Elfreda Desvignes

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Elfreda Desvignes

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Personal

Religion

Lutheran/Presbyterian /Methodist

Contact

Campaign website

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Elfreda Desvignes (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Georgia's 6th Congressional District. She lost as a write-in in the general election on November 5, 2024.

On May 10, 2024, Desvignes notified Ballotpedia that she changed her party affiliation from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.

Biography

Elfreda Desvignes was born in Long Island, New York, and moved to Georgia in 2000. In 2024, she was nominated for the President's Lifetime Achievement Award for all her work in Cobb County and Atlanta, Georgia. She has been affiliated with the Women of Divine Purpose & Empowerment Organization.

She has earned certificates in:

• Campaign Management Training
• Fundraising Training
• Local Activist Engagement
• Debate Workshop
• Certificate in Fair Housing

Elections

2024

See also: Georgia's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

Georgia's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Democratic primary)

Georgia's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 21 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Georgia District 6

Incumbent Lucy McBath defeated Jeff Criswell and Elfreda Desvignes in the general election for U.S. House Georgia District 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lucy McBath (D)	74.7	277,027
		Jeff Criswell (R)	25.3	93,909
		Elfreda Desvignes (D) (Write-in)	0.0	45

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 370,981
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Georgia District 6

Incumbent Lucy McBath defeated Jerica Richardson and Mandisha A. Thomas in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Georgia District 6 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lucy McBath	84.8	60,837
		Jerica Richardson	9.3	6,699
		Mandisha A. Thomas	5.9	4,247

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 71,783
= 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.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Brian Hopkins (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Georgia District 6

Jeff Criswell advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Georgia District 6 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeff Criswell	100.0	11,983

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,983
= 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.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Desvignes in this election.

2022

See also: Georgia's 7th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Georgia District 7

Incumbent Lucy McBath defeated Mark Gonsalves and Lisa Babbage in the general election for U.S. House Georgia District 7 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lucy McBath (D)	61.0	143,063
		Mark Gonsalves (R)	38.9	91,262
		Lisa Babbage (R) (Write-in)	0.0	14

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 234,339
= 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 runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Georgia District 7

Mark Gonsalves defeated Michael Corbin in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Georgia District 7 on June 21, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Gonsalves	70.1	8,591
		Michael Corbin	29.9	3,666

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,257
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Georgia District 7

Incumbent Lucy McBath defeated incumbent Carolyn Bourdeaux and Donna McLeod in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Georgia District 7 on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lucy McBath	63.1	33,607
		Carolyn Bourdeaux	30.6	16,310
		Donna McLeod	6.3	3,352

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 53,269
= 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 election

Republican primary for U.S. House Georgia District 7

Michael Corbin and Mark Gonsalves advanced to a runoff. They defeated Lisa McCoy, Mary West, and Y.G. Nyghtstorm in the Republican primary for U.S. House Georgia District 7 on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Corbin	41.1	18,637
✔		Mark Gonsalves	27.5	12,477
		Lisa McCoy	14.1	6,380
		Mary West	9.6	4,370
		Y.G. Nyghtstorm	7.7	3,510

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 45,374
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Elfreda Desvignes (R)

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Elfreda Desvignes did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Desvignes' campaign website stated the following:

