DeKalb Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton was defeated in a landslide Tuesday, losing a runoff election to challenger Steve Bradshaw by a 3-to-1 margin.

Bradshaw said he represents the "next generation of leadership" that will bring honesty and accountability to DeKalb government.

Voters said in interviews they rejected Sutton because of allegations of ethical infractions and dirty campaigning.

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com