Shigley in State Senate Runoff

Jewish Democrat Debra Shigley is one step away from a seat in the Georgia Senate.

Shigley will face a Republican — likely Jason Dickerson — in a Sept. 23 runoff to fill an open seat in Georgia Senate District 21, which takes in a large portion of Cherokee County and a piece of northern Fulton County.

Sept. 23 also is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, which begins at sunset on Sept. 22 and concludes at sunset on Sept. 24.

Georgia election law requires that a runoff be four weeks after the primary, one of the major changes made by the Republican-controlled legislature after the 2020 election.

”I’m looking forward to celebrating Rosh Hashanah that morning and we’ll encourage folks to vote early the prior week,” Shigley said.

Early voting began Sept. 15 and runs through Sept. 19.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta issued a statement critical of the runoff scheduling: “The scheduling of the runoff election for State Senate District 21 on Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, is deeply concerning and highlights the insensitivity of this decision. Our Jewish community should never have to choose between religious observance and civic participation. We strongly urge election officials to ensure this oversight is never repeated.

“We call on state leaders to be more mindful of Georgia’s diverse faith communities when setting election calendars, and we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring all citizens can fully participate in the democratic process without compromising their religious practice,” the JCRC statement said.

Shigley, with 39.51 percent, topped the overall vote count in the Aug. 26 primary, beating six Republicans. Unofficial results showed Dickerson with 17.36 percent of the vote and Steve West 17.04 percent, with five others further back.

The runoff is required because no candidate received a majority of the votes cast.

The seat was vacated when Republican state Sen. Brandon Beach was appointed Treasurer of the United States by President Donald Trump.

Shigley was the leading vote getter in Cherokee County, with 26.85 percent, trailed by West with 24.08 percent. In Fulton County, Shigley held 62.12 percent, far ahead of Dickerson with 13.58 percent.

Voter turnout was estimated at 15 percent in Cherokee County and 13 percent in Fulton County.

“My team and I are more than ready to continue this historic momentum,” Shigley said. “I am very proud of the campaign we have run so far, and it is clear that our vision – for an affordable, healthy, educated Georgia where working families can thrive – is resonating with our neighbors. We are ready to push to the finish line and make sure that we can bring that vision to life under the Gold Dome.”

At present, Fulton County Democratic Rep. Esther Panitch is the only Jewish member of the General Assembly. A single Jewish legislator accounts for 0.04 percent of the General Assembly. An estimated 1.3 percent of the state’s population is Jewish.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted a disparity in how the Shigley and Dickerson campaigns were financed going into the primary. Dickerson, the president of Purple Chip Capital Management, had loaned his campaign $500,000 in personal funds and received one other campaign contribution of $100. Shigley had raised about $141,000, most of the money in small contributions.

Shigley, 46, received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her law degree from Georgia State University. She has worked as an employment attorney and was co-founder of a company called Colour, a technology-based hair care service for women of color. She and her husband, Kevin, are the parents of five children.

In 2024, Shigley won the Democratic primary in House District 47 but was defeated in the general election by 12-term Rep. Jan Jones, the second-ranking Republican in the House, who received 62 percent of the vote.

Beach represented Senate District 21 from 2013 until May, when he took office as the 46th Treasurer of the United States. Beach, a staunch supporter of Trump, backed efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. Beach won more than 70 percent of the vote in 2024 (outperforming Trump).

Republicans currently hold a trifecta under the Gold Dome, with majorities in the House and Senate and Gov. Brian Kemp as the state’s chief executive. Republicans hold 100 of the 180 seats in the House and 33 out of 56 seats in the Senate.

State representatives and senators are paid $17,342 plus per diem annually for their part-time jobs. State Senate districts average 191,000 residents and state House districts 59,500.