ATL Mayor: Where Things Stand with One Week to go
A look at some of the major developments as the race for city hall enters the final week
If it sounds hard to believe, that’s because it is: we are now one week away from the high stakes election for Mayor of Atlanta. Voters will head to the polls to choose who will lead Atlanta during a critical time for the city: residents are concerned about violent crime, a portion of the city is threatening to secede, and the cost of living in the city is becoming unbearable for many. And those are just some of the issues on the minds of voters. But just where does the race stand as voters get ready to head to the polls? Let’s take a look!
Crime remains top issue for voters
Public safety continues to be the most dominant issue on the minds of voters as the city continues to grapple with an increase in violent crime. A new poll from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the University of Georgia finds that nearly half of voters see crime as the most pressing issue facing the city.
Nearly 48% of voters rank crime as the top issue, with affordable housing coming at a distant second with 26%. But the survey also finds that crime becomes a more important issue the older you are. Just 34% of voters aged 18 to 29 rank crime as the top issue, compared to over three-in-five voters over the age of 65.
The crosstabs of the poll can be examined here.
Reed-Moore runoff inevitable
If no one gets more than 50% of the vote in next Tuesday’s election, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election on November 30. Which candidates are currently best-positioned to make the runoff?
Recent polls indicate that a runoff election will likely feature Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore and former Mayor Kasim Reed. Recent polls have found both Reed and Moore leading the 14-candidate field.
Last week’s poll from the AJC finds Moore with 24% followed by Reed’s 20%. All of the other candidates are polling below 10%.
While a Reed-Moore runoff appears to be the most likely outcome of next Tuesday’s vote, the race could still prove to be very volatile in the closing days. The AJC survey also finds a large number of undecided voters, with 41% still trying to make up their mind. Next week’s election is going to be decided by these undecided voters.
National NAACP criticizes Atlanta chapter’s stance against Reed
Last week, the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP made headlines when they issued a rare public rebuke of a candidate for office.
The chapter issued a statement denouncing the candidacy of Kasim Reed, urging Atlanta voters not to put the former Mayor back in office, citing his recent endorsement from local police unions and arguing that his policies as Mayor did little to help the city’s Black community.
The rare public rebuke was criticized by not only the Reed campaign, but the national NAACP, which sent a cease & desist letter to Atlanta NAACP President Richard Rose urging him to stay out of local politics.
Rev. James “Major” Woodall, the former President of the Georgia NAACP, said that it was wrong for the national organization to rebuke the Atlanta chapter, highlighting the fact that the organization took several stances against Donald Trump.
Expect this saga to continue well into the runoff campaign.
Dickens nabs endorsement from former mayor
City Councilman Andre Dickens is touting the endorsement of a popular former mayor.
Shirley Franklin praised the young councilman as an authentic candidate and a successful businessman. She is the only former mayor to take sides in the contest so far.
Whether the endorsement will have an impact on the race remains to be seen, but Franklin’s endorsement of Dickens is noteworthy because she and Kasim Reed have a relationship that goes back several decades: Reed managed Franklin’s successful 2001 campaign for Mayor, and Franklin even endorsed Reed to succeed her as Mayor in 2009.
But just how impactful are endorsements like this in local elections? Citywide elections in odd-numbered years usually draw low turnout. But it’s safe to assume that Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms would not be in office today if Reed had not aggressively supported her four years ago.
Voters to elect seven new city councilmembers
The Mayor will not be the only office on the ballot next week. Atlanta voters are poised to elect at least six new members of the 16-member city council.
Three members of the city council are running for mayor (Andre Dickens, Felicia Moore, Antonio Brown), three members are not running for re-election (Jennifer Ide, Carla Smith, J.P. Matzigkeit) and one member is running for a promotion to City Council President (Natalyn Archibong). In addition, several members of the council are facing tough competition for re-election.
So it’s not just the Mayor’s office that could soon see a huge shakeup. We could soon see a bunch of new faces on the city council as well.
For a full list of candidates who will be on your ballot, click here.