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Sherry Williams (Georgia)
From Ballotpedia
Sherry Williams is running for election to the Atlanta City Council to represent District 11 in Georgia. She declared candidacy for the general election scheduled on November 4, 2025.
Williams completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Atlanta, Georgia (2025)
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Atlanta City Council District 11
The following candidates are running in the general election for Atlanta City Council District 11 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Toni Belin-Ingram (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Andre Burgin (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Curt Collier (Nonpartisan) | ||
Stephen Dingle (Nonpartisan)  | ||
 | Harold Hardnett (Nonpartisan) | |
| Nate Jester (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Keith Lewis (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Wayne Martin (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Reginald Rushin (Nonpartisan) | ||
 | Sherry Williams (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = 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.
2021
See also: City elections in Atlanta, Georgia (2021)
General runoff election
General runoff election for Atlanta City Council At-large Post 3
Keisha Sean Waites defeated Jacqueline Labat in the general runoff election for Atlanta City Council At-large Post 3 on November 30, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Keisha Sean Waites (Nonpartisan) | 52.4 | 36,742 |
 | Jacqueline Labat (Nonpartisan) | 47.6 | 33,339 | |
| Total votes: 70,081 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
General election
General election for Atlanta City Council At-large Post 3
Keisha Sean Waites and Jacqueline Labat advanced to a runoff. They defeated Jodi Merriday, Ralph Long III, and Sherry Williams in the general election for Atlanta City Council At-large Post 3 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Keisha Sean Waites (Nonpartisan) | 29.3 | 23,898 |
| ✔ | | Jacqueline Labat (Nonpartisan) | 24.5 | 20,019 |
 | Jodi Merriday (Nonpartisan) | 19.6 | 15,960 | |
 | Ralph Long III (Nonpartisan) | 14.4 | 11,739 | |
| Sherry Williams (Nonpartisan) | 11.5 | 9,403 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.6 | 525 | ||
| Total votes: 81,544 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Sherry Williams completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Williams' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’m Sherry B. Williams, a public policy and civic engagement consultant specializing in equity initiatives and underserved communities. I am also a longtime community advocate and organizer dedicated to initiatives that include the quality of life for working families in Southwest Atlanta and beyond. As a four-time breast cancer survivor and experienced community liaison, I’ve collaborated with residents, nonprofit partners, faith-based institutions, and government agencies to tackle issues like affordable housing, transit equity, and environmental justice. My work spans coalition-building, legislative advocacy, and grassroots outreach rooted in listening to and addressing the needs of those most impacted.
- Public Safety reform that supports community-based strategies and systemic change
- Transportation, Transit Equity, especially through MARTA expansion and getting remedies for our crumbling infrastructure
- Housing Justice, including living-wage jobs, Housing First policies, anti-displacement measures, and community benefit agreements
I am personally passionate about all areas where people are underserved and disenfranchised. However, infrastructure, is at the top of my list because it includes transportation, transit, sidewalks, and the environment (clean, air, water, and updated sewer systems). Infrastructure is the foundation of what is most needed for residents to live, work, play and have a thriving business community. Without good infrastructure, people and products will not be able to safely go from point A to point B. Good roads are needed for good mobility for: trucks, buses, bicycles, wheel chairs, baby strollers, and scooters.
While not part of the state legal system, Atlanta City Council is uniquely powerful in shaping how statewide issues are felt locally—housing affordability, environmental justice, or voting access. It also has the authority to resist harmful state preemption by asserting local control over critical services.
I look up to and follow the examples of: 1) my parents, Charles and EddieMae Williams, who set a good example for myself and my siblings. They taught us a good work ethic and to be respectful of others even when you disagree. And, they taught us to tell the truth and be good neighbors. 2) My God Mother, the Rev. Willie Taplin Barrow, former Executive Director of Rainbow PUSH. One of her famous quotes: "We are not so much divided as we are disconnected." Why? Because being a good person, being respectful of others, even when you do not agree with them is key to being a good leader who is bold, brave and has empathy. These foundational principles are key to working with and understanding economically diverse residents which will allow me to make the best policy and people decisions.
I would recommend “The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein. It powerfully illustrates how government policies—intentional and systemic—have led to housing inequities and racial segregation. Understanding this history is critical to understanding how I approach policy today: with a focus on equity, truth-telling, and community repair. I would also recommend any book or film/documentary by Henry Louis Gates because until we fully understand where we come from and how we great we are, we will continue to fall short of our greatest potential in the face of numerous obstacles.
Strong communication, coalition-building, budgeting, and legislative analysis skills are essential. But equally important are compassion, active listening, and a real connection to the community. This job is about policy, yes—but it’s also about people and trust.
The qualities that I possess that would make me a successful office holder includes being dedicated and ethical, having strong leadership and vision, good communication and engagement practices, integrity and accountability, exceptional knowledge of issues and skills to work with diverse stakeholders.
I believe the core responsibilities for someone elected are: 1) Addressing the needs of constituents (not special interests), 2) Working in good faith with other City Council members. 3) Lead with integrity, 4) Know the rules. 5) Know the players. 6) Know the issues. 7) Know the community. 8) Research, collaborate, be humble, respectful and responsive. 9) To help train our next generation of leaders.
A legacy of: 1) being kind, 2) going the extra mile to help those often disenfrancised, 3) being inclusive, 4) being bold, courageous, and transparent even if I am the only one standing up for what is right and humane.
When Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot, I was 10 years old in elementary school. I remember my mother saying "Shhhh! They just interrupted the TV program to report Dr. King, Jr. had been shot."
Baby sitting for one of my high school teachers the entire time I was in high school. And, then my first job with a company was working at the Burger King on Peachtree and Peachtree Battle while in high school and during summers while in undergraduate school.
The Bible. It tells us everything we need to know. We are give 12 commandments, Jesus recruited 12 people to help him, he helped a lot of people. He remained cool, was ethical and transparent. Jesus never begged anyone to help or follow him. He sacrificed himself and is an example for us all.
Danielle Sutton in the movie G20.
Glory by John Legend.
Going through cancer treatments four times. Once without medical insurance.
Yes. City Council has significant influence over land use and zoning decisions, which directly affect affordability, walkability, and even environmental sustainability. Many residents do not realize how impactful council votes are on whether developments include green space, affordable units, projects that are environmentally safe, or community input.
Experience can be helpful, but what matters most is having a deep understanding of community needs and the ability to organize people and policy around shared values. I have spent years in civic, nonprofit, and policy spaces—building relationships that make government work better for the people.
Strong communication, coalition-building, budgeting, working with diverse stakeholders, and legislative analysis skills are essential. But equally important are compassion, active listening, and a real connection to the community. This job is about policy, yes—but it’s also about people and trust.
Atlanta City Council serves as the bridge between residents and city operations. It controls spending, sets policy priorities, and shapes the future of our neighborhoods. It is where citywide decisions meet district-level impact, which makes it both powerful and deeply personal.
Transparency and accountability are the foundation of public trust. I believe in publishing clear, accessible updates on how funds are spent—especially when it comes to taxpayer dollars or federal relief funds. Residents should be able to follow the money and see results in their neighborhoods.
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.
2021
Sherry Williams did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate Atlanta City Council District 11 |
Personal |
Footnotes
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