Atlantans say mayoral campaign lacked energy

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday’s mayoral election was like the NFL preseason.

There’s was a lot of posturing, pontificating and predictions without any real outcome.

That comes a month from now.

At least that’s the reason some Atlantans gave for not voting Tuesday.

And, as Jackie Stephenson said, nothing’s changed. Stephenson, 54, has lived in Grant Park for 20 years. She said she’s seen the drug dealers go away – two blocks away – and the same number of police officers patrol the streets as the city’s population ballooned.

“There’s not enough police officers. Either they don’t care, or they are doing other things,” said Stephenson, 54, who was eating breakfast with friends Wednesday during a weekly meeting at the Silver Skillet in Midtown.

At the Thumb’s Up diner across town in the city’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, James Williams said the mayoral candidates were all saying the same thing – and it’s the same thing he’s heard for years: high crime, a lot of poverty.

And the candidates lacked energy--Williams said he just didn’t feel it.

“I had to hold out this time,” said Williams, 52, who grew up in that neighborhood on Howell Street. “All that time you’re looking for that leader.”

It’s a leader who needs to be out in the neighborhoods, talking to longtime, elderly residents, saying he or she is going to literally clean up the neighborhoods, he said.

“It’s amazing all of that trash you see,” Williams said.

Cecilia Marrero said she cast her ballot for third-place finisher Lisa Borders – and did so based on talking to her roommates.

“They have similar interests,” said Marrero, 27, who was coming out of the Flying Biscuit Café in Candler Park.

While race has played a significant role in previous runoffs for Atlanta’s mayor, Marrero and others said it shouldn’t – and doesn’t play a role for them.

“It depends upon how well-rounded a candidate is and how they pick and choose their issues,” Marrero said.

Race was the chief reason why the national press was watching Atlanta. It could be the first time in decades that the city elects a white mayor.

The question of race drew a little bit of a debate between friends finishing up breakfast at the Majestic Diner in Poncey-Highland.

“That’s what everybody talks about,” said Joseph Stevenson, 27.

But Emily Tornroos, 21, just shook her head.

“I wish that wasn’t an issue,” she said.

Stevenson disagreed.

“Why should that not be an issue?” he asked.