As Election Day nears, local candidates are making their final push in what has been a monthslong campaign season.
Data from the Georgia secretary of state’s office showed 13.4% voter turnout for all active registered voters and 12% turnout for Black voters during the early voting period, which ended Oct 31.
This year, Capital B is watching contests that will have a big impact on the local and statewide political landscape and your wallet.
One race not expected to be very exciting is Atlanta’s mayoral contest. Despite facing three challengers — Helmut “Love” Domagalski, Kalema Jackson, and Eddie Meredith — incumbent Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is expected to secure an easy victory. No mayoral candidate has unseated the incumbent since Maynard Jackson was elected Atlanta’s first Black mayor in 1973.
But there is some controversy brewing over polling times. The city of Atlanta announced today that it was filing a lawsuit against Fulton and Dekalb counties challenging the closing time of polling stations. Polls are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 4, despite the city code stating polls are to stay open until 8 p.m. A hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Here are six key races to keep an eye on as you head into the voting booth.
South Fulton mayor
In South Fulton, there are nine candidates vying to be the next mayor of America’s Blackest major city.
The race is one to watch as the incumbent, Mayor khalid “Kobi” kamau, changed his mind about not seeking reelection in September after being mired in scandal. Mayor kamau told Capital B Atlanta he prefers using all lowercase letters when spelling his first and last names.
The eight challengers competing to unseat kamau are economist Joseph Adeyemi, former South Fulton City Council member Mark Baker, federal systems engineer Kelvin Davis, South Fulton’s founding mayor and former Fulton County Commissioner Bill Edwards, acting City Council member Carmalitha Gumbs, retired nurse Jewel Johnson, local entrepreneur Ray Mills, and Ryan Olson, a local stuntman and actor.
Public Service Commission District 2 and District 3
The Public Service Commission is the board that regulates utility providers for most of the state, including 2.7 million customers of Georgia Power, metro Atlanta’s largest energy company.
This statewide race is one to keep an eye on, as PSC commissioners have received criticism this year for approving six Georgia Power rate hikes over the past two years, resulting in residential customers paying an estimated $516 more annually on their electric bill than they were in 2022.
PSC Commissioners Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson are the two Republican incumbents vying for reelection against Democratic candidates Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson. Echols and Alicia Johnson are competing in PSC District 2, which includes Savannah and most of the state’s Atlantic coastal region. Fitz Johnson and Hubbard are competing for a seat in PSC District 3, which includes metro Atlanta.
Atlanta City Council president
Every four years, Atlanta elects a council president in addition to its district and at-large representatives. Formerly known as the vice-mayor, the president steps into the mayor’s seat if he or she leaves office unexpectedly, until a new mayor is elected. The council president is responsible for presiding over City Council meetings and breaking any tie votes. He or she also appoints committee chairs at the start of each year. Unlike the mayor, there are no term limits for this role.
Earlier this year, incumbent City Council President Doug Shipman announced that he would not seek reelection, leaving the field wide open.
Two candidates are vying for the seat this election cycle: District 11 council member Marci Collier Overstreet and Rohit Malhotra, founder of the Center for Civic Innovation. Overstreet is running on her record as a council member with a promise to improve public safety and economic mobility, while Malhotra says he’ll be a voice for residents that will push for people-centered policy.
Atlanta City Council District 3 and District 11
City Council members are responsible for voting on ordinances, providing oversight of city departments and adopting the city’s annual budget.
District 3 begins at Vine City and covers all the neighborhoods to the west until Dixie Hills and to the north until Atlantic Station. Newcomer Perrin Bostic is challenging incumbent Byron Amos. Bostic is promising to increase affordable housing options and protect residents from displacement, while Amos is pushing a loan program for legacy homeowners.
District 11 covers Atlanta’s southwestern neighborhoods from Campbellton Road to Arlington Estates and Midwest Cascade to Princeton Lakes. Gentrification and affordability were voters’ main concerns throughout this election cycle.
With incumbent Marci Collier Overstreet running for council president, eight candidates have tossed their hat in the ring for this seat: AME church elder Toni Belin-Ingram, Adams Park Residents Association co-chair Andre Burgin, educator Curt Collier, music executive Steven Dingle, community advocate and entrepreneur Harold Hardnett, attorney and veteran Nate Jester, business leader Wayne Martin and insurance professional and veteran Reginald Rushin.
To secure a victory, a candidate must receive 50% of the vote plus one. Due to the number of candidates, a run-off election is likely.
Staff writer Chauncey Alcorn contributed to this report.
