Candidate Profile: Tamara Oyinloye, Douglas County Solicitor General

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — Two Democrats, one of them an incumbent, are running for the position of Douglas County Solicitor General in the May 24 General Primary Election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary draws near.

Tamara Oyinloye is running for Douglas County Solicitor General.

Name: Tamara Oyinloye

Campaign website: Oyinloye for Solicitor

City of residence: Douglasville

Office sought: Douglas County Solicitor General

Party affiliation: Democrat

Education: 1997 Indiana University Bachelor of Music Education

Occupation: Attorney

Family: Mother of three daughters, ages 23, 21 and 13

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Previous public office, appointive or elective: No

Age: 47

Why are you seeking this office? After working in the solicitor's office for a year and a half, it is apparent to me that several changes are needed. I will start on day one to incorporate a standard operating procedure for handling cases and to address the backlog of cases pending. I will also begin a community outreach program to educate citizens on the consequences of a DUI and to discourage people from driving after they have been drinking. Lastly, I will ensure that resources are being utilized in the most efficient way possible.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it. Douglas County has far too many DUIs for a county this size, hence my commitment to the community outreach program.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I am committed to the success of the DUI court treatment program, to reduce the rate of repeat offenders. I worked with the DUI court during my employment with the solicitor’s office. I also know how to write accusations, which are the formal charging documents used to initiate a criminal case. I worked on the traffic team, and I was the only Spanish-speaking attorney in our office.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? Solicitor Compton took this position as the lead prosecutor for Douglas County without ever having been a prosecutor before. She was unable to help the attorneys write accusations because she did not know how to do so. She was so often absent from our office that I eventually stopped looking for her in her office. There is no formal training program for new attorneys that are hired, and she is not able to stand in for her attorneys when one of them is unable to attend court due to illness or other circumstances.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? I will help the Solicitor General’s office regain the respect of the judges, other departments in the courthouse, and the community at large by treating people with the respect they deserve.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? My work in the solicitor’s office has prepared me for the challenges I will face in this position. I was saddened by Compton’s decision to terminate me on the day I qualified to be on the Democratic ballot against her.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Tough times never last, but tough people always do.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I have grown to love the people of Douglas County and that is why I decided to buy my home here and settle here. I am also concerned that DUI defendants are not discouraged to repeat their behavior because the current solicitor only requires minimal sentencing for them. I will work diligently over the course of my first term to reduce the number of DUI cases in this county.