Peterson is Lithonia’s new mayor

Tonya Peterson has been elected mayor of Lithonia, capturing 32 percent of the vote in a six-way race.

Peterson won 93 votes in Tuesday’s special election to lead the tiny southern DeKalb County city that has been in financial chaos for more than two years. The city teetered on bankruptcy in 2005 and has not had an audit of its finances since. It also has operated all year without an official city budget.

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April Hunt/ahunt@ajc.com

Tonya Peterson is a property manager who also serves as a chaplain’s assistant in the Air Force Reserve.

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A 39-year-old property manager, who also serves as a chaplain’s assistant in the Air Force Reserve, Peterson said getting the finances and other documents up to date will be her first order of business.

“Only once we get our house in order can we invite others into our house,” Peterson said. “We’ve been in the wilderness a little too long.”

Peterson was one of five city council members who became locked in a power struggle with Mayor Joyce McKibben last fall, after McKibben tried to fire the city police chief. The council immediately reinstated him, but the power struggle ground routine city business to a halt for months. Voters ousted McKibben from office in September, after just nine months in office.

McKibben ran again in the special election, winning 16 percent of the 289 votes cast, according to DeKalb County elections officials.

Health care consultant Rhonda Peek, who lost to McKibben last year by just two votes, came in second on Tuesday with 61 votes, or 21 percent of those who voted.

Attorney Deborah A. Jackson won 28 votes, while teacher Larry Miller earned 28 votes and former councilman Jackie Harbin won 24 votes. About 28 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the election.

Peterson will be sworn in as mayor during a special meeting Monday at City Hall. A new election must now be held to replace her seat on city council.