Ballotpedia

Stacey is from Gulfport, Mississippi. She received her Bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Spelman College. She received her Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Texas. She received her law degree from Yale Law School. She is the recipient of honors including the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award and the Distinguished Public Service Award from the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

Stacey is an author, entrepreneur, and a business owner. She is the CEO of Sage Works Production, a production company. Previously, she was the co-founder of NOW Account, a financial services firm. Before that, she worked as a tax attorney for a law firm in Atlanta. Stacey founded multiple political organizations, including the New Georgia Project, Fair Fight Action and Fair Fight PAC, Fair Count, and the Southern Economic Advancement Project.

Stacey Abrams previously ran for Governor in 2018 and did not win. She served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017. She was the House minority leader from 2011 to 2017.

Supports universal pre-k and childcare. Her proposed program would pay all childcare costs that exceed 10% of a family's income. She said, "... the average annual cost of infant care in Georgia is $7,644, an amount that leaves many parents feeling as if affordable child care is out of reach."

Wants to update Georgia's education funding formula to increase public education funding.

Wants to focus on the recruitment and retainment of teachers through permanent teacher pay increases and partnerships with Georgia colleges.

Said, "\[I will] reject attempts to teach children misinformation in the public school system. Some topics like slavery, segregation or the Trail of Tears are difficult, but our children must be given age-appropriate lessons and context."

Supports tuition-free technical colleges, investing in HBCUs and HSIs, restoring academic tenure, and funding need-based scholarships.

- Supports universal pre-k and childcare. Her proposed program would pay all childcare costs that exceed 10% of a family's income. She said, "... the average annual cost of infant care in Georgia is $7,644, an amount that leaves many parents feeling as if affordable child care is out of reach."
- Wants to update Georgia's education funding formula to increase public education funding. 
- Wants to focus on the recruitment and retainment of teachers through permanent teacher pay increases and partnerships with Georgia colleges.
- Opposes private school voucher programs.
- Said, "\[I will] reject attempts to teach children misinformation in the public school system. Some topics like slavery, segregation or the Trail of Tears are difficult, but our children must be given age-appropriate lessons and context."
- Supports tuition-free technical colleges, investing in HBCUs and HSIs, restoring academic tenure, and funding need-based scholarships.

Education

Supports stronger protections for workers, including paid sick leave, expanding unemployment insurance, and preventing employment misclassification.

Wants to ensure that Georgia's new infrastructure funding is distributed transparently and equitably.

Wants to support development in rural Georgia by expanding internet access, updating rural education funding formulas, and funding rural hospitals.

Wants to expand support for entrepreneurs and small businesses, including further investment into small business capital funds.

Supports expanding transportation options, including long-distance passenger trains, local commuter trains, and local commuter buses.

Wants to increase access to housing, including affordable housing. She said, "Renting families and law-abiding, responsible landlords deserve common-sense legal reforms that will make our courts work better for families and property owners."

Supports incentives for residents and builders that adopt clean energy sources, including biomass, hydro, solar, and wind.

- Supports stronger protections for workers, including paid sick leave, expanding unemployment insurance, and preventing employment misclassification.
- Wants to ensure that Georgia's new infrastructure funding is distributed transparently and equitably.
- Wants to support development in rural Georgia by expanding internet access, updating rural education funding formulas, and funding rural hospitals.
- Wants to expand support for entrepreneurs and small businesses, including further investment into small business capital funds. 
- Supports expanding transportation options, including long-distance passenger trains, local commuter trains, and local commuter buses.
- Wants to increase access to housing, including affordable housing. She said, "Renting families and law-abiding, responsible landlords deserve common-sense legal reforms that will make our courts work better for families and property owners."
- Supports incentives for residents and builders that adopt clean energy sources, including biomass, hydro, solar, and wind.

Economy

Said, “All Georgians deserve access to quality, affordable health care services”.

Supports programs to recruit and retain more healthcare workers, particularly in rural communities. She also wants to "grow our network of community health workers, doulas, home-visiting service providers and peer support specialists."

Wants to establish a "Health Equity Action Team" to help Georgians navigate the healthcare process. She said, "I will also require the health plans doing business with the state to identify and address health care disparities in access and outcomes within the populations they serve."

- Said, “All Georgians deserve access to quality, affordable health care services”. 
- Supports expanding Medicaid.
- Supports pro-choice policies.
- Supports programs to recruit and retain more healthcare workers, particularly in rural communities. She also wants to "grow our network of community health workers, doulas, home-visiting service providers and peer support specialists."
- Wants to establish a "Health Equity Action Team" to help Georgians navigate the healthcare process. She said, "I will also require the health plans doing business with the state to identify and address health care disparities in access and outcomes within the populations they serve."

Healthcare

Said, “As founder of multiple organizations promoting and protecting the right to vote, I have demonstrated a commitment to a strong democracy in Georgia and beyond.”

Supports making the voting process more convenient, including same-day voter registration and quick processing of voter registration applications.

Wants to work with counties to ensure polling places are fairly allocated, stable, and convenient. She also supports "mobile voting precincts to assist seniors, disabled Georgians and Georgians voting in areas with long wait times"

Wants to end arbitrary rejection of ballots.

Said, "I will veto maps with gerrymandered districts, whether state legislative or Congressional. Moreover, we must end the practice of state interference and restore local control in local elections."

- Said, “As founder of multiple organizations promoting and protecting the right to vote, I have demonstrated a commitment to a strong democracy in Georgia and beyond.”
- Supports making the voting process more convenient, including same-day voter registration and quick processing of voter registration applications.
- Wants to work with counties to ensure polling places are fairly allocated, stable, and convenient. She also supports "mobile voting precincts to assist seniors, disabled Georgians and Georgians voting in areas with long wait times"
- Wants to end arbitrary rejection of ballots.
- Said, "I will veto maps with gerrymandered districts, whether state legislative or Congressional. Moreover, we must end the practice of state interference and restore local control in local elections."

Voting & Elections

Supports increased accountability for gun safety, including repealing “campus carry” on college campuses and stopping perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking from obtaining guns.

Wants to establish a standard minimum salary for all law enforcement.

Supports developing "law enforcement training standards that help de-escalate violence, improve engagement with vulnerable populations and reduce the need for use of force."

Supports restoring funding to diversion programs.

Wants to pass "clean slate" legislation, which would offer automatic criminal record clearing once someone remains crime-free for a set period of time.

- Supports increased accountability for gun safety, including repealing “campus carry” on college campuses and stopping perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking from obtaining guns.
- Wants to establish a standard minimum salary for all law enforcement. 
- Supports developing "law enforcement training standards that help de-escalate violence, improve engagement with vulnerable populations and reduce the need for use of force."
- Supports restoring funding to diversion programs.
- Wants to pass "clean slate" legislation, which would offer automatic criminal record clearing once someone remains crime-free for a set period of time.

Public Safety

Stacey Abrams

- The Governor is similar to the President of the United States: they oversee the executive branch, sign bills into law and then enforce these laws, and act as the commander-in-chief of the state military.
- The Governor has a large influence over which new laws get passed because they can veto any legislation. Georgia lawmakers can only override a veto with a two-thirds majority in the State House and State Senate.
- The Governor appoints heads of various judicial and state offices including the: Department of Education, Department of Human Resources, Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation, Department of Community Health, Department of Economic Development, and the Department of Natural Resources.
In case a state representative is not able to complete their term, the Governor can appoint a replacement until the end of the term. 
- The Governor is elected every 4 years in midterm election years (e.g., 2022, 2026, 2030). If a governor serves for eight years (two terms in a row), they must wait another four years before running again.