NOTE: To view endorsements for the Dec. 2 runoff elections, visit our runoff endorsement tracker as this page will no longer be updated.

As the days count down to Atlanta’s Nov. 4 municipal elections, 59 candidates for school board, mayor, city council president and city council are jockeying for key endorsements that could sway voters from local civic leaders, political advocacy groups, and unions. While all citywide elections are nonpartisan, Atlanta voters and elected officials lean heavily Democratic. 

Here are the endorsements we’ve tracked so far:

Atlanta Board of Education

District 2  

Since Aretta Baldon announced she wasn’t running for reelection, this open seat has drawn three candidates: Marlissa Crawford, Tony Mitchell, and Stephen Owens.

Mitchell is endorsed by:

Owens is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

District 4

Incumbent Jennifer McDonald is facing a challenge from Sanjay Mendonca.

McDonald is endorsed by:

  • Former Atlanta Public Schools Interim Superintendent Danielle Battle
  • Post 2, At-Large Atlanta City Councilmember Matt Westmoreland

Mendonca is endorsed by Equity in Education

District 6

Incumbent Tolton Pace, who was appointed by the school board, faces four challengers for the remainder of the seat’s four-year term: Michael Hopkins, Patreece Hutcherson, Jonathan Leon, and Tyrese Miller.

Leon is endorsed by:

Miller is endorsed by District 12 Councilmember Antonio Lewis.

Hutcherson is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Seat 8, At-Large

Cynthia Briscoe Brown is not running for reelection. The three challengers for her seat are: Kaycee Brock, Royce Mann, and Aisha Stith.

Mann has received numerous endorsements from, notably:

  • Georgia Working Families Party
  • Run For Something
  • Former Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin
  • District 12 Councilmember Lewis
  • District 5 Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari
  • State Rep. Gabriel Sanchez (D-Smyrna)
  • Otha Thornton, 53rd National PTA President
  • Civil rights leader Charles A. Black
  • Tarece Johnson-Morgan, Vice Chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Education
  • State Rep. Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta)
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • Mann is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Brock is endorsed by:

  • District 4 Councilmember Jason Dozier.
  • Former US Ambassador to the United Nations and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
  • District 10 Councilmember Andrea Boone
  • Georgia Men For Democracy Now
  • State Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta)
  • Equity in Education

Atlanta Mayor 

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has drawn three challengers: Helmut “Love” Domagalski, Kalema Jackson, and Eddie Andrew Meredith.

Dickens has the endorsement of the Atlanta Professional Firefighters, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 134, The Black Slate, The Collective PAC, US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta).

Atlanta City Council President

Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman is not seeking reelection. Current District 11 Councilmember Marci Collier Overstreet is running against Rohit Malhotra, the founder of the Center for Civic Innovation.

Malhotra has racked up endorsements from: 

Overstreet is endorsed by: 

  • Mayor Andre Dickens
  • US Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Atlanta)
  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1644
  • State Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta)
  • Georgia Men for Democracy Now
  • The Black Slate
  • Atlanta City Councilmembers Jason Winston (District 1), Byron Amos (District 3), Alex Wan (District 6), Mary Norwood (District 8), Matt Westmoreland (Post 2 At-Large)
  • Progressive Firefighters of Atlanta Labor Organization
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • Equity in Education
  • Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson (Georgia)
  • Former Atlanta Mayor and US Ambassador to the UN Andrew Young
  • Former Atlanta City Councilmember Derrick Boazman
  • State Rep. Inga Willis (D-Atlanta)

Notably, neither the Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council nor The Black Slate, the political arm of the Shrine of the Black Madonna, made endorsements in this contest.

Atlanta City Council

All 15 Atlanta City Council seats are up for election. However, seven incumbents are running unopposed: Matt Westmoreland for Post 2 At-Large, Eshé Collins for Post 3 At-Large, Jason Winston for District 1, Liliana Bakhtiari for District 5, Alex Wan for District 6, Mary Norwood for District 8, and Andrea Boone for District 10. 

Post 1 At-Large:

Incumbent Michael Julian Bond has drawn two challengers: Juan Mendoza and Matthew Rinker.

Bond is endorsed by:

  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • The Black Slate
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta).

Mendoza is endorsed by:

Rinker is endorsed by:

  • LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
  • Georgia Conservation Voters
  • Rinker is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

District 2:

Councilmember Amir Farokhi resigned to become Head of the Galloway School in August. On Sept. 15, the Atlanta City Council appointed disability advocate Carden Wyckoff as the interim replacement until his term ends in January. She will assume Farokhi’s positions on the Transportation and Zoning Committees and the Committee on Council.  

Six candidates initially qualified to run in the hotly contested race for the Midtown district: Kelsea Bond, Jacob Chambers, Alex Bevel Jones, Rod Mack, Courtney Smith, and James White.

Mack was disqualified in October by the Municipal Clerk because his address had been redistricted to District 4.

