Candidate for 9th House District

Name: Sharon L. Ravert

Age: 55
How long have you lived in the district: 25 years
Occupation: Small business owner of Animals at Home Pet Spa Resort
Education: Studied Psychology at University of Georgia
Political Experience: Citizen advocate for 10 years at the State Capitol. Testified in front of numerous committees for and against proposed legislation. Worked with elected officials at the local, state and federal level. I understand the inner workings of our government. I have and will continue to work with people of all political persuasions to represent everyone.
Career experience: I worked as a legal assistant in my early career. After moving to Lumpkin County, I worked for the school system as a paraprofessional and as a substitute teacher. Worked for Wachovia. Currently, I am a small business owner. I founded the non-profit, Peachtree NORML, a criminal justice reform organization. I work for Moms United and sit on the Georgia Attorney General's Opioid Task Force.
Community involvement: I was an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, a coach at Parks and  Rec, delivered for Meals on Wheels and currently provide court support in regional courthouses.
Why are you running for the 9th House District seat? I have a deep belief that government is meant to work for the people, which is not a top priority of most politicians who are actually lawmakers. I trust my neighbors to be good citizens, we have enough laws. Through transparency and an open-door policy, I hope to once again make the government work for the people.
What makes you the best candidate for this position? I am a good listener. I will represent those living in my district. I will not put forth an agenda that is bought and paid for by corporations and professional politicians.
What is your promise to Dawson County constituents? I will not know everything about every issue. I will look for guidance from my community. For each bill, I will look to our Constitution, consider how the change will affect us and vote accordingly.
What are the top three issues you believe the state is currently facing, and what are your views on addressing each? Georgia has an over regulation problem. I will work to give freedom, liberty and privacy rights back to our neighbors. I will focus on solving problems, not making more laws.

Broadband expansion into rural areas is imperative. The quarantine has highlighted this issue with parents and students working online. If we are to grow our economy, we must have high speed access.

Criminal Justice reform. Public safety is priority number one. It is time to refocus our resources on violent criminals. We must find alternatives to putting non-violent offenders of victim-less crimes into the system and stop wasting taxpayer’s money.