Where I Stand 

As a progressive Atlanta City Councilmember (2010-2017), I have shared your inclusive priorities and fought for our neighborhoods. As your State Legislator, I will take those battles from City Hall to the State Capitol. 
Click the links below to jump to a specific issue, or scroll to learn about all of them.

Fair and Secure Elections

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Increase voter access: vote by mail, early voting, Saturday/Sunday voting, expanded number of polling locations. 
  • Eliminate the exact-match policy which disproportionately impacts voters of color. 
  • Allow same-day voter registration. 
  • Allow voters to cast their ballot anywhere in their county on Election Day. 
  • Update and create a more user-friendly way for voters to request and track their absentee ballots. 
  • Streamline the process for overseas & military voting.
  • Broaden language access so all voters have access to ballots or interpreters in their language. 
  • Make Election Day a holiday for state employees.
  • End gerrymandering in Georgia by changing the redistricting process to create an independent commission tasked with drawing Georgia legislative and Congressional maps. 

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  • I was inexplicably and improperly “purged” from the voter roll in June 2018 and forced to vote using a provisional ballot at his own voting precinct of 25+ years and after having served as an elected official for the previous 8 years.
  • I served on the boards of numerous Asian American and LGBTQ organizations that have led voter registration and turnout initiatives.

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Housing Affordability and Aging in Place

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Provide a graduated schedule of homestead exemptions to protect residents who have been in their homes for 7 or more years, for seniors, and for low-income homeowners.
  • Expand state funding for initiatives similar to those covered by the City of Atlanta’s Housing Opportunity Bond Protect and expand state low-income housing tax credits for preservation of affordable housing inventory building.
  • Protect and expand state low-income housing tax credits for preservation of affordable housing inventory building.
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  • Co-sponsored City of Atlanta’s Housing Opportunity Bond, which secured millions of dollars to enable Atlantans to stay in their homes.
    • Money to purchase land dedicated for affordable housing.
    • Money for senior and low-income residents for home repair.
    • First time homebuyer assistance.
  • Prioritized funding for housing for vulnerable LGBTQ youth.
  • Served on the Urban Residential Finance Authority Board of Directors (2006-2009, which provided public financing for affordable housing development.
  • Sponsored numerous pieces of legislation directing millions of dollars for permanent and supportive housing for people with HIV/AIDS.
  • Worked at Jerusalem House, Atlanta’s largest HIV housing provider.

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​Women’s Reproductive Rights

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Repeal Georgia’s six-week abortion ban that tramples the right of women to make their own reproductive decisions.
  • Expand Medicaid coverage of postnatal health care from 2 months to 12 months. 
  • Oppose efforts that target Planned Parenthood health centers for funding cuts. 
  • Work to ensure continued access to Planned Parenthood health centers as essential health care providers. 
  • Oppose state funding to “crisis pregnancy centers” that provide incomplete and misleading information and services. 
  • Ensure that comprehensive, accurate and age-appropriate sex education is available to students in our public schools.
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  • Implemented new family leave policy as Executive Director of Horizons Atlanta to include maternity leave.

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​Accessible and Affordable Healthcare

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Expand Medicaid to increase access to safe and affordable healthcare.
  • Advocate for the state to provide a public option on healthcare exchanges.
  • Follow scientific advice on responding to the coronavirus Ensure increased preparedness for future pandemics.
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  • Implemented new family leave policy as Executive Director of Horizons Atlanta to include maternity leave.

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​Seniors

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Increase state funding to help people thrive and live more independently. 
  • Increase case managers. 
  • Provide a graduated schedule of homestead exemptions to enable seniors to age in place.
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  • Co-sponsored Housing Opportunity Bond, which secured millions of dollars to enable Atlantans to stay in their homes.
  • Secured Georgia state low-income housing tax credits for a $100 million renovation project for 201-units of affordable senior housing development in Virginia-Highland.
  • Approved $13 million in Atlanta Regional Commission funds to provide services throughout metro Atlanta for older people, individuals with disabilities, and their caregivers for transportation, meals, and senior recreation.

