AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Atlanta on Election Day
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12:14 AM on Wednesday, October 29
By LEAH ASKARINAM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is running for reelection Tuesday against three lesser-known candidates, arguing that Atlanta has seen major improvements during his first term in office.
The race is nonpartisan, though Dickens is a Democrat. He faces former police officer Kalema Jackson, progressive Eddie Meredith and Republican Helmut “Love” Domagalski.
Dickens' campaign is spending $350,000 on ads, according to AdImpact, a firm that tracks advertising. He was the only candidate on air as of the week before Election Day.
While Dickens was an underdog in his 2021 election, he's in a much more favorable position this year. Atlanta has a long history of awarding mayors second terms if they seek reelection. Former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was an exception but she didn't seek a second term.
Candidates for Atlanta mayor must win a majority of votes to be elected. If no one surpasses that threshold, the top two vote getters would advance to a runoff election on Dec. 2.
Dickens was elected in a runoff election in 2021 after finishing second in the initial election to Felicia Moore.
Most of Atlanta's voters are in Fulton County, with a smaller number in DeKalb County.
Polls close in Atlanta at 8 p.m. ET.
The AP will provide vote results and declare winners in the general election for Atlanta mayor.
Registered voters in Atlanta may vote for mayor.
In 2024, about 199,000 people voted in the City Council At-Large election. About 75% of those votes were cast early in person, 5% cast by mail, and 20% cast in person on Election Day in person.
As of Tuesday, nearly 23,000 ballots had been cast before Election Day.
A little more than 97,000 people voted in the 2021 race for Atlanta mayor. Dekalb County first reported results almost an hour after polls closed, and Fulton County first reported votes about 15 minutes later. The election night tabulation ended at 1:49 a.m., with 99% of votes counted.
