Muhammad Akbar Ali Becomes Youngest Georgia State Legislator
Muhammad Akbar Ali, 21, has won a runoff election to represent a district around Snellville, an Atlanta suburb, in the Georgia House of Representatives. This victory makes him the youngest current Georgia state legislator and possibly the youngest ever. Ali emphasizes his victory is based on his experience and ability to collaborate across party lines within a Republican-led legislature. He highlights his prior exposure to legislative processes and relationships with lawmakers on both sides as key to his approach.
Ali's political activism began in Gwinnett County following mosque zoning barriers in Lilburn. He led pro-choice marches and held leadership roles with the Young Democrats of Gwinnett County and the Gwinnett County Democratic Party. The district he now represents is approximately 70% non-white, including Black, Latino, and Asian residents, with a notable presence of diverse immigrant-owned businesses along Lawrenceville Highway. His campaign actively engaged immigrant small businesses by utilizing translators in Spanish and Korean to communicate with non-English speaking constituents.
Before his election, Ali served as a legislative aide to state Senator Kim Jackson, was a member of the Gwinnett County transit advisory board, and received support from various groups, including the Atlanta chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and former Governor Roy Barnes. His policy priorities include expanding Medicaid, restricting investor-owned housing, addressing property taxes, improving school safety, and tackling high insurance costs for small businesses. He frames these priorities as concrete affordability concerns affecting his constituents.
Ali also notes a decline in younger voter participation, which he attributes to partisan bickering, and asserts that he is the first of many young lawmakers to emerge in Georgia politics.
