Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms faced independent Mary Norwood in Tuesday’s nonpartisan runoff to succeed Mayor Kasim Reed, who was term limited from seeking re-election.
The distance between the two candidates for the city’s 60th mayor was razor thin by the night’s end, with 100 percent of precincts reporting and the two candidates both at 50 percent — Bottoms led by just 759 votes.
Although Bottoms’ camp declared victory, it was too close to call and a recount will likely be in the works.
An outright win would have wound down a protracted campaign that culminated in a run-off election.
Bottoms and Norwood earned about 26% and 21%, respectively, of the vote in the general election on November 6, emerging as the top two candidates from a field of 11.
While Norwood refrained from conceding the race, Bottoms, wrapped up her speech to her supporters by calling herself the “60th Mayor of the city of Atlanta.”
In other races, the wins were decisive: Felicia Moore defeated Alex Wan for Atlanta City Council President and Robb Pitts is the new Fulton County Commission Chair.
Photo courtesy Steve Schaefer, AP
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