Bottoms, Norwood top Atlanta mayoral race, head to runoff

ATLANTA — A pair of city council members are heading to a runoff to decide who will be the city’s next mayor.

Keisha Lance Bottoms topped the crowded field of candidates, picking up nearly 27.5 percent of the vote, but far below the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff. In the Dec. 5 runoff, Bottoms will face Norwood, who picked up nearly 21.7 percent of the vote.

Norwood, who narrowly lost to Kasim Reed eight years ago, led polls in the race for much of the campaign. Bottoms sprung to the top of the field in the week leading up to the election.

In other races in the city:

  • In the city council president race, Felicia Moore and Alex Wan also head to a runoff
  • In Post 1 (at large), Michael Bond edged Courtney English
  • In Post 2 (at large), Matt Westmoreland picked up more 62.2 percent of the vote to outright win a three-way race
  • In post 3 (at large): Andre Dickens ran unopposed
  • In District 1, Carla Smith picked up 55.6 percent of the vote to win the five-person race outright
  • In District 2, Amir Farokhi netted 57.2 percent of the vote to win the five-person race.
  • In District 3, Ivory Young topped Greg Clay
  • In District 4, Cleta Winslow picked up 42.4 percent of the vote but faces Jason Dozier, who netted 19.8 percent of the vote, in a runoff
  • In District 5, Liliana Bakhtiari topped Natalyn Archibong
  • In District 6, Jennifer Ide knocked off Kirk Rich
  • In District 7, Howard Shook won re-election, defeating challenger Rebecca King
  • In District 8, J.P. Matazigkeit defeated Anna Tillman
  • In District 9, Dustin Hillis and Kwame Abernathy head to a runoff
  • In District 10, Andrea Boone picked up nearly 77.3 percent of the vote to win a three-way race
  • In District 11, Harold Hardnett and Marci Overstreet head to a runoff
  • In District 12, Joyce Sheperd topped a four-person field

City council races are non-partisan.