Atlanta election registration deadline looms

By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In less than a month, Atlanta will elect a new mayor, and voters in communities across metro Atlanta will go to the polls to choose new leaders as well.

Monday is the last day to register for the Nov. 3 election and possible Dec. 1 run-off.

In Atlanta, voters will choose members of the City Council, the Board of Education and municipal court judges for four year terms. Voters will also select a new city council president and perhaps most importantly, a new mayor. The term of current mayor Shirley Franklin – who served for two terms - is coming to an end.

Current City Council President Lisa Borders, City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, State Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta), and local attorney Jesse Spikes, are vying to succeed Franklin.

If none of the candidates receives at least 50 percent of the vote, plus one, a December runoff will pit the two top vote getters against each other. For the mayor’s race, none of the candidates is polling above 50 percent.

For voters looking to beat the long lines on Nov. 3, there is the option of early voting which will run from Oct. 13 until Oct. 23. Advanced voting will run from Oct. 26 - Oct. 30.

Log on to http://www.atlantaga.gov/media/mc_faqs_031009.aspx for a list of early and advanced voting sites.

For information on how to register, log on to the Georgia Secretary of State’s election page at sos.georgia.gov/elections.

Or, depending on where you live, contact the Fulton or DeKalb county departments of registration and elections.