The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
» Preview of area elections taking place Tuesday,
THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: TUESDAY’S ELECTIONS
CHEROKEE COUNTY
Ballots in the city of Canton will include a race for the open mayor’s seat and two contested City Council races.
Councilman Bill Grant and retired educator Dwight Pullen will face off to replace departing Mayor Gene Hobgood.
Incumbent Joellen Wilson will look to fend off challengers Bob Reilly and Kathy Strom in the Ward 1 council race. Incumbent Farris Yawn will take on Brooke Schmidt for the Ward 3 seat.
CLAYTON COUNTY
In Morrow, Jeff DeTar will face off against Bonita Crawford and John Lampl to keep his seat as the Clayton County city’s mayor.
Crawford is a U.S. Army veteran and active member of Clayton County Emergency Preparedness program. Lampl is Morrow’s former city manager who is best
known for his role in the failed Olde Town Morrow mixed-use development near Southlake Mall, in which he was charged
with circumventing state building laws.
OTHER RACES College Park
■ Mayor: Bianca Motley Broom, John Duke, Ronald Fears, Pamela Gay, Kaseem Ladipo, Jack Longino (I)
■ City Council Ward 1: Ambrose Clay (I), Thomas Kuziniacki, Kathleen McQueen
■ City Council Ward 3: Ken Allen, Sharonda Cody Boyd Jonesboro
■ Mayor: Joy Day (I), Jarrett Miller
■ City Council (choose three): Ed Wise (I), Joel Aviles, Cameron Dixon, Helen Meadows, Tracey Messick, Donya Sartor Morrow
■ City Council Post 2: Jeanell Bridges (I), Van T. Tran
■ City Council Post 4: Larry Ferguson (I), Gilda White Hutcheson, Khoa Vuong
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays. Riverdale
■ Mayor: Evelyn Wynn-Dixon (I), An’cel Davis
■ City Council Ward 2: Frank Cobbs Jr., Rodney Lawrence
■ City Council Ward 4: Kenneth Ruffin (I), Terry Windley
COBB COUNTY
In Smyrna, five candidates are in the running to replace longtime Mayor Max Bacon, who has led the city for more than 30 years. Those candidates are Alex
Backry, Ryan Campbell, Laura Mireles, Derek Norton and Steven Rasin.
Several Smyrna City Council seats are also contested, including
the races for Ward 2 (incumbent Andrea Bluestein and Austin Wagner), Ward 3 (incumbent Maryline Blackburn and Travis Lindley), Ward 5 (incumbent Susan Wilkinson, James “JD” Smith and Suz Kaprich) and Ward 7 (David W. Monroe and Lewis A. Wheaton).
OTHER RACES
Acworth
■ Alderman Post 1: Butch Price (I), Crystal Bailey Williams
■ Alderman Post 3: Brett North (I), Salome W. Sadera
Austell
■ Mayor: Ollie Clemons (I), Ikaika Anderson, Chris Djoins, Cindy D. Thompson
■ City Council Ward 2: S. Brown, Devon D. Myrick
■ City Council At Large, Post 1: Melanie Maria Elder, Sarah Shurden Kennesaw
■ City Council Post 1: James Eaton (I), Karen Gitau, Antonio Jones
Powder Springs
■ City Council Post 1: Patrick Wayne Bordelon (I), Larry W. Thomas
■ City Council Post 2: Patricia Wisdom (I), Nancy Hudson, Guenevere Reed
DEKALB COUNTY
The entire county will vote on a referendum that would restructure DeKalb’s ethics board, after the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that the way its members are currently appointed is unconstitutional. Critics of the proposal say the restructuring would weaken the ethics board and reduce some of its powers.
Every city in DeKalb also has municipal elections for mayor or city council this fall; several incumbent mayors are facing challengers.
