Simone Bell

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name =Simone Bell

| honorific-suffix =

| image =

| state_house =Georgia

| district =58th

| term_start =December 22, 2009

| term_end = November 13, 2015

| preceded = Robbin Shipp

| succeeded = Park Cannon

| birth_date =Detroit, Michigan

| birth_place =

| residence =Atlanta, Georgia

| party =Democrat

| partner =Valerie Acree

| website =

}}

Simone Bell is a community organizer and former politician from Atlanta, Georgia. A Democrat, she was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in December 2009 from the state's 58th district in DeKalb and Fulton counties, and served until November 2015.

The district lies in eastern Atlanta and includes the following neighborhoods: East Atlanta, Cabbagetown, Reynoldstown, Edgewood, Gresham Park, Grant Park, Kirkwood, Ormewood Park and Boulevard Heights.

The seat had been held by Rep. Robbin Shipp (D–Atlanta) from 2007 to 2009 but Shipp resigned in 2009 due to conflicts with her job as a Fulton County prosecutor, triggering a special election.{{cite news|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|title=Robbin Shipp resigns DeKalb House seat|date=April 21, 2009|access-date=December 2, 2009|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/04/21/robbin-shipp-resigns-dekalb-house-seat/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429172644/http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/04/21/robbin-shipp-resigns-dekalb-house-seat/|archive-date=April 29, 2009}} In the election held on November 3, 2009, Bell won 24% of the vote in a five-candidate field, placing second behind attorney and fellow Democrat Asha Jackson.{{Cite web |url=http://sos.georgia.gov/ELECTIONS/election_results/2009_1103/143.htm |title=Georgia Secretary of State: general election results, 2009 |access-date=2009-12-02 |archive-date=2012-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130073359/http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2009_1103/143.htm |url-status=dead }} In the runoff, Bell defeated Jackson by 56% to 44%.{{Cite web |url=http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2009_1201/143.htm |title=Georgia Secretary of State: runoff election results, 2009 |access-date=2009-12-02 |archive-date=2012-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304121129/http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2009_1201/143.htm |url-status=dead }} She was sworn into office by Chief Justice Carol Hunstein of the Georgia Supreme Court on December 22, 2009.{{cite news|work=Project Q Atlanta|title=Simone Bell takes office, cements historic role |date=December 23, 2009|access-date=January 6, 2009|url=http://www.projectqatlanta.com/news_articles/view/simone_bell_takes_office_cements_historic_role?gid=4598}} She ran unopposed for re-election in 2010; defeated primary opponent Ralph Long in 2012 and 2014. On October 29, 2015, Bell announced her resignation from office to join Lambda Legal as Southern Regional Director; her resignation took effect November 13, 2015. She was succeeded by Park Cannon.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Bell came to Georgia to attend Agnes Scott College in Decatur. She works in the Southern regional office of Lambda Legal, a national non-profit legal group that focuses on LGBT and HIV issues.{{cite news|work=Southern Voice |title=LGBT activist Simone Bell runs for Ga. House (cached) |date=August 21, 2009 |access-date=December 6, 2009 |url=http://www.sovo.com/2009/8-21/news/localnews/10495.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826104949/http://www.sovo.com/2009/8-21/news/localnews/10495.cfm |archive-date=August 26, 2009 }}

Openly gay, Bell is the first African-American lesbian to serve in a U.S. state legislature.{{cite news|url=http://www.thegavoice.com/index.php/news/georgia-news/47-georgia-lesbian-lawmaker-brings-power-to-the-people-from-within-the-gold-dome|work=The Georgia Voice|date=March 17, 2010|title=Georgia lesbian lawmaker brings power to the people from within the Gold Dome|first=Dyana|last=Bagby|access-date=October 5, 2011}} Her partner is Valerie Acree.