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Axios
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
A guide to Atlanta's 2025 mayoral and City Council races
Shake off your presidential election hangover: Atlanta voters head to the polls this November to decide who should hold the mayor's office and City Council seats — three of which will be wide open. Why it matters: Local government is where decisions are made regarding your property taxes, neighborhood safety, kids' education and more. Driving the news: Below, a rundown on who's running for what races at City Hall. What's next: We will make updates as new candidates file their paperwork. The qualifying period to run for office and officially appear on the ballot begins on Tues., Aug. 19 and ends on Fri., Aug. 22. Mayor Mayor Andre Dickens, who officially kicked off his re-election campaign on Tuesday at Monday Night Garage, thus far has only racked up two official opponents, according to the city's elections database. Officially running: Walter Reeves, who challenged Dickens in 2021 Marcus D. Lamar, a Blandtown resident Context: Over the past 50 years, incumbent Atlanta mayors who want to serve a second term have gotten their wish, and oftentimes with negligible opposition. The November election might follow suit, given Dickens' public support and $1.4 million war chest. City Council President In February, City Council President Doug Shipman announced he would not seek re-election, citing family health issues. Officially running: Atlanta City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet Rumored to run: Former U.S. Congressman and City Council member Kwanza Hall City Council District 1 Atlanta City Council member Jason Winston represents southeast neighborhoods like Grant Park, Chosewood Park and Lakewood Heights. The only challenger to file paperwork is Sean Skillings, who lives in Chosewood Park. District 2 The super-dense and fast-growing district that includes Old Fourth Ward, Midtown and parts of Downtown is up for grabs after Atlanta City Council member Amir Farokhi announced he would resign to take a job at The Galloway School. Kelsea Bond, a queer labor organizer, has filed paperwork to run. Other people said to be considering a run include Midtown's Courtney Smith and Virginia-Highland's Alex Bevel Jones, both of whom are community leaders. District 5 First-term council member Liliana Bakhtiari will have to fend off nonprofit professional Adam Gore-Wright to represent neighborhoods like Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown. District 7 Lawyer Jamie Christy told Axios she plans to compete for the Buckhead seat long held by Council member Howard Shook, who recently announced his retirement from office. Christy considered challenging Shook in 2021 but later worked for his office investigating high-profile crimes in the district. The district includes Buckhead neighborhoods like Lindbergh/Morosgo, Buckhead Heights and the Lenox Square Mall area. District 11 Marci Collier Overstreet's decision to explore a bid for City Council president opens up the race for the far southwest Atlanta district that's home to Niskey Lake, Venetian Hills and Ben Hill. Steven Dingle is the lone official declared candidate. Possible challengers include Nate Jester, a commercial real estate lawyer, government affairs professional Wayne Martin and Sarah-Elizabeth Langford, the director of Fulton County's development authority and ex-wife of former Mayor Kasim Reed. District 12 Council member Antonio Lewis seeks a second term representing the far south Atlanta district. A Pittsburgh neighborhood resident named Delvin Davis has filed paperwork to challenge Lewis.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens launches his re-election campaign
The Brief Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is launching his campaign for a second term on Tuesday. The mayor will officially announce his campaign at a press conference with other high-profile Georgia political figures in attendance. So far, no one else has announced that they will run in November's election. ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has officially announced his re-election campaign. The mayor launched his campaign with other high-profile Georgia political figures in Midtown on Tuesday. What we know Joining Dickens at the press conference were former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Ambassador Andrew Young, former state Sen. Jason Carter, attorney Sharon Gay, and others. Dickens shared that his aspiration to become Atlanta's mayor began when he was just 16 years old. Now, as he nears the end of his first term, he emphasized that there is still more work to do and that he is ready to keep pushing for progress. The mayor also highlighted the support he has received from the Biden administration, recalling a moment when President Joe Biden personally called him just days after his election. "Literally days after I was elected mayor, he called my phone and said, 'Welcome, and I want to meet you,'" Dickens said. He added that within two weeks, he was at the White House, building relationships that have helped bring federal resources to the city. The mayor is also having a rally with voters on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Monday Night Garage. What they're saying Last month, Dickens delivered his State of the City address, taking credit for steering a "fractured" city in the right direction when he took office, out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a spike in crime. "The state of the city is strong!" said Dickens. "I promised you safer streets. Another promise kept—since 2022, homicides in Atlanta are down 26%." He emphasized his administration's efforts to stave off the Buckhead City movement and move forward with the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, despite national "Stop Cop City" protests. "We have ensured that the next generation of first responders will have a state-of-the-art training facility at our Atlanta Public Safety Training Center," Dickens said. Dickens said two of the city's top priorities were affordable housing and infrastructure, pointing to a new plan to replace Atlanta's aging water pipes and the proposal to use AI to predict water main breaks. "This is a system that we inherited, but now it's our responsibility to start fixing it," he said. What's next Looking ahead, Dickens reaffirmed his commitment to addressing major concerns in Atlanta, including affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and neighborhood revitalization. He acknowledged that certain issues, such as ethics and homelessness, have been particularly challenging but promised they would remain a top priority in a second term. As Atlanta continues to evolve, Dickens says he is prepared to adjust his strategies while keeping the city's needs at the center of his leadership. Dickens has also set his sights on Atlanta's role as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said the eight matches played here will bring nearly $1 billion to the city. Before that is November's election. No other candidate has publicly declared their candidacy yet. The Source Information for this story came from a release by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' re-election campaign and previous FOX 5 reporting.
