Clayton County to hold special election to replace school board member

Aleika Anderson, a former member of the Clayton County school board, is running for District 1 of the Clayton County Commission.

Aleika Anderson, a former member of the Clayton County school board, is running for District 1 of the Clayton County Commission.

Clayton County will hold a special election to fill the seat of school board member Aleika Anderson, who qualified this week to run for the south metro Atlanta community’s county commission.

Anderson, who was vice chairwoman of the board and represented District 8, is seeking the seat of former Clayton Commissioner Sonna Singleton Gregory. Gregory died in May after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

Clayton Board of Education Chairwoman Jessie Goree said Anderson would have to step down from the position because the law does not allow a candidate who qualified for a new office to run while simultaneously holding another municipal seat.

A special election for Gregory’s seat will be held Sept. 21, with a run-off set for Oct. 19 if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote.