Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed

Atlanta mayor seemingly urges Atlanta voters not to vote for candidates polling in single digits

ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed today posted on Facebook what he said was “some useful information before you cast your vote today” for the city’s next mayor.

Whether it’s useful, however, is up for debate.

Atlanta voters today decide who replaces Reed, who served two terms as Atlanta mayors. With eight candidates vying for the seat, the race will almost assuredly head to a runoff.

City Councilwoman Mary Norwood has led polling for much of the race. In the past week, however, City Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, the candidate Reed endorsed, has catapulted into the lead.

The infographic Reed posted, in part, reads: “Anyone polling in single digits at this point has zero chance of reaching 2nd Nov. 7th.”

The post did not sit well with some Facebook commenters.

“What an obnoxious thing to post on election day. Shame on you,” one commenter wrote. “And what’s even more stupid, Mr. Mayor, is that if it’s preordained who will be in the runoff, then people are now more free to vote for who they think is the best candidate.”

Said another: “This is shameful and should be illegal. You have done some good things for this city but this is reprehensible. If this is representative of how Bottoms will behave I want no part of her running this city.”