2017 Atlanta mayoral election

The 2017 Atlanta mayoral election occurred on November 7, 2017, with a runoff election held on December 5, 2017. Incumbent mayor Kasim Reed, a member of the Democratic Party who had been in office since 2010, was ineligible to run for reelection due to a personal crisis.

2017 Atlanta mayoral election

← 2013 November 7, 2017 (general) December 5, 2017 (runoff) 2021 →

Candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms Mary Norwood Cathy Woolard Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan First round 25,347 26.2% 20,144 20.8% 16,134 16.7% Runoff 46,464 50.4% 45,705 49.6% Eliminated   Candidate Peter Aman Vincent Fort Ceasar Mitchell Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan First round 10,924 11.3% 9,310 9.6% 9,124 9.4% Runoff Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated

Mayor before election Kasim Reed Democratic Elected Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Democratic

A total of 14 candidates qualified for the November 7 non-partisan election. However, no candidate revived a majority, so a runoff was held between Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary Norwood, the top two finishers, on December 5. On election night, unofficial results suggested that Keisha Lance Bottoms had narrowly won, but Norwood called for a recount.^[1]

The election was first certified on December 11, 2017, and had Bottoms winning by a margin of 823 votes. This margin was less than the 1 percent threshold needed to avoid a mandatory recount.^[2] The recount, which occurred on December 14, resulted in Norwood gaining five votes and Bottoms losing six in Fulton County, while the vote totals in DeKalb County remained the same.^[3] The election was re-certified on December 17 after Fulton County accepted the new results.^[4] Norwood officially conceded the race on December 21,^[4] and Lance Bottoms was inaugurated as the 60th mayor of Atlanta on January 2, 2018.

Candidates

Declared

• Peter Aman, former Chief Operating Officer of Atlanta^[5][6][7]
• Rohit Ammanamanchi, Georgia Institute of Technology graduate^[8]
• Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta City Councilmember (District 11)^[7][9]
• John Eaves, Fulton County Chairman, District 7, At-Large^[7][10]
• Vincent Fort, Georgia State Senator ^[7][11]
• Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Councilmember (District 2)^[7][12]
• Laban King, co-founder of the real estate investment firm, Millennial Global Investments^[8]
• Ceasar Mitchell, Atlanta City Council President^[7][13]
• Mary Norwood, Atlanta City Councilmember (Post 2 At Large) and candidate for Mayor in 2009^[7][14]
• Cathy Woolard, former Atlanta City Council President^[15][16][17]
• Glenn Wrightson^[8]

Failed to qualify

• Alex Barrella, cartoonist^[18][8]

Dropped out

• Al Bartell, Certified Mediator. Dropped out August 22, 2017.^[19]
• Margaret Kaiser, Georgia State Representative, District 59, 2007–2016. Dropped out October 25, 2016.^[20]
• Michael Sterling, former Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Workforce Development Agency. Dropped out October 24, 2017 ^[7][21]

Endorsements

Peter Aman

Atlanta City Council Members

• Yolanda Adrean - Atlanta City Councilwoman District 8^[22]
• Clair Muller - Former Atlanta City Councilwoman^[23]

Organizations

• Ranked Number 1 by the Committee For A Better Atlanta^[24]

Keisha Lance Bottoms

Atlanta Politicians ^[25]

• Michael Julian Bond - Atlanta City Councilman (District 3)
• Kwanza Hall - Atlanta City Councilman (District 2); candidate for Mayor of Atlanta in 2017 (endorsed during runoff campaign)

Statewide Politicians

• Jon Ossoff - Democratic nominee for GA-06 in 2017

Organizations

• Southern Carpenters Regional Council

Celebrities

• Killer Mike (endorsed during runoff campaign)
• T.I.

Vincent Fort

Federal Politicians

• Bernie Sanders - Senator from Vermont and 2016 presidential candidate^[26]

Statewide Politicians

• Roy Barnes - Former Governor of Georgia ^[27]
• Steve Henson - Democratic Senate Leader ^[28]

Organizations

• Our Revolution^[29]
• Atlanta Progressive News ^[30]
• North Georgia Building Trades Council ^[28]
• Georgia State Building Trades Council ^[28]

Newspapers

• Atlanta Black Star ^[31]

Labor Unions ^[28]

