprehensive, long-term transit plan; Coordinate more closely with nonprofit social service agencies to address issues like homelessness and opioid addiction; See the creation of a Gwinnett County Small Business Certification program that would provide advocacy, training and procurement opportunities for small businesses;
• For paying police officers a competitive wage to retain the best police officers. Says on average, Gwinnett is paying 20k less than surrounding municipalities and counties.
• Advocates for a County sponsored, Early Childhood Education Program in partnership with both Gwinnett County Public Library and Gwinnett County Public Schools so kids are kindergarten ready.

Jasper Watkins III (D)

• Retired military and pharmacist
• Ran in 2016 narrowly lost to Tommy Hunter (R)
• Transportation and Infrastructure: Conduct a transit study to improve public transportation and amend county ordinance to protect and sustain county Green Spaces. Improve water quality and increase testing.
• Community Development: Create tax incentives to attract business to the county; re-develop, and re-purpose unused vacant spaces; Address access to low incoming housing and senior housing.
• Public Safety: Create a public safety oversight advisory board led by Community Members; Establish a forum to facilitate information sharing and discussion across all segments of public safety; Provide proper training to non-healthcare personnel to combat opioid addiction.
• Endorsed by District 55 Senator Gloria Singleton Butler

Ben Archer (R)

• 20 years working in Gwinnett County Public Schools and worked for the City of Lawrenceville, the Gwinnett County Government
• 1st time politician
• Lifelong resident of Gwinnett County
• Focused on public safety and maintenance of infrastructure

Matt DeReimer (R)

• Former Sandy Springs Police Officer for 10 years, small business owner, and first time politician
• Lifelong resident of Gwinnett
• Says his Christian faith will guide his decision making
• Wants to: Attract and retain the best public safety officers through competitive pay, benefits, training and cultivate strong ties with the community; Address sex-trafficking; Strengthen programs that build community and educate on county services; Partner with organizations to address social concerns like homelessness and substance abuse

Senate, District 9

Nikki Merritt (D)

• Grew up in Georgia and has a people first
approach to social and economic change in Georgia
• Believes the state must continue to expand options for assistance, eligibility, and support programs designed to help small business and their employees
• Will fight to preserve the essential services that are lifelines for working and low-income families
• Supports: Extending healthcare coverage for new moms; Fully funding K-12 schools; Expanding unions; Making post-secondary education affordable and keeping HOPE funding in line with yearly tuition cost increases
• For strengthening voter protections and pledges to support legislation that would create an independent, nonpartisan redistricting commission to end partisan gerrymandering
• Wants investments in roads, transportation solutions, and other essential infrastructure
policies that preserve Georgia’s beauty and strengthen the economy, like incentives for alternative energy solutions and telework options that get cars off the road
• Vows to protect civil rights by passing comprehensive civil rights legislation; committed to solutions to end police brutality and racial targeting

Gabe Okoye (D)

• An immigrant from Nigeria; moved to GA in 1981 and has lived in Gwinnett County since 1992
• Served as the Chairman of the Gwinnett County Democratic Party and currently serves on the County’s Planning Commission
• Main goal is to restore true representation to the district and will not impose his personal beliefs/issues on you
• Asks that you to tell him the issues that are important to you and on his honor, he promises to fight for those issues on your behalf
• Wants to bring all bills back to the district, call a meeting of the voters, explain each bill and have you vote on each one of them. Once back at the senate floor, “I will represent you by voting in the same way the majority in the district voted on each bill.”
• Feels this will keep lobbyists at bay

Sheriff

Curtis Clemons (D)

• Marine Corps veteran with 30 years of law enforcement experience. Served as a jailer, Inmate Transportation Supervisor and a Warrants/Civil process while a Gwinnett County Deputy Sheriff before becoming a Gwinnett Police Officer
• Wants residents to feel comfortable interacting with law enforcement and alleviate the sense that the justice system unfairly imprisons the poor, homeless or mentally disabled.
• Says he will work with community groups and orgs to provide job skills and support programs to reduce recidivism. Will work with animal control to provide rehabilitation animals for inmates
• Will train deputies to de-escalate situations

Keybo Taylor (D)

• 26 years of law enforcement experience in Gwinnett: Served in the FBI Drug Task Force, Lieutenant and Unit Commander of the Gwinnett County Drug Task Force. Oversaw East and South Gwinnett Police precincts.
• First African American to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the history of the Gwinnett Police Department
• Wants to combat violent felony offenses, human trafficking, sex crimes and reduce the number of non violent offenders that are incarcerated or mental health and substance abuse issues.
• Wants to end Gwinnett’s participation in the 287(g) program
• Serves as a substitute teacher and football coach for various Gwinnett County high schools

Superior Court Judge Gwinnett Judicial Circuit

Kathy Schrader Incumbent

• Incumbent since 2012
• Says “traffic court is the gateway to criminal court” and believes traffic court is a great intervention opportunity for youth on the wrong path
• Attributes youth speeding to video games
• Says she has implemented therapeutic, educational, life coaching, job programs and accounts for mental health disorders in the courts to reduce recidivism
• Believes in restorative justice
• One of 10 in the state to receive the Justice Robert Bentham Award for Community Service in 2018
Over 30 years experience
• “Stood trial earlier this year on computer trespassing charges. The case originally stemmed from Schrader suspecting she was being hacked – by Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter. Ultimately, she and three others – including the Dragon Con co-founder Ed Kramer, who she employed to ‘hack back’ were accused of illegally accessing the Gwinnett County Justice Center computer network. The case went to trial in February which resulted in a mistrial.” (11Alive)

Deborah R. Fluker

• Over 20 years experience in law
• First African American Assistant District Attorney in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit
• Served as Assistant District Attorney in Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, Supervising Assistant DA in the Gwinnett County DA’s Office, Associate Municipal Court Judge and Magistrate Court Judge in Suwanee, and Associate Judge in Dacula Municipal Court
• Believes all parties have the right to understand the basis for decisions made by the Judge
Endorsed by Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys

Tax Commissioner

Tiffany Porter (D)

• Wants to bring transparency, community outreach and accountability to the tax commissioner’s office
• First African American Judge for the Duluth Municipal Court and certified NFL agent
• Appears weekly as a legal analyst for the Court TV network
launched two law firms that specialize in real estate, tax, criminal defense, and business law and established Zenith Sports and Entertainment Group, a career management practice for professional athletes and entertainers.

Regina M. Carden (D)

• Served as CFO and Associate Director for several Veteran Affairs hospitals for 36 years
• Has managed large operations with comprehensive budgets, including a $1.9 billion budget while Acting Deputy Network Director for the VA Southeast Network
• Top issues are: Enhanced Office Efficiency and Transparency; Enhanced Customer Service and Employee Satisfaction; Expansion of Tag Office Hours; Enhanced awareness of Homestead Exemption options for seniors and all eligible residents; Elimination of language/communication barriers for our diverse community