Bond has racked up over a dozen endorsements: 

  • Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)
  • Georgia Working Families Party
  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 77
  • LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
  • Run For Something
  • State Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta)
  • State Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta)
  • State Rep. Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta) 
  • Georgia Conservation Voters 
  • Abundant Housing Atlanta 
  • Lead Locally 
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 161
  • Sierra Club

Smith is endorsed by:

  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134.
  • International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local Chapter 623
  • Atlanta City Councilmember Westmoreland (Post 2 At-Large).
  • State Rep. Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta)

Chambers is endorsed by Thread ATL

District 3 

Incumbent Byron Amos faces Perrin Bostic. 

Amos is endorsed by:

  • The Black Slate
  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134
  • State Sen. Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta)
  • Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin
  • Former DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • Former Atlanta Mayor and US Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young

Bostic is endorsed by:

  • Georgia Working Families Party
  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
  • Georgia Conservation Voters
  • Abundant Housing Atlanta
  • Lead Locally
  • State Rep. Derrick Jackson (D-Tyrone)
  • Airport Workers United
  • Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
  • Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 732
  • Bostic is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
  • Georgia Men for Democracy Now

District 4

Incumbent Jason Dozier is running against “Sister” DeBorah Williams.

Dozier has attracted many endorsements, including: 

  • Georgia Working Families Party
  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • Georgia Equality
  • Sierra Club
  • AFSCME Local 1644
  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134
  • Service Employees International Unions (SEIU) Local 1985
  • Professional Association of City Employees (PACE)
  • Abundant Housing Atlanta
  • Thread ATL
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • Sierra Club
  • Dozier is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

District 7 

Longtime Councilmember Howard Shook is not seeking reelection. The open seat has attracted five challengers: Jamie Christy, Allen Daly, Thad Flowers, Rebecca King, and Thomas Worthy.

Flowers is endorsed by:

  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
  • Flowers is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Worthy is endorsed by:

  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134
  • Abundant Housing Atlanta
  • Thread ATL
  • Sierra Club
  • Mayor Andre Dickens
  • Outgoing District 7 Councilmember Howard Shook
  • Post 2, At-Large Councilmember Matt Westmoreland
  • State Sen. Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta)
  • International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local Chapter 623
  • State Rep. Betsy Holland (D-Atlanta)
  • Better Community PAC
  • Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
  • Georgia Men for Democracy Now PAC

District 9

Incumbent Dustin Hillis is being challenged by Charles Bourgeois.

Bourgeois has the endorsement of:

  • Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council
  • The Black Slate
  • Run For Something
  • State Rep. Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta) 
  • State Rep. Eric Bell (D-Jonesboro)
  • LaTonya Gates Johnson, founder of PAWKids
  • Professional Association fo City Employees (PACE) – Atlanta chapter
  • Bourgeois is the recommended candidate by the Atlanta chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

Hillis is endorsed by:

  • Atlanta Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 134
  • Abundant Housing Atlanta
  • Thread ATL
  • US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta)
  • International Brotherhood of Police Officers
  • Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council
  • Atlanta Realtors’ Association

District 11 

Marci Collier Overstreet, who currently holds the seat, is running for city council president. Her open seat has drawn the most crowded field of any local race.  Ten candidates initially qualified to run: Toni Belin-Ingram, Andre Burgin, Curt Collier, Steven Dingle, Harold Hardnett, Nate Jester, Keith Lewis, Wayne Martin, Reginald Rushin, and Sherry Williams.

Marci Collier Overstreet, who currently holds the seat, is running for city council president. Her open seat has drawn the most crowded field of any local race.  Ten candidates initially qualified to run: Toni Belin-Ingram, Andre Burgin, Curt Collier, Steven Dingle, Harold Hardnett, Nate Jester, Keith Lewis,Wayne Martin, Reginald Rushin, and Sherry Williams.

However, on Sept. 22 the Municipal Clerk disqualified Lewis and Williams for failing to meet residency requirements. Lewis did not contest the decision. Williams appealed, but her disqualification was upheld by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick on Oct. 7.

Jester is endorsed by:

Lewis (disqualified) was endorsed by the city of South Fulton’s District 7 Councilmember Linda Pritchett.

Martin is endorsed by:

  • The Black Slate
  • SpelHouse PAC, which supports alumni of Spelman and Morehouse Colleges
  • Georgia Men for Democracy Now
  • Former US Ambassador to the United Nations and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
  • Atlanta City Councilmember Westmoreland (Post 2 At-Large)
  • Mayor Dickens
  • Equity in Education

District 12

Incumbent Antonio Lewis is being challenged by Delvin Davis and Stephanie Flowers.

  • Davis is endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
  • Lewis is endorsed by Georgia Working Families Party, Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, Thread ATL, US Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta).
  • Flowers is endorsed by Georgia Conservation Voters, Abundant Housing Atlanta and Sierra Club.

Note: This list will be updated as endorsements are announced. If we’ve missed anything, please email: alessandro@atlantaciviccircle.org

Alessandro is an award-winning reporter who before calling Atlanta home worked in Cambodia and Florida. There he covered human rights, the environment, criminal justice as well as arts and culture.

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