Atlanta Inquirer Editorial Endorsements for Atlanta, Georgia and South Fulton, Georgia for November 2, 2021 Election

General Election / Special Election Date: November 2, 2021
Advanced (Absentee In-Person) Voting begins for the November General Election: October 12, 2021

Key Election Dates

October 11, 2021 – Earliest day for a registrar to mail an absentee ballot for the November General/Special Election.
October 12, 2021 – Advanced (Absentee In-Person) Voting begins for the November General Election.
October 16, 2021 – Mandatory Saturday Voting for the November Municipal General/Special Election.
October 17, 2021 – Optional Sunday Voting for the November Municipal General/Special Election.
October 22, 2021 – Last day to submit absentee ballot application for the November General Election.
October 23, 2021 – Mandatory Saturday Voting for the November Municipal General/Special Election.
October 24, 2021 – Optional Sunday Voting for the November Municipal General/Special Election.
November 2, 2021 – Municipal General / Special Election
November 19, 2021 – Last day to submit absentee ballot application for the November General Election Runoff.

There are fourteen people on the ballot for the position of Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia:

Antonio Brown
Andre Dickens
Kirsten Dunn
Nolan English
Sharon Gay
Mark Hammad
Kenny Hill
Rebecca L. King
Felicia Moore
Kasim Reed
Walter Reeves
Roosevelt Searles III
Richard N. Wright
Glenn S. Wrightson

VOTE for Andre Dickens

Out of the five people on the ballot for the position of Atlanta City Council President:

VOTE for Courtney English

Atlanta City Council District 3: VOTE for Erika Estrada
Atlanta City Council District 4: VOTE for Kim Scott
Atlanta City Council District 5: VOTE for Samuel Bacote
Atlanta City Council District 9: VOTE for Devin Barrington Ward
Atlanta City Council District 10: VOTE for Andrea L. Boone
Atlanta City Council District 11: VOTE for Marci Collier Overstreet
Atlanta City Council At Large Post 1: VOTE for Michael Julian Bond
Atlanta City Council At Large Post 3: VOTE for Jodi Merriday
Atlanta School Board District 2: VOTE for Bethsheba Rem
Atlanta School Board At Large 7: VOTE for Kanesha “KaCey” Venning
Atlanta School Board At Large 9: VOTE for Jason F. Esteves

There are four people on the ballot for the position of Mayor of South Fulton, Georgia:

William “Bill” Edwards
Sonia Francis-Rolle
Jewel Johnson
Khalid Kamau

Special Election – Atlanta, Georgia

City of Atlanta Independent School District Homestead Exemption (House Bill 732 Act No. 107)
- Shall the Act be approved which provides for the continuation after December 31, 2021, of the homestead exemption from City of Atlanta Independent School District ad valorem taxes for educational purposes in the amount of $50,000.00 of the assessed value of that homestead that exceeds $10,000.00?
- VOTE YES

Special Election – Fulton County, Georgia

Fulton County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales and Use Tax (T-SPLOST) Referendum
- Shall an additional 0.75 percent sales tax (3/4 of a cent) be collected in that part of Fulton County, Georgia, outside of the City of Atlanta, for five years for the purpose of transportation improvements and congestion reduction?
- If approved, the T-SPLOST 2021 Renewal will fund sidewalks, traffic safety and congestion relief, road maintenance and paving, multi-use paths, and pedestrian and bike improvements.
- VOTE YES

Re-Imposition of the One Percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Educational Purposes
- Shall the special one percent sales and use tax for educational purposes currently imposed in Fulton County be reimposed on July 1, 2022 upon the expiration of the currently imposed tax, for not longer than 20 consecutive calendar quarters, to raise not more than $1,831,543,155.40 to be used for the following educational purposes:
  - For the Fulton County School District:
    - (A) for acquiring, reconfiguring and developing land for, constructing and equipping, new and replacement schools and support facilities;
    - (B) adding to, upgrading, reconfiguring, renovating, replacing, modifying and equipping existing and replacement schools, support facilities and athletic facilities;
    - (C) making technology improvements and safety and security improvements for schools and facilities; and
    - (D) acquiring and equipping school buses, school police vehicles, support vehicles, transportation vehicles and other capital equipment;
    - (E) making purchase payments to acquire a replacement high school in an amount not to exceed $1,213,397,340.45 for the Fulton County School District, all as more fully described in the Notice of Election.
  - For the Atlanta Independent School System:
    - (A) for acquiring, reconfiguring and developing land for, constructing and equipping, new and replacement schools and support facilities;
    - (B) adding to, upgrading, reconfiguring, renovating, replacing, modifying and equipping existing and replacement schools, support facilities and athletic facilities;
    - (C) making technology improvements and safety and security improvements for schools and facilities; and
    - (D) acquiring and equipping school buses, school police vehicles, support vehicles, transportation vehicles and other capital equipment;
    - (E) making lease/purchase payments to acquire a replacement high school at a total maximum cost of $618,145,814.95, for the Atlanta Independent School System as more fully described in the Notice of Election.
- If approved, this will extend a one-cent sales tax to pay for school building upgrades, technology and other projects… renewing this SPLOST for another five years after it expires at the end of June 2022.
- VOTE YES