Al Bartell Biography

"Al" Elbert Arthur Bartell was born on January 12, 1956, in Hagerstown, Maryland. He grew up on the farmland of Pamplico, South Carolina, a small town with a population of fewer than 2,000 people.

Completing high school during the first desegregated classes of the 1970s, Al was accepted into the United States Air Force, where he served in air base ground defense and conflict resolution situations overseas during the Vietnam era. After eight years of honorable military service, Al pursued a bachelor’s degree in business administration management from Saint Leo University in Florida, founded in 1889. Additionally, he engaged in post-graduate research focused on public policy management at Clark Atlanta University.

Renowned for his mediation expertise in public policy leadership, Al has obtained mediation certification through five distinguished international and national programs. 

Throughout his life, Al has passionately pursued a career in public service. In the mid to late 80s, he became instrumental in violence prevention efforts in Washington, D.C. During this time, Al worked with young black males to reduce instances of violence in the city’s inner communities. In the 90s, he further solidified his experience in community-based, capacity-building initiatives, forming a network of relationships that continue to support his public service efforts.

Since the turn of the century, Al has focused on significant planning initiatives throughout Georgia, particularly in transportation and the federal mandate for public engagement. He advocates for leadership in the Southeast, emphasizing that community engagement resources should be prioritized alongside administrative and technical resources in long-range planning endeavors, specifically through state regional commissions and metropolitan planning organizations.

As a public policy leader, Al's nonpartisan approach emphasizes leadership and performance management. 

Al first ventured into politics in the mid-80s, impacting city council races in the Southeast region. He ran for higher office in the early 90s, seeking positions as Georgia State Senator, Public Service Commissioner, and Lieutenant Governor.

Observing that divisive rhetoric from the two major parties hindered progress on essential issues for citizens, Al chose to become an Independent candidate in the movement across the Southeast. As an Independent, he has run for public office as U.S. Senator, Governor, and Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, as well as for Atlanta City Council President and Mayor of Atlanta, with his most recent campaign in 2017.

On March 3, 2020, Al qualified to be a candidate in Georgia's 2020 U.S. Senate Special Election to fill Sen. Johnny Isakson’s seat, embracing the challenge of fostering a consensus-building, bipartisan approach to public policy for the people of Georgia.

On August 28, 2021, Al accepted the challenge to run for Governor in 2022, aiming to ensure that communities throughout Georgia are not neglected. The Bartell for Governor Committee was established on September 9, 2021, and the campaign concluded nearly a year later, following notification from the Georgia Secretary of State.

On April 8, 2024, Al publicly announced his response to the Independent Movement happening across America, highlighting the fact that 60% of Americans do not wish to have Biden or Trump as their only presidential choices in the November 2024 elections. One month later, on May 9, 2024, Al introduced the Independent Movement of America Network (IMOVE Network) to amplify American voices and ensure their votes are counted in the upcoming elections. He subsequently registered as an Independent presidential candidate to represent the people's voices regarding the American Presidency on November 5, 2024.

Currently, Al is running as an Independent for the Georgia U.S. Senate in the November 2026 general election. He has opted to run as a qualified write-in candidate, as this approach is the most feasible and accessible option for Georgia voters seeking an alternative to major party candidates. Al contends that the U.S. Senate has reached an unprecedented level of political brutality and vengeance. As a Vietnam War Air Force veteran, he is trained in conflict management and believes he can bring this critical leadership to public policy as an Independent U.S. Senator, benefiting Georgians and Americans alike.

Al remains steadfast in his decades-long commitment that neighborhood, community, faith, and small business leaders deserve equal access to the public policy process as lobbyists, special interest groups, and corporations.