Derrian Smith
Derrian Smith (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Georgia House of Representatives to represent District 6. Smith declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on May 19, 2026.
Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Derrian Smith earned a high school diploma from Frederick Douglass High School and a bachelor's degree from Alabama State University in 2007. Smith's career experience includes working in finance and accounting.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Democratic primary
Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 6
Derrian Smith (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 6 on May 19, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Derrian Smith  | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 6
Incumbent Jason Ridley (R) is running in the Republican primary for Georgia House of Representatives District 6 on May 19, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Jason Ridley | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Derrian Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Smith's responses.
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- Economic Development and Job Creation
Georgia is one of the fastest-growing states, making economic policy critical.
Key priorities include: • Job creation and workforce development • Support for small businesses • Attracting major corporations and industries • Raising wages and expanding economic opportunity • Supporting entrepreneurship and minority-owned businesses
Why it matters: Strong economic policy creates jobs, reduces poverty, and strengthens communities. - Education Policy Education is one of the most important public policy areas because it directly affects workforce readiness, economic mobility, and community stability. Key priorities include: • Funding for K-12 public schools • Teacher salaries and retention • School infrastructure and safety • Access to early childhood education (Pre-K) • College affordability and programs like HOPE Scholarship • Workforce development and technical training through trade schools The Georgia Department of Education plays a central role in implementing these policies. Why it matters: Education determines the long-term economic strength of Georgia and opportunities for youth.
- Healthcare Policy Healthcare policy affects access, affordability, and overall public health. Key priorities include: • Medicaid and PeachCare expansion • Affordable health insurance access • Mental health services funding • Rural hospital funding and stabilization • Maternal health and infant mortality reduction The Georgia Department of Community Health oversees many healthcare programs. Why it matters: Healthy citizens contribute to stronger communities and economic productivity.
Focuses on the economy, jobs, and financial stability.
• Taxes
• Government spending
• Inflation control
• Job creation programs
• Minimum wage laws
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 28, 2026
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