Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett announced her campaign for Georgia secretary of state Jan. 8, citing the office’s critical role in the 2028 presidential election and increased attempts at interference.
Barrett, a Democrat, represents District 3 on the Fulton County Commission, which includes all of Buckhead and parts of Sandy Springs and midtown Atlanta.
The Georgia Secretary of State manages elections, documents corporate filings, handles professional licenses, and regulates the state’s securities market.
Barrett, a former tech executive, small business owner, and podcast host, was elected in November 2022, defeating longtime Republican incumbent Lee Morris. In 2020, she was the Democratic nominee for Georgia’s 11th congressional seat, losing to U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville).
Changing course
Before the most recent announcement, Barrett had announced her campaign to unseat Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts this November. She said she was initially caught off guard, but later made the decision after seeing a path to victory.
“I was ten toes down running for Fulton County chair,” Barrett said. “Because of the work I have been doing to keep election deniers off our board … I got into the mix as a potential secretary of state candidate. I think the work I’ve been doing in Fulton County really needs to be done for all 159 counties statewide.”
In her campaign announcement, Barrett cited her vote last year to block the appointment of Republican Party nominees to the county elections board. That is pending a ruling from the state Court of Appeals after a Senior Superior Court Judge David Emerson held the county commission in civil contempt.
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“I was willing to go to jail to protect Fulton County elections from MAGA interference,” Barrett said in her announcement. “Those efforts are ramping up across Georgia, and we need a Secretary of State that will fight back.”
Barrett also promoted her attempts to lower healthcare costs for families and fix the overcrowding crisis at the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street during her time as a commissioner.
With Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger campaigning for governor, the race is wide open with several candidates from both parties competing for a nomination.
The rest of the field
Gabriel Sterling, a Sandy Springs resident, former council member, and Raffensperger’s chief operating officer, announced his campaign in September. Other Republicans vying for the office include Vernon Jones, Tim Fleming, and Kelvin King.
Barrett joins a field of Democrats that includes Adrian Consonery Jr. and Penny Brown Reynolds.
“As Georgia’s next secretary of state, I will stop at nothing to secure our elections, invest in Georgia’s hardworking small business owners, and crack down on fraud and abuse,” Barrett said.
