Atlanta charts a new course

Atlanta elected its 61st mayor in a historic contest. Not in thirty years has a mayoral candidate ridden such a slim margin of victory to such a decisive election. Even more impressive, Andre Dickens delivered with 64% of a light voter turnout – typical in a runoff – and after winning none of the city’s 12 council districts in the general election.

Atlanta’s voters declared they wanted change at the legislative level as well:

• The electorate turned down a five-term City Council member for president and incumbents in Districts 4 and 12 in favor of newcomers.
• Four additional new council members won open seats (Post 3 At-large and Districts 1, 3, 5).
• Five of the former councilmembers averaged more than 16 years of elected service, making this one of the youngest and least tenured councils in recent memory..

Why it matters: This will certainly introduce some new contours to policymaking and agenda setting for the next four years.

Ohio River South is proud of our many contributions to elect and advise #sixtyone (please read how in James Magazine), and we look forward to working with all of Atlanta’s leaders on this new course for our city.