Morning, y’all! Full moon tonight. It’s also a supermoon, and November’s full moon is called a beaver moon. With all that, it should really look like a giant Buc-ee’s sign.
Let’s get to it.
ELECTION TURNOUT
More than 1.5 million Georgians turned out for statewide and municipal elections yesterday, exceeding expectations. My polling place in Mableton had a line out the door and everyone I talked to said they were happy to wait if it meant seeing so many other people care.
Some results may still be rolling in, including for the job of Atlanta City Council president, where Marci Collier Overstreet has a tight lead over Rohit Malhotra. See the latest results here.
Atlanta overwhelmingly backed Mayor Andre Dickens for a second term
The AJC has a series on what a second Dickens term may mean for the city, and where his promises on things like housing and transit stand.
🔎 READ MORE: A look at Dickens’ policies
Regionalism | Housing | Transportation | Infrastructure | Crime
Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard scored seats on the PSC
The Public Service Commission special election was seen as a referendum on rising power bills. The Republican-majority board approved six Georgia Power rate increases in the last three years. Democrats haven’t won a seat on the commission since 2000.
🔎 READ MORE: Why the race mattered to state Republicans
School board races appear headed to runoffs
Voters picked new school board members in Decatur and Marietta, plus Gwinnett County residents approved an extension of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST). No candidate in the races for Atlanta school board districts 2, 6 and 8 had the majority, and seem to be headed for runoffs.
🔎 READ MORE: Details on those races
Elsewhere, Democrat Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Mayoral Election, upsetting status quos on both sides of the aisle. Virginia will have its first female governor in former Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger.
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EVEN MORE ELECTION TALK
Now that yesterday’s elections are in the can, it’s time to talk May primaries and 2026.
A new AJC poll shows two party front-runners for Georgia’s 2026 gubernatorial election, but when it comes to committing to a candidate, voters are still unsure.
- Bottoms on top for Dems: Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has about 40% support among likely primary voters. That’s a nearly 30-point advantage over her closest rival, former DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond.
- Jones highest for GOP: Lt. Gov. Burt Jones tops the Republican field with 22% of likely primary voters and an endorsement from President Donald Trump. This side of the race is tighter, though, with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at 15% and Attorney General Chris Carr at 7%. Don’t forget the fundraising beef between Carr and Jones.
🔎 READ MORE: A good portion of voters haven’t chosen a candidate, but it’s still early
MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS
🔓 Are we nearing the end of the record government shutdown? Talks are “intensifying” behind the scenes, as they say. Some insiders think the passing of yesterday’s elections may unstick some of the reticence.
📦 A fatal UPS plane crash caused fire and widespread damage at UPS’ largest global package handling facility in Kentucky. At least four people died and nearly a dozen were injured.
I am really tired of the pissing contest in Washington, D.C., between the men.
💬 ‘You are very different person than I thought you were.’ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was on “The View” yesterday, discussing her opinions that defy the political spectrum.
ATLANTA TRAFFIC: NOW WORSE IN NEW AND EXCITING WAYS
Ooh, fun fact: Wednesday is the worst traffic day in Atlanta, according to new research. Enjoy your drive today!
The latest version of the Urban Mobility Report from Texas A&M University reveals more Atlanta truths that are too accurate to hurt.
- Congestion is back, and then some: Traffic patterns changed when the pandemic put everyone’s commute in a martini shaker, but now congestion is even worse than before. Atlanta saw six hours of congestion per day last year, compared with roughly 4.5 hours in 2019.
- Off-hours traffic is up: The rise of more flexible work schedules gunks up midday commutes, making the 75/85 split a nightmare even at lunchtime. There’s a weird bright side to that, though. One of the report’s co-authors said without the spread-out hours, evening traffic would be even worse.
- You’ll never get those hours back: Atlanta motorists spent an average of 87 hours in traffic last year.
See, during the pandemic, I think everyone realized how valuable life is and how much of it they were wasting in traffic. My social circle has found it helpful to turn commutes into really intentional times, whether it’s keeping a juicy audiobook at the ready, committing to a series of podcasts or, one of my favorites, exploring different music genres.
Sometimes I put on Spotify’s “Today’s Top Hits” to see what the cool kids are listening to and pretend I’m a music critic. Taylor Swift, I have a few questions about the semantic structure of “The Fate of Ophelia.”
🔎 READ MORE: The most fascinating traffic report you may read this year
❓Trivia question: Atlanta is tied at ninth with two other cities for the worst traffic in the country. What are the other two cities? (Los Angeles was obviously No. 1.)
NEWS BITES
Initial College Football Playoff rankings have Georgia safely in the Top 12
Nine SEC teams in the Top 25, too.
How the NFL is broadening its appeal to women
We want to know the heart under the helmet, guys!
David Beckham knighted by King Charles III
That’s “Sir David Beckham” now.
This is why yoga classes warn you may cry in certain positions. Lots going on in there.
ON THIS DATE
Nov. 5, 1939
‘Gone With the Wind’ Premiere Here Dec. 15: “Gone With the Wind,” motion picture version of Margaret Mitchell’s world-famous novel, will have its world premiere in Atlanta on Friday night, December 15. Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and other stars in the technicolor production of the novel dealing with Atlanta during The War Between the States and Reconstruction Days will come here for a gala program that is expected to be as colorful and striking as the film itself.
If you live in the South, especially Atlanta, you have to have an opinion on “Gone With the Wind.” It doesn’t have to match anyone else’s; it’s just important to have one. And, admit it, no matter how you feel, you probably have a favorite dress from the film. Famed costume designer Walter Plunkett really popped off with that one.
ONE MORE THING
Trivia answer: The other two large cities tied at No. 9 for most congested are Chicago and Seattle.
The other correct answer is “the barbecue dress.”
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
