The race:
Secretary of state
Party:
Democrat
The lane:
Dana Barrett has positioned herself as a voting-rights focused candidate who fights election denialism. She is working to turn her time fighting for the Fulton County election board into a statewide argument for why she should be the state’s next secretary of state.
The basics:
Barrett was elected to the Fulton County Commission in 2022. A former radio host, Barrett gained statewide recognition after opposing the appointment of two Republican nominees to the Fulton County election board. Barrett ended up being held in contempt and faced daily fines until an appeals court sided with Fulton County.
Why she’s running:
Barrett’s campaign has framed the secretary of state’s office as being central to voting rights, the state’s business climate and consumer protections. She said she wants to protect “free, fair and secure elections” while fighting election denialism, supporting small businesses and crack down on fraud and abuse.
What’s working:
Barrett has shaped her political identity by the fallout from fighting 2020 election denialism, something that bolsters her campaign for secretary of state.
The challenge:
Barrett’s reputation as a defender of Fulton County elections will energize Democratic voters, but she would need to convince others she can run statewide elections in a fair way.
What to watch:
The runoff will test whether Democratic voters want someone who is an aggressive voting-rights advocate or a nominee they believe would have an easier time reassuring swing voters in November.
Campaign website: https://electdanabarrett.com/
