Nikki Merritt

Nikki Merritt was born in Austell, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia and earned a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University in 2012. Merritt's career experience includes working in telecommunications at AT&T. She has been affiliated with CWA 3204, the Community Action Network Initiative, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, and the Gwinnett County Senate Delegation.[1]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Senator Merritt, Gwinnett's 9th district senator, lives in Greyson with her husband and their two dogs. She has two college-aged children who make her proud every day, and she was inspired to run for the state senate on their behalf after Donald Trump's election to ensure their brightest future. Senator Merritt has been a proud union member for over 20 years with the CWA and an alumnus of Georgia State University and the University of Georgia.

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?

Healthcare- 1.5 million Georgians lack health insurance, putting Georgia behind most states. Inadequate access to health care puts all of our public health at risk. We must expand Medicaid and provide all Georgians access to quality, affordable healthcare. Healthcare includes reproductive. Senator Merritt has led the fight to protect women's right to choose and to ensure adequate funding is available for healthy women and babies, which is extra essential because Georgia is experiencing a maternal healthcare crisis; we rank last in the nation for maternal mortality at more than 2.5x the national average. The situation is even more critical for African American women, who are dying at twice the rate of white women in the state.Equitable Growth- Georgia ranks 40th in the nation for households below the poverty line, 44th for the disparity between the highest and lowest income individuals, and 32nd for food insecurity. The impact on our children is stark. Approximately 1 in 5 children in Georgia live in poverty, 1 in 4 have parents who lack secure employment, and nearly 1 in 3 live in households where the cost of housing exceeds 30% of monthly income. Working families should enjoy fair tax policies, but the wealthiest pay less. The most vulnerable are shouldering the burden of cuts to services like child welfare, senior services, and mental health care. Nikki will fight to preserve the essential services lifelines for working families.Voring- Having family members who have historically faced disenfranchisement from voting, Nikki understands attacks on voting place a significant burden, particularly on black voters, our elderly, students, and those with disabilities. Voters deserve to be confident that their votes will be counted accurately and fairly. That’s why Nikki stands committed to strengthening voter protections, rejecting suppressive policies, and working to make voting more accessible for everyone choosing to exercise this most sacred constitutional right. During the 2021 legislative session, Senator Merritt passed bill SB 253, which provides guidelines for poll change locations, which is just one step toward making voter participation more straightforward.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Healthcare affordability—Coming from an insulin-dependent family, Senator Merritt understands how devastating and dangerous it is to be forced to ration medications. That's why she is working on SB 76, a stepping stone towards affordable insulin for all that caps monthly insulin costs at $35 for all state employees.

Worker Protection—As a union member for over twenty years, Senator Merritt believes in the power of collective bargaining to create workplaces that support workers through stable employment, fair wages, benefits, and job security. She knows that when workers succeed, businesses thrive, and she is fighting for workers' rights in the state senate to keep Georgia the best state in the Union to do business.

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

“The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together,” by Heather McGee

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

When the 1996 Olympics came to Atlanta, I was a 20-something attending UGA. I remember when Georgia won the bid, its excitement, and all the economic development it brought to the state. Everyone was united in excitement for Georgia.

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

Housing, both the lack of supply and affordability, especially for young people close to her daughters’ age. Mental health support is also necessary, especially for our younger generation and healthcare in general. Access to healthcare, including cognitive and reproductive, is vital to protect Georgians.

Nikki Merritt did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Nikki Merritt did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2020 Candidate Connection survey.