Atlanta City Council Races Underway

By Henry Bryant

There are 12 City Council districts in Atlanta as well as three at-large posts that are elected citywide. In the Porch Press Readership area there are two Council Districts – District 1 and District 5.

District 1 includes the neighborhoods of Grant Park and parts of SAND (South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development) including Benteen Park, Boulevard Heights, McDonough-Guice, Ormewood Park, and Woodland Hills, plus Chosewood Park, Lakewood Heights, Peoplestown, Summerhill and several blocks of Downtown which are not in the Porch Press area.

District 5 includes East Atlanta and North Ormewood Park which are in the Porch Press area as well as Reynoldstown, Edgewood, Kirkwood, Lake Claire, and East Lake, which do not get The Porch Press.

The Qualifying period is from Tuesday, August 17 through Friday, August 20 at 4:30pm.

The Qualifying fee is $1,809.00 for city council seats. As of June 18, the following individuals have filed Declaration of Intent forms with the Municipal Clerk and/or Georgia Campaign Financial Commission which allows them to raise funds for elections. The first required campaign finance filing is June 30. Both District 1 and District 5 are wide open races since incumbent Carla Smith in District 1 decided not to run for re-election this time, and Natalyn Archibong decided to run for Council President instead of re-election to the District 5 seat.

District 1 candidates who have qualified so far are: Clarence Blalock, clarenceforatlanta.com; Nathan Clubb, nathanclubb.com; Russell Hopson, russellfordistrict1.com; Kelly-Jeanne Lee, KJL4ATL.com; and Jason Winston, jasonwinston.com.

District 5 candidates who have qualified so far are: Samuel Bacote, votebacote.com; Liliana Bakhtiari, lilianaforatlanta.com; Katie Kissel, katieforatlanta.com; Mandy Mahoney, mandy4atlanta.com; and Doug Williams, doug4atl5.com.

Another article giving more details about the candidates will appear in an issue closer to the election which will take place on Tuesday, November 2. For a download schedule of absentee and early voting dates and requirements, go to sos.ga.gov/admin/uploads/2021_State_Calendar_(Short)4.pdf. At-large candidates and other candidates for city office may also be covered in a coming issue.