Georgia House of Representatives District 89 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Georgia, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Georgia House of Representatives District 89 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Georgia House of Representatives District 89

Incumbent Becky Evans defeated Rick Sheppard in the general election for Georgia House of Representatives District 89 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Becky Evans (D)	91.5	25,137
	Submit photo	Rick Sheppard (R)	8.5	2,340

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 27,477
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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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?

Becky Evans (D)

I spent 18 years as a volunteer in our DeKalb County public schools, raising my kids, and there's some important principles I believe are worth fighting for: Protecting our democracy and voting rights Building healthier and safer neighborhoods Building the strongest and best possible schools for our kids Fighting for access to high quality, affordable healthcare Ensuring women have autonomy over their bodies and reproductive decisions Decreasing gun violence and easy access to guns Fighting for economic equality for every DeKalb resident Striving for more ethical and transparent government Expanding and updating public transit Treating people fairly, with dignity and respect, and meaningfully involve people in the development of laws.

I know making our neighborhoods safer is our top priority. I know we cannot have a prosperous DeKalb unless it is a uniformly safe place to live, work and raise a family. My public safety philosophy as a mother and an elected has been formed by my time working directly with our neighborhood Public Safety Committees including the DeKalb Juvenile Justice Council. The Council focuses on community based programs that positively transform the lives of DeKalb County youth and families. I’m incredibly proud of my record of working with our neighborhood groups,non profits local law enforcement agencies. Together, we help deliver much needed reform, preventative measures and community policing to our neighborhoods.

How do we fight back against deliberate barriers to voting & efforts to strip GA women of their basic bodily autonomy? I’m extremely proud of my 100% record of voting to support the right to vote, to increase access to voting, & in fighting against every effort by partisan politicians who have put up deliberate barriers to voting, especially for largely minority voters in our community. Georgia politicians stripping away a woman’s right for abortion, a very personal and often complex decision, was the last straw. We should trust women to make their healthcare decisions! I am 100% pro-voting rights and 100% pro-choice. I will continue to fight to keep control of voting and our bodies where they belong – with GA residents, not politiciansc

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Becky Evans (D)

Public Education and Environmental and Clean Energy policy.

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

Becky Evans (D)

I believe society as a whole has a responsibility to help those in real material need, and that government plays a major role, with support from taxes. I also believe that the “private depends on the public” - that the blessings of modern American private life and private enterprise come from the investment of taxes in public education, public hospitals, public roads and bridges, publically funded scientific research, etc, and that these investments provide freedom to Americans. If we invest in public health care, Georgians will have the freedom to change jobs without losing their health insurance. When we invest in public education, we teach critical thinking skills to our children, providing them the future freedom for productive careers. Without investing in public resources we would have no satisfactory private life and no functioning business community in America - and no democracy!

I envision our community filled with diverse, interconnected neighborhoods that are healthy, prosperous, and thriving, and are supported by collaborative relationships between citizens, government, businesses, and nonprofits. I strive to be a pragmatic progressive voice for transparency, growth and opportunity for people in our district.    I bring energy and accountability to the Capitol to ensure that our communities reach their fullest potential. 

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Becky Evans (D)

Yes, I am a believer in listening and learning, asking questions, and building relationships with other legislators, in the hopes of finding common ground.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Becky Evans (D)

I love the Education committee, as I was a volunteer in DeKalb public schools for 18 years, and I believe a strong public education is foundational to our democracy.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Becky Evans (D)

No

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Becky Evans (D)

This is hard to quantify. I don’t have a set formula. I believe in compromise, and not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. If I have a strong personal connection to a cause, based on experience, and believe the compromise does more harm than good, that is a reason to refuse. I believe it is important to talk things through with respected colleagues and policy experts, and people with real lived experience, to make tough decisions. I will also say that the attitude of the person leading the conversation, or legislation, affects how I will treat the issue. If there is no sincere and authentic effort to collaborate and listen from the other side, I am less likely to vote for a compromise.

See also

More about these elections:

• Georgia House of Representatives elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races:

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