OTHER RACES
Avondale Estates
■ Mayor: Jonathan Elmore (I), Clai Brown
■ City Commission: Brian Fisher (I), Marguerite Belline, Candace Jones, Dee Merriam
Brookhaven
■ Mayor: John Ernst (I), Jennifer Heath
■ City Council District 3: Dimitrius Owens, Madeleine Norine Simmons
■ Residents will also vote whether to approve a property tax homestead exemption for the city.
Chamblee
■ City Council District 2: Shaun Lewis, Leslie Robson (I)
■ City Council District 3: Thomas Hogan (I), Karen Lupton
■ City Council At Large: Darron Kusman (I), Stephen Watson
■ Residents will also vote whether to approve a property tax homestead exemption for the city.
Clarkston
■ City Council (choose three): Andrea Cervone (I), Awet “Howard” Eyasu (I), Darara Timotewos Gubo, Laura Hopkins, Debra Johnson, Samuel Rai
Decatur
■ City commissioner, District 1, Post B: Erin Braden, George Dusenbury
■ City commissioner, District 2, Post B: Lesa Mayer, Chris Stirn, Phillip Wiedower
■ City commissioner at large: Tony Powers (I), Christopher Gagnon Doraville
■ Mayor: Joseph Geierman, Donna Pittman (I), Tom Hart, MD Nasar
■ City Council District 1: Gerald Evans, Tom Owens, Andy Yeoman
■ City Council District 2: Danielle Brown, Jessica Killingsworth, Rebekah Cohen Morris
■ City Council District 2 (special election): Tammie Bailey, Chris Henshaw
■ City Council District 3: Shannon Hillard (I), Maria Alexander
Dunwoody
■ Mayor: Lynn Deutsch, Terry Nall
■ City Council At Large, Post 4: Stacey Harris, Robert Miller
■ City Council At Large, Post 5: Joe Seconder, Heyward Wescott
Lithonia
■ Mayor: Yolanda Donaldson, Shameka Reynolds, Cindy Thomas
■ City Council (choose two): Darold Honore Jr., David McCoy, Vanneriah Wynn Stone Mountain
■ City Council Post 1: Richard Mailman (I), Gina Stroud Cox, Richard Langley, Chancey Parker
■ City Council Post 2: Bernie Waller (I), Claus Friese, Clint Monroe
■ City Council Post 3: Chakira Johnson (I), Andrea Redmond
Stonecrest
■ Mayor: Jason Lary (I), Diane Adoma, Charles Hill Jr.
■ City Council District 5 (special election): Nathan Alexander, Tammy Grimes, Barbara Hall, Dave Marcus, Virginia Pierce-Kelly, Christopher Seabrook
Tucker
■ City Council Post 2, District 1: Bill Rosenfeld (I), Christine Bloodworth
FAYETTE COUNTY
Mayors Ed Johnson and Eric Dial are running unopposed in Fayetteville and Tyrone, respectively. But there are other contested races on the ballot in those municipalities, as well as in Peachtree City.
OTHER RACES Fayetteville
■ City Council Post 1: Harlan Shirley (I), Darryl Langford, Phil Onyedumekwu
■ City Council Post 2: Kathaleen Brewer (I), Joe Clark, Oyin J. Mitchell, Kevin Pratt Peachtree City
■ City Council Post 1: Phil Prebor (I), Oobi Childs, Morgan Hallmon
■ City Council Post 2: Mike King (I), Darryl Csicsila, Steven N. Newton Tyrone
■ Town Council Post 1: Linda Howard (I), David Barlow
■ Town Council Post 2: Bill Campbell, Michael Edwards, Melissa Hill
FORSYTH COUNTY
Voters in the city of Cumming will have one contested race to decide. Joey Cochran, Jason May and Brent Patrick are all running for the open Post 3 seat on the City Council.
Forsyth’s only city will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
FULTON COUNTY
Residents of 12 cities in Fulton County cast ballots where the makeup of local leadership could change. That includes three longtime mayors of cities in southern Fulton County who face challengers.
