Atlanta mayoral election, 2009
Encyclopedia
A municipal election in the City of Atlanta was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. Atlanta is the capital of the state
of Georgia
and is the largest city in Georgia and is the center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area
in the South
.
Voters will fill the offices of mayor of Atlanta, members of the Atlanta City Council
and members of the Atlanta Board of Education, for terms commencing January 2010 and ending January 2014. Voters will also vote in retention election
s on a number of Municipal Court judges. The election is non-partisan, meaning that political party
affiliations do not appear on the ballot.
If no candidate seeking election to any office receives a simple majority
vote (50 percent plus one vote among those who cast ballots), a municipal general runoff election
will be held on December 1 between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the particular office or offices. If a runoff is required to fill the seat of mayor, Council president, at-large Council member or members, or at-large Board of Education member or members, such election will be held at all of the regular precinct
s citywide. If a runoff is required to fill district Council or Board of Education seats, runoffs will be held at all of the particular precincts within each applicable council or board of education voting district only.
and head of the executive branch
, which carries out the laws that have been instituted by the Council. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day operations of city government.
Incumbent mayor Shirley Franklin
was prevented by term limit
s from running for another term in 2009.
The four leading mayoral candidates, based on standing in polls, took part in a final debate sponsored by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV
were City Council President Lisa Borders
, City Councilwoman Mary Norwood
, state Senator Kasim Reed
, and attorney Jesse Spikes
. Minor candidates included Peter Brownlowe, Kyle Keyser, and write-in candidates. Previously on October 14, 2009, Emory University sponsored a debate which included the six front running candidates.
Mary Norwood received the most votes in the November election but did not win a majority. Therefore, she and Kasim Reed, who placed second, advanced to a runoff where Kasim Reed won the election.
s. Twelve are elected in single-member districts by area, while three are elected at-large
from one-third (four) of the 12 voting districts (referred to as "posts").
The President of the Council is elected from the city at-large and is the presiding officer of the Council, acting as chair of all Council meetings. The President of the Council votes on the Council only in case of a tie
. The President of the Council appoints chairs and members of the various committees, subject to rejection by a majority of the Council and also acts as acting mayor (exercising all powers and discharging all duties of the mayor) in case of a vacancy in that office or during the disability of the mayor.
There were three candidates for Council President: Ceasar C. Mitchell
, Clair McLeod Muller, and Dave Gregory Walker.
Mitchell placed first in the November election, with 48.67% of the vote, but not a majority. Therefore, he and Muller, who placed second, advanced to a December runoff.
. The Board consists of nine members, representing six geographical districts and three "at-large" districts. One person is elected per district to represent the schools in a given district for a four-year term.
All the judges were retained.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and is the largest city in Georgia and is the center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area
Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas
thumb|An enlargeable map of the 942 [[Core Based Statistical Area]]s of the [[United States]]. The 367 [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]]s are shown in red....
in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
Voters will fill the offices of mayor of Atlanta, members of the Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council
Atlanta City Council is the main municipal legislative body for the city of Atlanta, Georgia. It consists of 15 members elected from districts within the city. The Atlanta City Government is divided into three bodies: the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The Atlanta City Council serves...
and members of the Atlanta Board of Education, for terms commencing January 2010 and ending January 2014. Voters will also vote in retention election
Retention election
A judicial retention election is a periodic process whereby a judge is subject to a referendum held at the same time as a general election...
s on a number of Municipal Court judges. The election is non-partisan, meaning that political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
affiliations do not appear on the ballot.
If no candidate seeking election to any office receives a simple majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
vote (50 percent plus one vote among those who cast ballots), a municipal general runoff election
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
will be held on December 1 between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the particular office or offices. If a runoff is required to fill the seat of mayor, Council president, at-large Council member or members, or at-large Board of Education member or members, such election will be held at all of the regular precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
s citywide. If a runoff is required to fill district Council or Board of Education seats, runoffs will be held at all of the particular precincts within each applicable council or board of education voting district only.
Mayor
The Mayor is the city's chief executive officerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and head of the executive branch
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, which carries out the laws that have been instituted by the Council. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day operations of city government.
