After the retirement of Democratic Georgia House member Shelly Hutchinson, Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order Monday announcing there will be a special election on Nov. 4 of this year to fill the seat.
Hutchinson announced her retirement in a Facebook post in July after serving the 107th state house district for four years and the 106th district after redistricting from 2023 until present day.
The district represents portions of west and southwest Lawrenceville, north Snellville, and goes over to just east of Lilburn.
Her retirement was made effective on Aug. 4. Hutchinson cited a serious health crisis in her family as the cause.
“Serving as the State Representative for Georgia House District 106 has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Snellville may not be known for its singles scene, but it is overflowing with families — and I’ve had the privilege of raising my own, here in Gwinnett County. Representing the voices and values of this community has been a profound joy,” Hutchinson’s post read.
She said she will remain rooted in the community and fight for “equity, justice, and opportunity” at a time “when those protections are increasingly under threat.”
Shortly after her announcement, Hutchinson announced her endorsement for Akbar Ali, a young small business owner in Gwinnett County.
“I realized real change doesn’t come from celebrity alone—it comes from young people seeing themselves in leadership,” Hutchinson said in her endorsement. “This isn’t just about young voters—it’s about all of us. Akbar respects the work that’s come before him, and he’s ready to build on it.”
Ali’s campaign site lists raising the minimum wage, reducing red tape for small businesses, defending the rights and freedoms of every Georgian, mental health, improving healthcare access, and supporting unions as some of his key issues.
Hutchinson also addressed a rumor on Sunday that she’ll be controlling Ali from the sidelines.
“Let’s be real. I’m retired. I’ll be in Louisiana with family, eating gumbo and living life, not pulling puppet strings from 600 miles away,” Hutchinson said in a post. “Also if you know anything about Georgia politics, you know Democrats aren’t allowed to control anything at the Capitol anyway. So what would I be ‘controlling’? The thermostat?”
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/9/1301458/special-election-for-house-seat-in-gwinnett-co-set-after-retirement-of-state-rep-hutchinson