Atlanta elections, 2009

A municipal election in the City of Atlanta was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2009. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia and is the largest city in Georgia and is the center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the South.

Voters filled the offices of mayor of Atlanta, members of the Atlanta City Council and members of the Atlanta Board of Education, for terms commencing January 2010 and ending January 2014. Voters also voted in retention elections on a number of Municipal Court judges. The election was non-partisan, meaning that political party affiliations did not appear on the ballot.

The Mayor is the city's chief executive officer and head of the executive branch, which carries out the laws that have been instituted by the Council. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day operations of city government.

Incumbent mayor Shirley Franklin was prevented by term limits from running for another term in 2009.

The four leading mayoral candidates, based on standing in polls, took part in a final debate sponsored by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB-TV were City Council President Lisa Borders, City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, state Senator Kasim Reed, and attorney Jesse Spikes. Minor candidates included Peter Brownlowe, Kyle Keyser, and write-in candidates. Previously on October 14, 2009, Emory University sponsored a debate which included the six front running candidates.

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