Incumbent mayor Shirley Franklin
Shirley Franklin
Shirley Clarke Franklin is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002 to 2010...
was prevented by term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s from running for another term in 2009.
The four leading mayoral candidates, based on standing in polls, took part in a final debate sponsored by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV
WSB-TV
WSB-TV, virtual channel 2.1 , is the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship television station of Cox Enterprises and its Cox Media Group subsidiary...
were City Council President Lisa Borders
Lisa Borders
Lisa Michelle Borders currently serves as president of the Atlanta City Council of Atlanta, Georgia, having been elected citywide in an August 10, 2004 special election, her first run for public office. Her duties include presiding over and maintaining relationships with the city government's. She...
, City Councilwoman Mary Norwood
Mary Norwood
Mary Norwood was a 2009 mayoral candidate in Atlanta and a city councilwoman in Atlanta, Georgia, representing Post 2 At Large. Norwood was elected to the Atlanta City Council in 2001.-2009 Atlanta mayoral election:...
, state Senator Kasim Reed
Kasim Reed
Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, is a Democratic politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002...
, and attorney Jesse Spikes
Jesse Spikes
Jesse Spikes is a corporate lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, who was a candidate in the 2009 Atlanta mayoral race.-Early life:...
. Minor candidates included Peter Brownlowe, Kyle Keyser, and write-in candidates. Previously on October 14, 2009, Emory University sponsored a debate which included the six front running candidates.
Mary Norwood received the most votes in the November election but did not win a majority. Therefore, she and Kasim Reed, who placed second, advanced to a runoff where Kasim Reed won the election.
City Council members and President of the City Council
The City Council has fifteen members. The Council's role is to advise the mayor and pass local ordinanceLocal ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s. Twelve are elected in single-member districts by area, while three are elected at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
from one-third (four) of the 12 voting districts (referred to as "posts").
The President of the Council is elected from the city at-large and is the presiding officer of the Council, acting as chair of all Council meetings. The President of the Council votes on the Council only in case of a tie
Casting vote
A casting vote is a vote given to the presiding officer of a council or legislative body to resolve a deadlock and which can be exercised only when such a deadlock exists...
. The President of the Council appoints chairs and members of the various committees, subject to rejection by a majority of the Council and also acts as acting mayor (exercising all powers and discharging all duties of the mayor) in case of a vacancy in that office or during the disability of the mayor.
There were three candidates for Council President: Ceasar C. Mitchell
Ceasar Mitchell
Ceasar Mitchell is the President of the Atlanta City Council, the second highest ranking public position in the City of Atlanta government. He has held this post since being elected in 2009 after serving for many years as city councilman representing Post 1 At Large. He is also a Senior Attorney...
, Clair McLeod Muller, and Dave Gregory Walker.
Mitchell placed first in the November election, with 48.67% of the vote, but not a majority. Therefore, he and Muller, who placed second, advanced to a December runoff.
Board of education
The Atlanta Board of Education establishes and approves the policies that govern the Atlanta Public SchoolsAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools is a school district based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. APS is run by the Atlanta Board of Education with interim superintendent Erroll Davis...
. The Board consists of nine members, representing six geographical districts and three "at-large" districts. One person is elected per district to represent the schools in a given district for a four-year term.
City of Atlanta Municipal Court Judges
The following current City of Atlanta Municipal Court Judges were on the November 3, 2009 ballots for either dismissal or retention:- Honorable Deborah S. Greene (Chief Judge)
- Honorable Howard R. Johnson
- Honorable Clinton E. Deveaux
- Honorable Andrew A. Mickle
- Honorable Barbara A. Harris
- Honorable Catherine E. Malicki
- Honorable Elaine L. Carlisle
- Honorable Herman L. Sloan
- Honorable Calvin S. Graves
- Honorable Gary E. Jackson
- Honorable Crystal A. Gaines
All the judges were retained.
External links
- City of Atlanta Election Central
- League of Women Voters of DeKalb County's page on Atlanta Elections
- http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/courts/judges.aspx