DeKalb County voters will decide major races on Election Day
Besides casting ballots for president, DeKalb voters will also elect the county's next CEO, decide whether to create the city of Stonecrest and extend tax breaks for homeowners.
The Nov. 8 general election ballot is packed with competitive local races across DeKalb.
Every voter in the county will be able to cast ballots between Democrat Mike Thurmond and Republican Jack Lovelace to become the government's chief executive officer. In addition, Sheriff Jeff Mann, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Harold Dennis.
For the DeKalb Board of Commissioners, eight candidates are running to represent a district that covers more than 350,000 people who live in the eastern half of the county. The winner will fill the term of former DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson, who resigned in March to make an unsuccessful run for tax commissioner. The candidates are Gregory Adams, Diane Adoma, George Chidi, Faye Coffield, Randal Mangham, Ed Patton, Rita Robinzine and John Tolbert.
Other races of note:
- Voters in southeast DeKalb will decide whether to incorporate the city of Stonecrest, which would be located near the city of Lithonia and Stonecrest Mall.
- A ballot question asks whether DeKalb should continue a tax break for homeowners. The exemption gives residents a discount on their taxes to offset increases in county taxes caused when property values increase.
- Democrat Steve Bradshaw faces Republican Willie Willis for a County Commission district covering Stone Mountain and surrounding areas in east-central DeKalb. Bradshaw defeated incumbent Sharon Barnes Sutton in a Democratic primary runoff election in July.
- Several DeKalb seats in the Georgia General Assembly will be decided. Republican Carl Anuszczyk is running against Democrat Vernon Jones, Democrat Tonya Anderson is challenging Republican Sen. JaNice Van Ness, and Democratic Rep. Taylor Bennett is competing against Republican Meagan Hanson.
- A few other incumbents also have opposition: Republican Sen. Fran Millar faces Democrat Tamara Johnson-Shealey, Democratic Sen. Elena Parent faces Republican Kenneth Quarterman, Democratic Sen. Gloria Butler faces Republican Annette Davis Jackson, and Democratic Rep. Scott Holcomb faces Republican Lane Flynn.
Early voting sites will be open in DeKalb from Oct. 17 to Nov. 4. Voters must report to their assigned polling places to cast ballots on Election Day. Here is where you can early vote in DeKalb County.
For a full listing of DeKalb County races, click here to view a sample ballot.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
