Atlanta Mayor: Turnout better than anticipated

By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Turnout in the Atlanta mayoral runoff is better than expected, Fulton County officials say.

About 30 percent of Atlanta voters cast their ballots on Nov. 3, and officials had projected about half of those who voted the first time would return for the runoff matching Mary Norwood against Kasim Reed.

"I've been talking to some of the poll managers and they say turnout has been pretty good and steady," Barry Garner, director of elections, said around 5:30 p.m. "It might equal the turnout we had in November or if not get very close."

Turnout was very light early, then picked up as the mercury climbed.

Temperatures were near the freezing mark when precincts opened at 7 a.m., but warmed into the mid-50s. Polls are open until 8 p.m.

At Inman Middle School in Virginia Highland, poll workers said 700 people had voted by 2:15 p.m., compared to just under 1,000 for the whole day during the general election.

Norwood voted just before 7:30 a.m. at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, where three voters were waiting to cast ballots when the polls opened.

Reed cast his ballot about 10 a.m. at Ralph Bunche Middle School in southwest Atlanta.

Afterwards, Reed said that if Norwood is elected, he would be over to help her out and unify the city, and would expect the same from her if he wins the election.

Reed planned to continue campaigning at a busy Midtown intersection Tuesday afternoon.

After she voted, Norwood met with the media outside the precinct, saying, "I think more people know about this election than the polls would lead us to believe, and I think we're going to do well."

"We are going to be working all day long to get our supporters out," Norwood said. "This is a historic day in Atlanta because I have worked for 20 years for communities all across the city, and today represents an opportunity for the citizens to vote for change in the city, for a new direction in the city, for us to really bring the city together."

Taxes were foremost on the minds of voters at Peachtree Presbyterian.

Poll supervisor John Packman told the AJC at 8:30 a.m. that turnout was good for a runoff. About 75 of 1550 registered voters in the precinct cast a ballot within the first hour and a half of voting.

Frances Puckett, 47, said she estimates her property taxes have gone up by 50 percent since 1992.

"Basically the property taxes are the big thing for the city of Atlanta," Puckett told the AJC.

Jim Cape, an Atlanta resident since 1955, said "I feel like the city of Atlanta is ready for some change in terms of getting the place cleaned up and working like it's supposed to work. Taxes are way too high and they're not going to come down anytime soon."

Bob Miner, an Atlanta resident since 1963, said public safety needs to top the new administration's agenda. Miner has a wholesale showroom at the America's Mart and talks to a lot of out-of-towners in the course of doing business.

"The most important thing is crime in the city and the panhandling that goes on in the city," Miner told an AJC reporter. "We depend on a lot of tourists coming here and they want to feel safe when they come."

A steady trickle of voters were entering and exiting the Druid Hills Baptist Church around 11 a.m.

Poll manager Julius Eason said about 225 of 2,500 registered voters showed up to choose the next Atlanta mayor and city council president. Voter turnout was about the same for the runoff as it was for the first election last month, Eason said.

The turnout was a little lower at the Crosby Spears Towers on North Avenue in Midtown, where only 140 of 2,150 registered voters had voted by 11:30 a.m.

Poll workers at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta in Midtown said the turnout is slightly better than it was for the election a month ago. As of 9:45 a.m., 113 of 1,698 registered voters had made their choice for Atlanta's next leader.

Dan Needle, 45, of Atlanta, said "it's all about the budget, because of the infrastructure, police, fire, rescue. I haven't noticed it, but you definitely hear about it. Especially being a taxpayer, it's a little scary."

Erin Yarbroudy, an Ansley Park resident, said Atlanta's reputation has suffered because of problems with crime, infrastructure, job losses and transportation issues. "It goes back to the rap we have nationally and what it should and easily could be."

Eben Hardie, an Ansley Park resident, predicted a close race. "Voting is going to break down along racial lines. The challenge for the next mayor is how do you get past that and bring the community together?"

Voting was proceeding smoothly, officials said.

"A few people have called not knowing where they vote at," Garner said. "No machine failures, no voters turned away, no major problems."

Metro residents also will elect new mayors in the cities of Clarkston, East Point and Roswell, and will get to choose four new members of the Georgia Legislature.

No candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote in these races on Nov. 3, so the top two finishers are facing each other in runoffs.

The headline race is the battle for Atlanta mayor, which pits two-term City Councilwoman Norwood against Reed, who resigned his state senate seat to run for the job.

Several polls suggest the race is tight and both candidates have attacked each other's record with increased intensity. The volatile issue of race is also a factor in the runoff. Most voters cast their ballots along racial lines in the Nov. 3 general election, and Norwood has said "some" are trying to divide the city along racial lines in this election. Norwood is white and Reed is black.

Reed and Norwood held rallies Monday evening. The winner will succeed Mayor Shirley Franklin, who was prevented by term limits from running for a third consecutive term. She's endorsed Reed, who managed both of her winning mayoral campaigns.

Atlanta voters will also choose between city council members Ceasar Mitchell and Clair Muller for council president and pick either Amir Farokhi or Aaron Watson for an at-large seat on the council. Residents who live in a portion of east-central Atlanta will elect either Liz Coyle or Alex Wan to serve as the District 6 representative on the council.

Atlanta's population has increased by about 30 percent since 2000, and Georgia's capital city is facing financial challenges largely due to the economic recession and rising pension costs.

In Roswell, Fulton County's second most populous city, the outspoken incumbent Mayor Jere Wood is trying to fend off a challenge from David Tolleson, a low-key former councilman.

At the Roswell 10 precinct at a community center on Mimosa Drive, traditionally one of the city's busiest precincts, about 100 voters had cast ballots by 9:30 a.m.

Poll workers reported that the turnout was lighter than in November, when 29 percent of eligible voters turned out. While there were virtually no voters waiting at 7 a.m., the pace picked up by mid-morning. However, by late morning, the turnout in Roswell was still well below that of the November election, with voting tapering off at Roswell United Methodist Church, Roswell First Baptist Church and at Crossroads Second Chance North School.

Shortly before noon, 160 of the 3,000 registered voters had cast ballots at Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Roswell. Poll manager Louise McCann said the voting has come in spurts. She predicted more people would turn out after 5 p.m.

Roswell resident Barbara Zdrojewski said she voted because it's a close race.

"We even have visitors in from Italy," she said. "We told them we'd be right back."

Wood was getting support from voters who like his efforts on parks and cycling, and the way he's addressing illegal immigration.

"I think Jere Wood has been doing a great job with parks and recreation," Steve Heil said. "It's important because it's our second biggest budget item."

In East Point, Atlanta's neighbor to the south, incumbent Mayor Joseph Macon is battling Earnestine Pittman, who resigned her council seat to run for the city's top job. Macon and Pittman were on opposite sides on a vote to permanently hire its city manager, which has become a hot topic here.

Clarkston will have its first mayoral runoff in its 127-year history. Businessman Howard Tygrett faces off against council member Pat Davis-Morris.

Other cities with council seats on the runoff ballot include Alpharetta, College Park, Doraville, Duluth, Forest Park, Lawrenceville and Peachtree City.

Staff writers Andria Simmons, Pat Fox, Megan Matteucci, Eric Stirgus, Rachel Tobin Ramos and Larry Hartstein,  and photographer John Spink contributed to this article.