Mary Frances Williams

Mary Frances Williams was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from Marietta High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Earlham College in 1976 and a master's degree from the University of Georgia in 1981. Her career experience includes working as a public policy consultant and a director of advocacy. She has served as a board member of Women's Policy Group. As of 2024, Williams was affiliated with Leadership Cobb and Leadership Georgia.[1][2][3]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Before running for office in 2018, I was a nonprofit lobbyist for over 30 years. My work was focused on healthcare, particularly for women and children, infant and maternal mortality, education, school nutrition and policies that support working families. Since my election, I have continued my work on behalf of Georgians that often have no voice at the State Capitol.

I was elected to my fourth term in 2024 and am seeking re-election in 2026.

I currently serve on four House committees: Natural Resources and Environment, Governmental Affairs, Retirement and Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications. I work on environmental issues like the issue of coal ash from a former coal plant on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Cobb and keeping mining out of the Okefenokee Swamp. I have helped increase retirement benefits for school lunch workers and bus drivers and have worked on successful efforts to increase retirement benefits for firemen, law enforcement and first responders. As a member of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, I have opposed voter suppression.

I have a Masters of Social Work from the University of Georgia and have two sons, Nick and Ben, and three grandchildren, twins Maddie and Cooper (10) and Phoebe (1).

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?

With 40 years of advocacy for children and families, I am a proven leader who knows how to build consensus and deliver results.I have deep roots in my community. I attended Marietta City Schools and graduated from Marietta High School. I understand our district's unique strengths and challenges.When elected in 2018, I brought my years of experience as an advocate and my knowledge of the legislative process with me to the Capitol. I also had developed relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle. As a nonprofit lobbyist, I did a great deal of work on the state budget and was successful in getting millions of dollars into the state budget for a number of important programs and services. My background and experience has helped me to be a better legislator, and has allowed me to continue to be a voice for the many people in my district who would otherwise have little or no voice at the Capitol.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education and the protection of funding for public education , protection and restoration of women's reproductive rights, protection of our environment, so that all Georgians have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, protection of voting rights.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Georgia WINList, Georgia AFL-CIO

Other endorsements pending- will update.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifelong resident of Marietta, attended Marietta City Schools and graduated from Marietta High School. I am running for re-election to my 4th term as Representative for House District 37. Prior to my election in 2018, I spent 34 years as a public policy advocate for nonprofits serving women, children and families. As an advocate, I helped restore millions of dollars to state school nutrition programs and successfully fought for passage of the Family Care Act, which allows Georgians to use sick leave to care for ailing family members. I ran for office because I learned first hand from my work that there are many Georgians who have no voice at our state Capitol, even though the decisions made by members of the Georgia State Legislature affect and impact almost every part of our daily lives. I wanted to help give a voice to those people.

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?

Georgia thrives when we create opportunities for all to succeed. Small businesses and working families are the backbone of our economy. I support a living wage, equal pay for women and fostering a climate the creates job opportunities for all residents. Many Georgians are struggling with the exorbitant cost of child care, and the rising cost of groceries and utilities. We can do more to support families and seniors, such as increasing funding for childcare programs for working parents, exploring tax credits that benefit middle income families, and creating a consumer utility council that will represent the rights and interests of consumers when utility rate increases are being considered by the Georgia Public Service Commission.Our public schools are fundamentally connected to opportunities for our young people and to creating a well-trained workforce for businesses. While Cobb County and Marietta schools are among the state's best, they are still asked to do more with less. While it is technically correct that Georgia has fully funded the QBE (Quality Basic Education) formula, there are many components of public education funding that are not included in the QBE formula. Just a few of those are School Nutrition, Transportation and School Nurses. I support increased school funding, better teacher pay and flexibility in testing.The right to vote is a fundamental pillar in the formation of our government. Protecting the integrity of the entire electoral process, including safe and fair voting access without suppression, competent election management and the integrity of voting results will restore our faith in government and give all Georgians a voice in their own governance. As a member of the Government Affairs Committee, I fought against legislation that made absentee ballot voting more difficult and the restricted the number and availability of ballot boxes. Recent actions by the State Elections Board threaten the autonomy of county election boards and the integrity of the process of certifying election results. I oppose and am helping fight these actions.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education, Environmental Issues, Reproductive freedom for women, and Gun Safety.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (film)

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

Integrity

Honesty

A Commitment to serving the people rather than special interests

Willingness to reach out to and listen to constituents

Responsiveness to requests for assistance from constituents

Humility.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Educating oneself about the issues and legislation under consideration by committees that have been assigned and how it might affect constituents.

Being responsive to constituents.

Learning about and understanding the needs of the local community.

Being willing to speak up for the people of your district, even when facing powerful special interests or partisan politics.

Understanding the state budget process.

Fighting for the state resources needed within your community.

Being willing to reach across political party lines to build consensus and solve problems.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at 14, wrapping Christmas presents in the family-owned drugstore, Atherton's.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I'm not sure there is an ideal relationship because there are often competing interests between the Governor and the State Legislature. I do feel that the leadership of the House and Senate should act independently from the Office of the Governor as the Legislature and the Governor are different and separate branches of government. Strong leadership is needed for each branch.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Funding for health care, protection of the environment, building a strong workforce.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think it can be beneficial but is not necessary. Fresh perspectives and special expertise can be very helpful when dealing with difficult issues.

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

It is not only beneficial but necessary to build relationships with other legislators. Relationships can build trust, which is a necessary component when working on difficult issues. I was lucky to have strong relationships in place with legislators from both parties due to my 34 years as a nonprofit advocate and lobbyist when I when I first was elected in 2018.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

My father, Howard Atherton, who served as a State Representative from 1968-1974.

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

I don't think so.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I hear many such stories. Lately I hear from many young parents that are struggling to pay for childcare, saying that it costs almost as much as their mortgage.

The story that has most stuck with me, though, is that of a parent of a then four-year-old in preschool. The child came home that day and told her mother that they had practiced how to be quiet if someone came into their school and they were hiding (training for active shooter incidents). They all huddled in a closet and struggled to be quiet and not cry. To keep very young children quiet, the mother learned, the teachers had suckers to give them. Something about those four year olds hiding in a closet trying to learn to be quiet, and the need to keep them quiet in a life-threatening situation, brought me to tears. It still does today.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

I'm not sure. Emergency powers, as we have learned from recent weather catastrophes, need to be used quickly. I do think in some hands, however,

emergency powers could be used in the wrong way. Some oversight by the legislature is probably a good idea.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I would love to help work for passage of a bill creating a consumer utility council. It is my understanding that Georgia is one of only three states without one.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Georgia Conservation Voters, Everytown for Gun Safety, Georgia WIN List, Red Clay Democrats, Georgia Association of Educators, AFL-CIO.

What committees interest you?

I currently serve on Governmental Affairs, Natural Resources and the Environment, Retirement and State Properties.

I am interested in serving on additional committees, including Energy and Utilities and Appropriations.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe financial transparency and government accountability are absolutely necessary for a healthy government. After all, it is the people's money that funds our government and their votes that put us in office.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

I can see both sides of this issue. If such a process is ever seriously considered by the Georgia legislature, I will have to give it further study and thought.

Mary Frances Williams did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Mary Frances Williams did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.