“	Healthcare After the COVID Pandemic, some of the American people have been diagnosed with either, type 1 or type 2 diabetes. some of the American people cannot even afford insulin, due to the price. And going to the primary care physicians only to pay high copay. Every pay period, your check is being garnished for healthcare benefits, the insurance company only want to pay half of the deductible, leaving you to pay anywhere from $200 to $600 out of pocket copay. Something have got to give! Elfreda will continue to fight for healthcare an lowing prescription drugs for all people! Job Training I will continue to fight and hold companies responsible for not properly training their employees. Hostile work environment and bullying have to stop in the workplace! Economic Growth I will fight for more affordable housing in Cobb County. It is not just the African-Americans that are suffering from not enough income, it is other nationalities that is suffering, An cannot afford to pay $1200 or $2,000 a month for rent. The reason why they took a lot of the low income housing out of Cobb County is from the crime rate, if the management companies structure, and the policies were in place, then the community will be a safe and better place for low income families. I have also witnessed people being turned down, from their credit score, not enough income, and evictions. If I am elected, I will continue to fight for the people of my district! Crime I was a victim of gun violence. I was laying across my bed doing my homework at the age of 16, and someone drove by my mother's home and shot up her garage. My bedroom at that time was connected to the garage. The bullet came through the garage and wall of my bedroom and almost hit me and my newborn baby (my son was laying in his crib) in the head. Thank God I was laying across the bed with my head down. If I would have stood up the bullet would have went straight through my head and chest. I could only imagine what my mother went through at that time at that moment of me and her newborn grandson almost killed by a drive-by shooter. God spared me and my newborn son's life. I have seen a lot of poverty and rampant crime within District 6th. Working in property management, our office has received numerous complaints about someone breaking into their cars and homes and Gun shoots within the community. As a victim of gun violence, I will continue to fight for Gun Control! Immigration I have witnessed illegal immigrants right here in District 6th. People who enter the U.S. Illegally make it bad for other families who moved to the U.S. to escape the bad crime within their land. Elfreda will continue to fight for better border control! Inflation Talking to some of the American people within the community, I asked them what they take on gas prices?and they stated, the gas stations ⛽ are price gouging people! Food prices have skyrocketed since COVID-19. Since Covid-19, grocery stores food prices has spiked up, from eggs to milk to meat. The American people have to figure out everyday meals to buy, that meets their budget. People are barely making it. Paycheck to paycheck. Something have to give! Men Rights If I get enough write-in Votes, I will fight to bring Child Support back to the floor. I Elfreda will stand for all men and woman's! Wages Researching different jobs in and around District 6th. I have noticed job postings starting as low as $9.00 and hour. The American people cannot survive off of $9 an hour let alone, waitresses barely making $2.13 an hour to survive. The cost of wages, don't match the cost of living! Elfreda will continue to fight for better pay!	”
—Elfreda Desvignes’ campaign website (2024)

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

Desvignes submitted the following answers to the survey on January 11, 2022:

“

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Economic : Elfreda will fight to lower Tax Rates and Increase growth. Defend The Police : I am totally against defunding the police. Our community needs the police to protect the families in Georgia district 7th. Civil Rights : It is my civic responsibility to ensure the civil rights of our community are protected: in voting, housing, workplaces, and when simply driving down the road. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? Mark Meadow. Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy? Stride Towards Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr. What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? For everyone to be financially stable and to be able to afford a home. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after? Rep- Doug Collins

”

Desvignes submitted the following answers to the survey on August 26, 2021:

“

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Economic : Elfreda will fight to lower Tax Rates and Increase growth. Defend The Police : I am totally against defunding the police. Our community needs the police to protect the families in Georgia district 6. Civil Rights : It is my civic responsibility to ensure the civil rights of our community are protected: in voting, housing, workplaces, and when simply driving down the road. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why? My Mother Valerie Desvignes- My mother taught me everything I know from life skills to owning a business. Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy? Stride Towards Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr. What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade? For everyone to be financially stable and to be able to afford a home. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after? Rep- Doug Collins

”

Elfreda Desvignes completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Desvignes' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Community Activist and a part-time Business Owner. I currently work in the property management industry, and I have been working for several years at apartment communities in different areas of Georgia. 

I have lived in Georgia since 2000, after growing up in New York. I have devoted much of my adulthood to my passion of providing jobs by volunteering with the Department of Labor, hosting and volunteering at job fairs, even going as far as starting my own property management training course to help members of the community into the career path. Volunteering has always been a passion of mine, and, as a single mother, I have tried to instill the same values in my three children. 

I have volunteered with the Hosea Feed the Hungry in Atlanta, the Cobb Douglas Public Health Department’s Back to School Bash, and more.