• Teamsters Locals 728, 527, 528
• Communication Workers of America Local 3204
• Georgia Federation of Teachers
• United Auto Workers Region 8, Locals 10 and 882
• American Federation of Government Employees Locals 554, 1568, 2778
• Laborers Local 515
• Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 42
• Painters District 77, Local 193
• Mail Handlers Local 310
• American Postal Workers Local 32

Celebrities

• Killer Mike^[32]

Ceasar Mitchell

Political Organizations

• Georgia Log Cabin Republicans ^[33]

Labor Unions

• UFCW Local 1996 - United Food and Commercial Workers ^[34]

Former Candidates

• Michael Sterling, former Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Workforce Development Agency.^[21]

Mary Norwood

Atlanta Politicians

• Peter Aman, former Chief Operating Officer of Atlanta (endorsed during runoff campaign)^[35]
• Lisa Borders, former Atlanta City Council President^[36]
• Shirley Franklin, former Mayor of Atlanta^[35]
• Ceasar Mitchell, Atlanta City Council President (endorsed during runoff campaign)^[37]
• Cathy Woolard, former Atlanta City Council President (endorsed during runoff campaign)^[38]

Labor Unions

• IBPO Local 623 - International Brotherhood of Police Officers ^[39]
• IAFF Local 134 - International Association of Fire Fighters ^[40]
• Police Benevolent Association of Georgia ^[41]

Organizations

• Buckhead Coalition^[42]
• Georgia Log Cabin Republicans ^[33]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Peter Aman	Keisha Lance Bottoms	John Eaves	Vincent Fort	Kwanza Hall	Ceasar Mitchell	Mary Norwood	Cathy Woolard	Other	Undecided
WSB-TV/Landmark	November 3, 2017	750	± 3.6%	12.0%	25.4%	2.6%	7.9%	5.2%	6.8%	23.4%	9.2%	1.9%	5.6%
	October 7, 2017	750	± 3.6%	12.6%	19.2%	3.1%	6.2%	4.7%	5.8%	22.1%	6.3%	1.8%	18.2%
WXIA-TV Atlanta/SurveyUSA	September 26–30, 2017	549	± 4.3%	7%	15%	2%	7%	7%	10%	28%	7%	2%	14%
WSB-TV/Landmark	August 27, 2017	500	± 4.4%	12.1%	12.4%	3.6%	6.1%	5.2%	10.4%	25.4%	6.6%	0.8%	17.4%
WXIA-TV Atlanta/SurveyUSA	July 11–18, 2017	1,085	± 4.4%	6%	9%	4%	8%	9%	10%	27%	6%	1%	20%
Landmark/Rosetta Stone	March 8, 2017	1,200	± 2.9%	1.8%	8.6%	3.8%	9.3%	5.8%	8.0%	28.6%	6.1%	–	28%

Results

General election

Atlanta mayoral election, 2017^[43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Keisha Lance Bottoms	25,347	26.19
	Nonpartisan	Mary Norwood	20,144	20.81
	Nonpartisan	Cathy Woolard	16,134	16.67
	Nonpartisan	Peter Aman	10,924	11.29
	Nonpartisan	Vincent Fort	9,310	9.62
	Nonpartisan	Ceasar Mitchell	9,124	9.43
	Nonpartisan	Kwanza Hall	4,192	4.33
	Nonpartisan	John H. Eaves	1,202	1.24
	Nonpartisan	Rohit Ammanamanchi	196	0.20
	Nonpartisan	Michael T. Sterling (withdrew)	104	0.11
	Nonpartisan	Glenn S. Wrightson	100	0.10
	Nonpartisan	Laban King	0	0.00
	Write-in		7	0.01
Total votes			96,777	100.00

Runoff

Atlanta mayoral runoff election results, 2017

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Nonpartisan	Keisha Lance Bottoms	46,464	50.42
	Nonpartisan	Mary Norwood	45,705	49.59
Total votes			92,169	100%

