Special election scheduled for June 16
- The nonpartisan election will be open to southeast DeKalb County District 5 residents.
- Voters must be registered and update their addresses by May 18.
- Candidates must decide whether to run by May 20.
- Each candidate must pay a $1,151 fee to qualify to run.
- The election will cost roughly $80,000 to $100,000.
- Early voting will begin May 26.
- The winner of the election will fill the remainder of May's term, which expires in 2016.
Source: DeKalb elections office
Interim DeKalb County CEO Lee May broke the impasse Friday that has denied 140,000 people of local representation for nearly two years, announcing his resignation from the county commission.
His action will now allow for an election next month.
May’s decision launched a 39-day campaign before a June 16 special election to choose a commissioner who could become a swing vote on a deeply divided commission that has struggled to agree on several key issues.
The southeast DeKalb district has lacked a county commissioner since July 2013, when May was appointed to lead the county while corruption charges are pending against suspended CEO Burrell Ellis.
May blamed commissioners for “petty personal politics” that prevented them from deciding on any of five candidates to serve as a temporary replacement commissioner, leading him to step down from the District 5 post he was elected to. May will retain his job as DeKalb’s CEO at least until the end of the Ellis trial.
Surrounded by residents wearing bright green “D5 Matters” T-shirts, May said it was time to let voters decide in an election.
“The interest of the people must come first,” May said during his announcement at the Lou Walker Senior Center near Lithonia. “People have really stated their frustration in not having a voting representative on the board.”
Without a county commissioner, southeast DeKalb residents haven’t had anyone to fight for road repairs, park improvements, business growth and development decisions — the local governmental decisions that directly affect quality of life.
Sylvia Brown, a resident sitting outside the senior center before May’s announcement, said an election will ensure someone will be beholden to the voters.
“If we pick someone rather than having someone appointed, we can stay on them,” Brown said. “They need an open door policy, and we need results.”
Some questioned why the process took so long and why May didn’t resign sooner. May said he acted now because the political process had failed, and he heard from people at recent town hall meetings who told him they needed a greater voice in county government.
“I think this is long overdue,” said Kathryn Rice, a potential candidate and the leader of an effort to form a city of Greenhaven in South DeKalb. “The residents of District 5 have now gone for two years without representation, and that’s not acceptable.”
One candidate for the seat will be Vaughn Irons, a developer and the chairman of the DeKalb Development Authority.
Irons said he wants his run for office to show his integrity after questions arose about a suspicious document that helped his company win a $1 million county contract. Irons has said he had nothing to do with an invalid ethics opinion that allowed him to bid on the housing rehab contract while also serving as a member of the development authority. He commissioned a lie detector test, which he said cleared him.
“I want to defend the rights of the citizens to serve the county and not have fear that just because you have opposing political views, people are going to come against you and make up things that challenge your integrity,” Irons said.
Several others also have expressed interest in the race, including state Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, D-Lithonia, and previous candidates for the job: Markus Butts, a member of the DeKalb Planning Commission; Gina Smith Mangham, an attorney; Kenneth Saunders III, a member of the DeKalb Parks Bond Advisory Committee; and George Turner; the president of the District 5 Community Council.
Mangham said she was thankful that the area will finally regain a seat in county government.
“My issue has always been that we need to be represented. We need an advocate,” Mangham said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this … but this is the way it played out.”
May, who was chosen as the county’s interim CEO by Gov. Nathan Deal, is taking a risk by resigning just before Ellis’ retrial is set to begin June 1.
If a jury acquits Ellis of charges that he shook down county contractors for campaign contributions, he could retake leadership of the county, and May would be out of office.
But May said he acted now to protect the interests of residents in his former district.
“The citizens of District 5 deserve certainty,” May said. “We’re at a position where I believe we’re all out of options.”
The special election will cost about $80,000 to $100,000, according to the DeKalb elections office.
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