Sally Harrell

Sally Roetger Harrell (born March 5, 1966) is an American politician from the state of Georgia. She is a Democrat and served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1999 through 2005.

She holds the distinction of being the first member of the Georgia legislature to give birth while in office. She is also the first member of the Georgia legislature to breastfeed her child on the House floor.

While serving in the Georgia House of Representatives, she served on the Education, Human Relations & Aging, Children & Youth and Appropriations Committees (Health Sub-Committee). During her tenure she championed a wide range of women and children’s healthcare issues, advocated for access to mental health services, fought for mandatory school recess for children, helped pass a law protecting women who breastfeed in public and was an advocate for various non-profit organizations.

Harrell chose to not seek re-election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2004 due to redistricting issues. The maps passed by the Georgia legislature in 2001 were thrown out and redrawn by the Court, blind of incumbent's addresses. Her district changed so massively geographically that she decided not to seek re-election and to change her focus to her family and to raising her young children.

Harrell explored running in the 2017 special election to represent Georgia's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives but ultimately decided not to file for the seat.

Education and career

Prior to serving in the legislature, Harrell served as the Executive Director of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia.

Harrell was on born March 5, 1966 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia and a Bachelors from Georgia State University. Harrell lives in the Chamblee area with her husband Jay and their two children who attend Lakeside High School.