For College Park, partially also in Clayton County, five people have stepped up to challenge the mayor, who has led the city since the Olympics came to Atlanta. In Hapeville, the 2.5-square-mile airport-adjacent city, the mayor has held the big seat since 2004. He faces one challenger. Palmetto’s mayor, who has led the city since 1986 (except for a break from 2008 to 2011 when he was beaten at the ballot box), also drew two challengers. The city is in both Fulton and Coweta counties.
OTHER RACES
Alpharetta
■ City Council Post 6: Dan Merkel (I), Abu Bakkar Ngila Jalloh, Clifford Martin
■ Voters will also decide on two ballot measures to expand the city’s homestead property tax exemptions. Chattahoochee Hills
■ City Council District 1: Rick Stephens (I), Ruby Foster
■ City Council District 3: Anita McGinnis, Laurie Searle
■ City Council District 5: Troy Bettis, Sarah Davis, Renee Prince, Ross Williams College Park
■ Mayor: Jack Longino (I), Bianca Motley Broom, John Duke, Ronald Fears, Pamela Gay, Kaseem Ladipo
■ City Council Ward 1: Ambrose Clay (I), Kathleen McQueen, Thomas Kuziniacki
■ City Council Ward 3: Ken Allen, Sharonda Cody Boyd East Point
■ City Council Ward A: Davion Lewis, Lance Robertson
■ City Council Ward B: Thomas Calloway (I), Marie Terry Williams
■ City Council Ward C: Myron Cook (I), Earnestine Pittman ■ Gordon City Council (I), Eddie Ward Lee D: Brewster, Stephanie Erica Clemmons Fairburn Dean
■ At Large Council Seats (choose three): Andrew James Whitmore Jr. (I), Linda J. Davis (I), Patrick Pallend (I), Willis Earl Ray Hapeville
■ Mayor: Alan Hallman (I), Rod Mack
■ Alderman At-Large: Michael T. Rast (I), Lucy Dolan, Brian Wismer
■ Voters will also decide on two ballot measures to expand the city’s homestead property tax exemptions. Johns Creek
■ City Council Post 2: Royce Reinecke, Dilip Tunki, Brian Weaver
■ City Council Post 4: Chris Coughlin (I), Kent Altom, Marybeth Cooper, Adam Thomas
■ City Council Post 6: Erin Elwood, Judy LeFave, Issure C. Yang Milton
■ City Council District 2, Post 2: Judy Burds, Paul Moore Palmetto
■ Mayor: J. Clark Boddie (I), Michael Arnold, Torrance Stephens
■ City Council (top three vote-getters get a seat): Robert Deon Arnold, Scott Cannon, Robert Montgomery, Patty O’Hara-Willey (I), Larry Adam Parrott, Martell Pee, Teresa Thomas-Smith
■ City Council (unexpired term ends Dec. 31, 2021): Melis Andrade Espinoza, Nathan Slaton, Jessica Wilbanks Roswell
■ City Council Post 1: Marcelo Zapata (I), Donald J. Horton
■ City Council Post 2: Michael Palermo (I), Geoff Smith
■ City Council Post 3: Keith Goeke, Christine Hall, Lisa Holland, Kay Howell
■ Municipal Judge: Brian Hansford (I), Philip Mansell South Fulton
■ City Council District 1: Catherine Foster Rowell (I), Mathis Ben Colquitt
■ City Council District 5: Rosie Jackson (I), Duane L. McClain, Corey Alan Reeves, Clyde Eugene Sampson II
■ City Council District 7: Mark Baker (I), Eric L. Richardson
■ Voters will also decide on separate ballot measures that would allow the city to use tax allocation districts and create a homestead exemption for residents. Union City
■ City Council (choose two): Christina Hobbs (I), Tonya Isles, Brian Jones (I)
GWINNETT COUNTY
In Buford, longtime City Commission leader Phillip Beard did not draw an opponent, ensuring that his run of more than four decades in office will continue.
