Change You Can Believe In … Mary Norwood Could be First White Elected Mayor of Atlanta, GA Since 1973

Change You can Believe in … Atlanta may vote in first white Mayor in 36 years.

For years, black Mayors have held the office in Hotlanta. One might think that this race is along racial lines. However, much of the polling and support for Mary Norwood says otherwise. She has been endorsed by many black prominent leader and in a recent poll showed she actually out-polled her black opponents. Make no mistake about it, Mary Norwood is no Republican and she admits she supports and voted for Barack Obama. This isn’t about Republican or Democrat, it is about a white women potentially being elected Mayor of Atlanta for the first time in 36 years.

But this year’s race has not split neatly along racial lines, as some prominent black politicians have stepped out to support Mrs. Norwood.

State Rep. Ralph Long last month endorsed Mrs. Norwood, who hails from the center of his heavily black southwest Atlanta district. He was the first black leader to back the white candidate.

With all of the political election news being dominated by the Governors race in New Jersey, Virginia and the special election for NY-23 House seat, the Mayors race for Atlanta, GA has slid under the radar.

Talk about some change you can believe in. For the first time in 36 years Atlanta may elect a white mayor this coming Tuesday. Candidate Mary Norwood finds herself way ahead in the polls, the only question is whether she can reach the necessary 50% to avoid a runoff. In a recent Survey USA poll Norwood received 46% of the votes, far distancing herself from any of her opponents.

In an election for Atlanta Mayor today, 10/26/09, eight days until votes are counted, City Council member Mary Norwood has a commanding lead with 46% of the vote, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted for WXIA-TV and V-103 FM radio. If Norwood finishes with less than 50% of the vote, she advances to a 12/01/09 runoff, likely against State Senator Kasim Reed, who today finishes 2nd with 26%.

The country could learn a lesson from the Mayor’s race in Atlanta, GA. Instead of a monolithic black vote for the black candidate, they good folks in Hotlanta are taking into account all issues and not just race.

The Survey USA poll found Mrs. Norwood leading by a 6-to-1 margin among whites, Republicans and independents. Mr. Reed, who has been endorsed by Mr. Young, leads among blacks, who made up 59 percent of the electorate in Survey USA’s turnout model.

And in a major break with past elections, a separate Insider Advantage poll on Oct. 16 reported that Mrs. Norwood was even leading among the city’s black voters, with nearly one-third supporting her.

UPDATE I: With 100 percent of precincts are reporting in Fulton County. Mary Norwood and Kasim Reed appear headed to a mayoral runoff.

Atlanta – Mayor
Candidate Votes    
Mary Norwood  43% 
Kasim Reed    38% 
Lisa Borders  14% 
Jesse Spikes  3% 
Kyle Keyser   1% 
Peter Brownlowe 1%