 After losing my mother to breast cancer in 2013 this spurred me to turn my dreams of public service into action. I attended several training sessions in Washington DC, earned certifications in Fundraising, and Campaign Management, and was invited to the White House for a Policy Briefing with the hope of serving my community in the broadest and best possible way.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Affordable Housing : I would like to expand affordable housing options and programs to ensure families have a place to call home
• Civil Rights : It is my civic responsibility to ensure the civil rights of our community are protected: in voting, housing, workplaces, and when simply driving down the road.
• Healthcare: Not one human being in this incredible country should ever have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and paying their rent.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The best way to phrase my political passions boil down to two simple words: Civil Rights. It should be the civil right of any American to have an affordable home, affordable healthcare, a job with a livable wage, and the ability to interact with law enforcement without fearing for their lives.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Miss Ocasio was dedicated to the mission she had in winning the election in 2018. Watching her Documentary inspired me to run.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

A Promised Land, by Barack Obama.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Are they passionate?
Have they done any community service work in the past?

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

My passion, drive, and motivation make me an excellent candidate.
What will make me an exceptional Representative is my stubbornness and my dedication to represent the people for whom I stand.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The primary responsibility of any elected official is to represent the voters of their district and the voters’ best interests.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy behind to encourage everyone to have Confidence and to always stay focused on their career goals.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 33 years old, living with my mother and my three children when Hurricane Katrina rolled through Louisiana, where most of my extended family lives. I lived with my mother at the time, and I remember her getting that first phone call. We immediately rushed to the store to buy some food and supplies to host our family members, and I ended up moving into an apartment to create space at the house. We received donations of food and clothing to offer as they were coming with nothing more than what they had on them at the time. Within days, we had over 18 people staying in our house, all coming in on the first bus they could catch. I spent most of my days running errands to help cook, clean, and transport everyone around. My cousin was forced to evacuate while her child was in the hospital, being transferred. We lived through a mother’s worst nightmare for a what seemed like a lifetime while she tried to find where her baby was. Finally, she was located and flown into the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta to continue her care for a heart condition. For over a month and a half, we lived like this while my family tried to get their lives set back up. Finally, some of them ultimately stayed here in Atlanta, and others went home to try to rebuild their former lives. I was so happy to see them finally getting back into a good place, but this experience really impressed upon me how quickly your life can drastically change due to circumstances outside of your control. Watching my mother selflessly open her heart and home planted a seed and inspired my desire to serve my own community.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked at Captain D's Restaurant Company at the age of 16. If I can remember, I was there for a few months due to my pregnancy.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The last song that got stuck in my head was Yolanda Adams’ “I Gotta Believe.” This song really speaks to my heart and reminds me to put my faith in something bigger and stronger than myself. I love reminding myself that I have no choice but to believe in my own success.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Something I have struggled with in my life was getting over the fact, I almost got kidnapped at the age of 15, twice walking home from track practice.

I also was 16 years old, and I was laying across the bed doing my homework and someone drove by my mother's home and shot up the garage. The police were called and they told my mother, the bullet was an inch away from my head and my infant son's head. It was such a traumatic moment in my life.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. House of Representatives is unique with standing for what's right for the American people.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

For everyone to be financially stable and to be able to afford Healthcare.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes. No more than that.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I would like to leave a legacy behind to encourage everyone to have Confidence and to always stay focused on their career goals.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Congressman John Lewis.

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

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Elfreda Desvignes campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Georgia District 6	Lost general	$5,624	$4,520
2022	U.S. House Georgia District 7	Withdrew primary	$6,133	$11,877
Grand total			$11,757	$16,397
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

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U.S. House Georgia District 6

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Footnotes

[show]

Georgia's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jon Ossoff (D)

Raphael Warnock (D)

Representatives

District 1

Earl Carter (R)

District 2

Sanford Bishop (D)

District 3

Brian Jack (R)

District 4

Hank Johnson (D)

District 5

Nikema Williams (D)

District 6

Lucy McBath (D)

District 7

Rich McCormick (R)

District 8

Austin Scott (R)

District 9

Andrew Clyde (R)

District 10

Mike Collins (R)

District 11

Barry Loudermilk (R)

District 12

Rick Allen (R)

District 13

David Scott (D)

District 14

Marjorie Greene (R)

Republican Party (9)

Democratic Party (7)