More than 80 people are running for city leadership positions across DeKalb County this fall.
Each of the 12 cities has at least two city council seats on the ballot, and several cities could pick new mayors.
For at least two cities — Brookhaven and Pine Lake — new leadership is guaranteed because the current mayors are term-limited and can’t seek re-election. Four candidates are running in Brookhaven to succeed John Ernst and two are running in Pine Lake to replace Melanie Hammet.
There’s also a competitive race in Stonecrest, the county’s largest city, that could result in new leadership. Mayor Jazzmin Cobble was first elected in 2022 in a special election after the previous mayor pled guilty to stealing federal pandemic relief funds. Cobble faces four challengers in her bid for re-election.
Doraville could also see a new mayor. Joseph Geierman, who is in his first term, faces one challenger.
Countywide, voters will also decide whether to extend the county’s 1-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and another 1-cent sales tax that reduces property taxes for certain homeowners. The special purpose tax is expected to generate about $850 million over six years for capital improvement projects and will be divided between the county and the cities.
You can check your voter registration status online at mvp.sos.ga.gov. The voter registration deadline for November’s election is Oct. 10. Early voting starts Oct. 16. Voters seeking to vote by absentee ballot must request one by Oct. 27.
Below, see the full list of candidates who were certified by the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections:
Avondale Estates
The mayor’s seat and two City Commission seats are on the ballot.
Mayor Jonathan Elmore, who first took office in 2016, is running unopposed.
Graham Reiney and Michael Smith qualified for the City Commissioner seats, which are at-large. Commissioners Brian Fisher and Dee Merriam, who hold the seats currently, are not seeking reelection.
Brookhaven
The mayor’s seat and three City Council seats are up for election.
Four people qualified to run for mayor: Mark Douglas Frost, Hilerie Lind, Lauren Kiefer and John Park.
District 1 Council member Linley Jones faces two challenges: Alan Cole and Michael Diaz.
In District 3, incumbent Madeleine Simmons is running unopposed.
Voters will also select a candidate in a special election in District 2 to fill out Park’s remaining term after he resigned to run for mayor. Candidate filing has not concluded.
Chamblee
Three of the city’s five City Council seats are up for election.
In District 2, Council member Leslie Robson faces two challengers: Michael Braun and Ian Sandison.
In District 3, Council member Paul Stovall is running against Ben Quackenbush.
District 4 Council member Elmer Veith is running for re-election unopposed.
Clarkston
Three of six City Council seats are up for election. All of the seats are at-large.
Council members Awet Eyasu, Debra Johnson and Laura Hopkins are seeking re-election. They face challenges from Adrianna Danley, Krista Durant, Charles Jenkins, Dean Sumner Moore and Mark Perkins.
Decatur
Three City Commission seats and two Board of Education seats are on the ballot.
Incumbent Tony Powers is seeking re-election to an at-large City Commission seat and is unopposed.
Commissioner George Dusenbury is seeking re-election to the District 1 Post B seat. He is also running unopposed.
Commissioner Lesa Mayer is running to keep the District 2 Post B seat.
In the Board of Education races, incumbent James Herndon is seeking re-election to the Board of Education District 1 Post B seat. He is running unopposed. Tracey Anderson and India Phipps Epps are running for the District 2 Post B seat.
Doraville
The mayor’s seat and three City Council seats are on the ballot.
Mayor Joseph Geierman is seeking a second term. He faces a challenge from Tom Hart.
Councilman Andy Yeoman is seeking re-election to the District 1 Post 2 seat. Councilman Warren Simmons is seeking re-election to the District 1 Post 3 seat. Both are running unopposed.
Three have filed to run for the District 2 Post 2 seat: Carrie Armistead, Ben Crawford and MD Naser. Maria Alexander is not seeking re-election.
Dunwoody
The mayor’s seat and three City Council seats are on the ballot. The council seats are at-large.
Mayor Lynn Deutsch is seeking re-election and is unopposed.
For the District 1 Post 4 seat, two are running. Incumbent Stacey Harris faces a challenge from Chris Ozor.
Two are running for the District 2 Post 5 seat. Incumbent Joe Seconder faces a challenge from Marianella Lopez.
Councilmember John Heneghan is running unopposed for re-election to the District 3 Post 6 seat.
Lithonia
The mayor’s seat and two City Council seats are up for election.
Mayor Shameka Reynolds is seeking re-election and is unopposed.
Four people are running for two at-large council seats. Council members Darold Honore Jr. and Vanneriah Wynn are seeking re-election. William “Ric” Dodd and Fred Westbrook also are running.
Pine Lake
The mayor’s seat and two City Council seats are on the ballot.
Two qualified to run for mayor: Brandy Hall and Moira Nelligan.
Three are running for two at-large council seats. Incumbent Nívea Castro is seeking re-election. Jeff Goldberg and Thomas Torrent are also running. Council member Tracey Brantley is not seeking re-election.
Stonecrest
Voters will elect a mayor and two City Council members.
Mayor Jazzmin Cobble is seeking her first full term. She was first elected in 2022 in a special election. She faces challenges from Diane Adoma, Kirby Frazier Jr., Dele Lowman and Bernard Smith Jr.
Three are running for the Post 2 council seat, including incumbent Rob Turner. He faces a challenge from Terry Fye and Belinda Hull.
Two are running for the Post 4 council seat. Incumbent George Turner faces a challenge from Malaika “Wells” Geuka.
Stone Mountain
Three at-large City Council seats are on the ballot.
Five are running for the Post 1 seat. Incumbent Gina Stroud Cox faces a challenge from Anita Bass, Joan Monroe, Beverly Howard-Patterson and Mike Shaaphok.
Three are running for the Post 2 seat. Incumbent Clint Monroe faces a challenge from Mark Marianos and Hannah Pizano.
Four are running for the Post 3 seat: Grace Kelly, Richard Mailman, India Pullin and Ryan M. Smith. Councilmember Chakira Johnson is not seeking re-election.
Tucker
Three City Council seats are up for election.
Incumbent Virginia Rece is seeking re-election to the District 1 Post 2 seat. She faces a challenge from Karen Berry.
Three qualified for the District 2 Post 2 seat: Patrice Cosby, Vinh Nguyen and Derik West. Incumbent Noelle Monferdini is term-limited.
Three qualified for the District 3 Post 2 seat: Simone Pacely, Edgar Tingley and Amy Trocchi. Anne Lerner is term-limited.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said Brookhaven voters would pick two City Council members. They will pick three. Additionally, in Decatur, Tracey Anderson qualified to run for the City Board of Education District 2 Post B seat.
