Candidates set for November elections for Fulton commission, 14 cities

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood won’t seek another term as mayor. His position, and others, drew candidates for office in Fulton County. KENT D. JOHNSON / AJC FILE PHOTO

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood won’t seek another term as mayor. His position, and others, drew candidates for office in Fulton County. KENT D. JOHNSON / AJC FILE PHOTO

The much-watched race for the mayor of Atlanta isn't the only election happening in Fulton County in November. In fact, it's one of dozens.

Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves, who resigned the seat last week to join that race, will have to be replaced. Qualifying for that seat takes place Sept. 18, 19 and 20.

Candidates have already stepped up for a number of other positions, though, including to fill the Fulton County commission seat left by the death of Joan Garner, and to replace a five-term mayor in Roswell.

In Fulton County, Natalie Hall, Garner's former chief of staff — and wife of Atlanta mayoral candidate Kwanza Hall — qualified for the seat held by Garner. So did Steven D. Lee, Sr., a four-year member of the Atlanta Public Schools' board whose term is up at the end of the year, and Reese McCranie, director of policy and communication for Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Other candidates include Eddie Lee Brewster, who has previously run for a school board post, Kathryn Flowers Glasco, a Realtor, and Joshua McNair, a health care sales executive.

Jere Wood, the Roswell mayor, announced that he would not seek a sixth term after a judge said he had violated the term limits that he championed when he was elected to his fifth. Wood appealed that decision, though, and remains in office while his court case progresses.

Vying to replace him are two members of city council, Donald J. Horton and Lori Henry, as well as Michael Litten, who filed the suit that led to Wood's decision not to seek another term. Lee A. Jenkins and Sandra Magdy Sidhom also qualified in the race.

Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker drew an opponent, executive Alex Michael Marchetti, and Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul will face David Crim, a local businessman. And in Milton, Mayor Joe Lockwood will face Laura L. Rencher, a psychologist. Chattahoochee Hills Mayor Tom Reed also has a challenger, Marcia C. Lee.

East Point Mayor Janquell Peters will not seek another term. Those interested in replacing her are council member Deana Holiday Ingraham and former council members Marcel Reed and Clyde K. Mitchell.

In Fairburn, Mayor Mario Avery also declined to run again. Elizabeth Carr-Hurst, a member of city council, is the only person running to replace him.

Union City Mayor Vince Williams does not have a challenger.

In addition to the mayors' races, city council seats in those cities and others are on the ballot. Races for council will take place in Alpharetta, College Park, Chattahoochee Hills, East Point, Palmetto, Mountain Park, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs and Union City.

In Atlanta, 13 people have qualified for the mayor's race, and another three are running for city council president. Additionally, the city will have elections for both the school board and city council.

The candidates for mayor are state Sen. Vincent Fort, Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, former Atlanta Workforce Development Agency director Michael T. Sterling, former Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves, Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, Atlanta City Council President Ceasar Mitchell, former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard and former city of Atlanta COO Peter Aman. Other mayoral candidates are Rohit Ammanamanchi, Laban King, Carl A. Jackson and Glenn S. Wrightson.

Running for Atlanta City Council president are Felicia Moore, Alex Wan and C.T. Martin. Additionally, 61 people have qualified to run for 12 city council seats.

The city of South Fulton, which elected its first mayor and council this year, has no elections.

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The AJC's Arielle Kass keeps you updated on the latest happenings in Fulton County government and politics. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

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In other Fulton news:

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted to freeze high property taxes at 2016 levels.