Beard’s City Commission seat also comes with a spot on the Buford School Board — but two other School Board seats will be up for grabs Tuesday, in the first local election since now-former Superintendent Geye Hamby was allegedly caught on tape spewing racist epithets.
Incumbent School Board member Daren Perkins will face off against newcomer Melissa FerrisOzkan.
Lien Diaz and Matt Peevy are running for the seat vacated by Beth Lancaster.
OTHER RACES Berkeley Lake
■ Voters will decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays. Braselton
■ Town Council District 1: Becky Richardson (I), Joy Basham, Richard Mayberry
■ Town Council District 3: Tony Funari (I), Jim Joedecke
Dacula
■ City Council: Susan Robinson (I), Ann R. Mitchell
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Grayson
■ Mayor: Allison Wilkerson (I), Joseph Runyon
■ City Council Post 2: Bob Foreman (I), Donald Fairnot, Kimberly Love
■ City Council Post 4: Linda S. Jenkins (I), Jennifer Nichols
Lawrenceville
■ City Council Post 1: Eric Hoskins, Glenn Martin, Austin Thompson
Lilburn
■ City Council Post 2: John Patrick Abellera, Scott Batterton (I)
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Loganville
■ City Council (choose three): Jay Boland (I), Misty Cox, Linda Dodd (I), Bill DuVall, Femi Oduwole
Norcross
■ Mayor: Craig Newton (I), Chuck Paul
■ City Council At-Large Post 1: Alex R. Hecht, Jeff Hopper, Matt Myers
■ City Council At-Large Post 2: Bruce Gaynor, Tyler Hannel, David Benjamin McLeroy
■ Voters will also decide on a referendum that would change elected officials’ terms from two years to four.
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Peachtree Corners
■ City Council Post 5: Lorri Christopher (I), Cherlon Mathias
Snellville
■ City Council Post 1: Dave Emanuel (I), Cortez Riden
■ City Council Post 2: Wanda S. Blow, Solange Destang, Brittany E. Marmol, Thomas S. Mwambay
Sugar Hill
■ City Council Post 1: Brandon Hembree (I), Marjorie Prophete
■ City Council Post 2: Marc Cohen (I), Amber Chambers
Suwanee
■ City Council Post 1: Doug Ireland (I), Heather J. Hall
■ City Council Post 2: Dick Goodman (I), Laurence “Larry” Pettiford
HENRY COUNTY
Henry County voters will consider a fifth SPLOST agreement. The special purpose local option sales tax would collect an estimated $204 million over five years and be used for infrastructure, parks, municipal buildings, public safety equipment and repayment of debt.
Henry residents will also be asked whether they want to move Henry County courts and other administrative offices from near the McDonough Square to a spot near the Henry County jail.
OTHER RACES
Hampton
■ City Council (choose three): Henry Byrd (I), Sherry Ann Chaney, Dexter B. Cladd, Monica S. Davis, Marty Meeks, Mary Ann Mitcham, Adrian Stroud, Ann Tarpley (I)
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Locust Grove
■ City Council (choose three): Carlos Greer (I), Otis Hammock (I), Michael Reid Brackett Jr., Rudy Breedlove, Rod Shearouse
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
McDonough
■ City Council At Large: Carla L. Dennis, Benjamin W. Pruett (I), Brandon D. Robinson Sr.
■ City Council District 3: Craig Elrod (I), Janice Scotchman
■ City Council District 4: Kamali “Kam” Varner (I), Teresa Wheeler
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
Stockbridge
■ City Council (choose three): Elton Alexander (I), Nathan Banks, Yolanda Barber, Jacqueline Blalock, John Blount (I), Arthur Christian, Cherice Hollis, Kenneth McFarland, Neat Robinson (I)
■ Voters will also decide on a “brunch bill” referendum that would allow local restaurants to start serving alcohol at 11 a.m. on Sundays.