What to expect in Atlanta on Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is running for re-election Tuesday against three lesser-known candidates, arguing that Atlanta has seen significant improvements during his first term in office.

The race is nonpartisan, although Dickens is a Democrat. He faces former police officer Calima Jackson, progressive Eddie Meredith and Republican Helmut “Loof” Domagalski.

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Dickens’ campaign is spending $350,000 on ads, according to AdImpact, a company that tracks ads. He was the only candidate to appear live as of the week before Election Day.

While Dickens was an underdog in the 2021 election, he is in a much better position this year. Atlanta has a long history of giving mayors second terms if they seek re-election. Former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was an exception, but she did not seek a second term.

Candidates for Atlanta mayor must receive a majority of votes to be elected. If no one crosses that threshold, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff on December 2.

Dickens was elected in a runoff in the 2021 election after finishing second in the primary election to Felicia Moore.

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Most Atlanta voters are in Fulton County, with a smaller number in DeKalb County.

How long are the polls open?

Polls in Atlanta close at 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The AP will present the voting results and announce the winners of the general election for Atlanta mayor.

Who is entitled to vote?

Registered voters in Atlanta can vote for mayor.

What does turnout and advance voting look like?

In 2024, about 199,000 people voted in the general city council election. About 75% of those votes were cast in person early, 5% were cast by mail, and 20% were cast in person on Election Day.

As of Tuesday, nearly 23,000 votes had been cast before Election Day.

How long does it usually take to count votes?

Just over 97,000 people voted in the 2021 race for Atlanta mayor. DeKalb County first reported results about an hour after polls closed, and Fulton County first reported votes about 15 minutes later. The election night tabulation process ended at 1:49 a.m., after 99% of the votes had been counted.

Find live voting results for 2025