Malika Sanders-Fortier
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malika Asha Sanders-Fortier (born 1973) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Alabama Senate from the 23rd district. She assumed office on November 7, 2018. She was a Democratic candidate in the 2022 Alabama gubernatorial election.[1]
1973 (age 52–53)
Malika Sanders-Fortier | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Alabama Senate from the 23rd district | |
| In office November 7, 2018 – November 9, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Sanders |
| Succeeded by | Robert Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Malika Asha Sanders 1973 (age 52–53) Selma, Alabama, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Henry Sanders (father) Faya Ora Rose Touré (mother) |
| Education | Spelman College (BA) Birmingham School of Law (JD) |
Early life and education
Sanders-Fortier was born in Selma, Alabama.[2] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Spelman College and a Juris Doctor from the Birmingham School of Law.[3]
Career
After graduating from college, Sanders-Fortier returned to Selma and worked as the executive director of 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement. She is a member of the Alabama State Bar and the Black Belt Lawyers Association.[4] Sanders-Fortier was elected to the Alabama Senate in November 2018, succeeding her father, Henry Sanders.[5][6][7] In January 2021, Sanders-Fortier introduced legislation to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge.[8][9][10]
In January 2022, Sanders-Fortier announced that she would not seek re-election, and that her father would attempt to reclaim his old seat in her place. That same month, Sanders-Fortier qualified as a Democratic candidate for governor instead. The two advanced to a runoff on June 21, 2022, with Yolanda Flowers winning the nomination.[11]
Electoral results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Yolanda Rochelle Flowers | 56,859 | 33.8% | |
| Democratic | Arthur Kennedy | 15,654 | 9.3% | |
| Democratic | Chad Martin | 9,360 | 5.6% | |
| Democratic | Patricia Jamieson Salter | 19,665 | 11.7% | |
| Democratic | Malika Sanders-Fortier | 54,636 | 32.5% | |
| Democratic | Doug Smith | 11,900 | 7.1% | |
| Total votes | 168,074 | 100.0% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Malika Sanders-Fortier | 30,193 | 65.53 | |
| Independent | Mark Story | 15,796 | 34.28 | |
| Write-in | 88 | 0.19 | ||