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Education

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Rework the QBE funding formula so that it funds public schools adequately and equitably. 
  • Limit tax deductibility of programs allowing donations to private schools. 
  • Limit charter school expansion. 
  • Fight state takeover of our community schools Incorporate universal pre-K in public schools. 
  • Restore funding to the HOPE scholarship and the dual enrollment program.
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  • Currently serves as Executive Director of Horizons Atlanta, a nonprofit  providing tuition-free summer enrichment programs for 1,100+ public school students.
  • Co-sponsored legislation that released millions of City of Atlanta tax allocation dollars due to the Atlanta Public Schools.
  • Facilitated Safe Routes to School initiatives and other pedestrian safety improvements at City of Atlanta elementary and middle schools.
  • Completed the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s (GPEE) Education Policy Fellowship Program 2019.
  • Member of Learn4Life and Westside Education Collaborative working groups.
  • Worked at Emory University (higher education).
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Transportation

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Expand funding for both local and regional transit.
  • Initiate state support of MARTA.
  • Advocate for MARTA to improve its public transportation infrastructure in Southeast and Southwest Atlanta.
  • Continue my work as a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Board to increase state funding to implement the ARC Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). 
  • Resist partisan efforts to take over Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
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  • Co-sponsored City of Atlanta legislation authorizing the MARTA partial penny sales tax referendum, the passage of which resulted in billions of new dollars for public transportation dollars, including for transit.
  • Sponsored and passed legislation creating the City of Atlanta Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission.
  • Participated in the Atlanta Regional Commission Board’s 2020 adoption of a $173 billion region-wide transportation plan.

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​Civil Rights/Equality/LGBTQ

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Enact a comprehensive civil rights (non-discrimination) law in Georgia.
  • Enact a comprehensive hate crimes law.
  • Oppose any and all legislation that promotes bigotry (e.g. RFRA, adoption, transgender youth)
  • Ban so-called “conversion” therapy.

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  • Member of City of Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board.
  • Sponsored and passed multiple pieces of legislation strengthening the City of Atlanta’s nondiscrimination ordinances, particularly around gender identity inclusion.
  • Sponsored and passed legislation to prioritize money in Housing Opportunity Bond for housing for vulnerable LGBTQ youth.
  • Revived the previously defunct Human Relations Commission which hears discrimination cases brought before the City of Atlanta.
  • Sponsored/co-sponsored and passed Atlanta City Council resolutions supporting marriage equality and opposing religious freedom laws introduced in the Georgia legislature.
  • Co-founded For the Kid in All of Us, an LGBTQ nonprofit which provides toys and school supplies for Georgia’s children in need.

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​Gun Safety

  • Repeal campus carry and oppose efforts that allow guns in schools.
  • Support universal background checks in Georgia.

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Environment/Sustainability

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Expand recycling efforts like the City of Atlanta’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) statewide.
  • Provide tax incentives for activities such as bee keeping and pollinator gardens that support an essential pollinator population throughout the state.
  • Ensure environmental remediation fees collected (e.g., tire recycling fees) are appropriated back fully to remediation activities.
  • Increase penalties for illegal dumping and pollution and support local municipalities in their enforcement efforts.

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  • Co-sponsored and passed legislation creating the City of Atlanta’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM), which diverts recyclable items not accepted by the City’s Public Works Department.
  • Member of Live Thrive Atlanta Board of Directors.
  • Member of the Piedmont Park Conservancy Board of Directors.
  • Former member of Olmsted Linear Park Association Board of Directors.​

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​Jobs and the Economy 

  • Position
  • Accomplishments
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  • Expand support (loans, technical assistance) for women- and minority-owned small businesses.
  • Mandate partnership with workforce development programs as part of any tax incentives.
  • Expand state funding for vocational and technical colleges.
  • Ensure women- and minority-owned business participation goals in state contracting are achieved.
  • Ensure that union membership status doesn’t affect the ability of union members to return to their jobs once we begin the slow return to recovery.

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  • Served on the Invest Atlanta Board of Directors (2006-2009), the city’s redevelopment agency charged with increasing economic prosperity for all Atlantans.
  • Served on the Atlanta City Council Finance Committee that approved the city’s move to a $15/hour minimum wage for city employees.
  • Executive Director of Horizons Atlanta, a nonprofit whose mission is closing the opportunity gap for underserved communities through education.

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Share Your Ideas

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​Be heard on June 9."

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What does the Georgia House of Representatives do?

The Georgia House of Representatives, along with the Georgia Senate, makes up one of the largest state legislatures in the nation, the Georgia General Assembly. The State Constitution imbues the legislature with the power to make laws, set the state budget and perform other functions. The House and the Senate have similar duties, but both also have unique duties; for instance, appropriations bills (potential laws) must originate in the House. Georgia's legislature meets from January through March at the State Capitol in Atlanta. Alex Wan is a candidate for Georgia House District 57 in the Democratic Primary Election originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2020, but delayed until June 9 due to COVID-19.

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