See also

• Mayor of Atlanta
• 2017 United States elections

References

1. Eli Watkins; Tina Burnside. "Recount called for in Atlanta mayoral race". CNN. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
2. . ABC News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
3. http://www.wral.com/recount-sought-by-atlanta-mayor-candidate-set-for-thursday/17184812/^{[permanent dead link]}
4. "Atlanta mayoral election results certified, but legal challenge looms". Retrieved January 29, 2018.
5. "Mayorwatch 2017: Peter Aman is in | Atlanta News & Opinion Blog | Creative Loafing Atlanta". Creative Loafing Atlanta. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
6. . April 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
7. Stafford, Leon (March 17, 2017). "Atlanta mayoral race: Get to know the candidates". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
8. Team, WGCL Digital. "It's official: 12 candidates qualify for Atlanta mayoral race". Retrieved November 7, 2017.
9. Stafford, Leon (March 23, 2017). "Mayor candidate Bottoms gives up Atlanta/Fulton Recreation job". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
10. Kass, Arielle (February 23, 2017). "EXCLUSIVE: Fulton Chairman John Eaves enters race to be Atlanta mayor". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
11. Bluestein, Greg (November 10, 2016). "Vincent Fort jumps into race for mayor of Atlanta: 'City Hall has lost its way'". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
12. "Craig Lucie on Twitter". Retrieved August 1, 2016.
13. Commission, State Ethics. "Campaign Reports Search | Georgia Government Campaign Finance Commission of Georgia". media.ethics.ga.gov. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
14. Wheatley, Thomas (October 5, 2016). . Creative Loafing. Archived from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
15. Bluestein, Greg (March 12, 2015). . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
16. Blau, Max. "Cathy Woolard, Margaret Kaiser kick off 2017 mayoral race". Creative Loafing Atlanta. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
17. Saunders, Patrick (March 12, 2015). "LGBT activist Woolard: 'I'm going to run hard' for Atlanta mayor". The Georgia Voice. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
18. Team, WGCL Digital. . Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
19. Stafford, Leon. "Mitchell, Norwood to qualify for Atlanta mayor as Bartell drops out". ajc. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
20. . Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
21. Williams, Dave (October 24, 2017). "Atlanta mayoral hopeful drops out, endorses Ceasar Mitchell". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
22. Bluestein, Greg; Galloway, Jim. "In ATL race for mayor, Peter Aman challenges Mary Norwood's grip on Buckhead". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Media Group. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
23. Keenan, Sean. "Peter Aman's mayoral campaign snags Council endorsements". Creative Loafing. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
24. Committee For A Better Atlanta. "2017 CITY OF ATLANTA CANDIDATE SCORES" (PDF). Committee For A Better Atlanta. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
25. "More big endorsements for Keisha Lance Bottoms". WAGA-TV. November 30, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
26. Bluestein, Greg (January 7, 2017). "Vincent Fort's 2017 mayoral bid gets boost from Bernie Sanders". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
27. "Former Gov. Roy Barnes endorses Mayoral Candidate Vincent Fort".
28. . Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
29. "Our Revolution Announces Latest Round of Endorsements". Our Revolution. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
30. "Atlanta Progressive News Endorses Vincent Fort for Mayor - Vincent Fort for Atlanta Mayor". Retrieved January 29, 2018.^{[permanent dead link]}
31. Franklin, Kamau (October 11, 2017). . Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
32. "Mayor's race 2017: Sanders hosting Vincent Fort fundraiser on Saturday". Retrieved January 29, 2018.
33. Georgia, Log Cabin Republicans (September 14, 2017). "Georgia Log Cabin Republicans Preferred Candidates for the 2017 Atlanta Mayoral and City Council Election". Retrieved September 20, 2017.
34. . Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
35. "Peter Aman, Shirley Franklin announce support for Mary Norwood". wsbtv.com. November 27, 2017.
36. Maria Saporta (December 4, 2017). "Former City Council President Lisa Borders endorses Mary Norwood". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
37. "Atlanta City Council President Mitchell supports Norwood for mayor". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. November 21, 2017.
38. "Cathy Woolard endorses Mary Norwood for Atlanta mayor". thegavoice.com. November 29, 2017.
39. Galloway, Jim (May 9, 2017). "Mary Norwood picks up an early endorsement from Atlanta police union". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
40. Darnell, Tim (September 20, 2017). "Mayor's race 2017: Norwood gets firefighters endorsement". WXIA-TV. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
41. "Mary Norwood Atlanta Mayor". marynorwood.com. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
42. "Norwood grabs backing of Buckhead Coalition". fox5atlanta.com. November 16, 2017.
43. . Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2018.

External links

Campaign official websites

• Campaign website for Alex Barrella
• Campaign website for Keisha Lance Bottoms
• Campaign website for Vincent Fort
• Campaign website for Laban King
• Campaign website for Ceasar Mitchell
• Campaign website for Mary Norwood
• Campaign website for Cathy Woolard