2021 Georgia Local Elections

2021 Local Elections Runoff

Brandon was born and raised in Atlanta. He has a bachelor's degree in music and journalism from Columbia College and is currently working on a master's in business administration in operations at Clark Atlanta University. He is a regional leader from the Southern Equity Partners Organization and is a part of the NAACP.

Brandon is a teacher at Benjamin E. Mays High School, teaching broadcast journalism, film and television. Brandon is founder and CEO of the Creative Surge Company, a business consulting and venture capitalist group. Through this company, Brandon shares ownership of an entertainment and talent company, a real estate, decor and renovation company and a clothing brand that promotes Historically Black Colleges & Universities.

Brandon Graham's campaign for city council is his first entry into politics.

Brandon Graham September 30th Filing 

Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report

Wants to create a Blight to Bright Advisory Board of community leaders, investors, developers and residents to identify vacant properties that could be developed and review upcoming development projects.

Wants to map businesses in District 3 to "\[ensure\] that a percentage of their workforce will be District 3 residents."

Plans to create a Business and Economic Task Force of Invest Atlanta, community and business leaders, investors, educators and residents to promote business development.

Wants to start an initiative called "Dinner in District 3" to support the restaurants and surrounding businesses in the area and improve public event promotion.

- Wants to create a Blight to Bright Advisory Board of community leaders, investors, developers and residents to identify vacant properties that could be developed and review upcoming development projects.
- Wants to map businesses in District 3 to "\[ensure\] that a percentage of their workforce will be District 3 residents."
- Plans to create a Business and Economic Task Force of Invest Atlanta, community and business leaders, investors, educators and residents to promote business development.
- Wants to start an initiative called "Dinner in District 3" to support the restaurants and surrounding businesses in the area and improve public event promotion.

Public Services

Wants to create a new cabinet position called Chief Emergency Medical Officer, who would have a team to manage, develop and organize the city's ability to be prevent and deal with health crises in the city.

Plans to follow two main policies: required universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing to the greatest extent possible.

Wants to make sure that students learning virtually have access to the internet, daily school lunches and academic and social support.

- Wants to create a new cabinet position called Chief Emergency Medical Officer, who would have a team to manage, develop and organize the city's ability to be prevent and deal with health crises in the city. 
- Plans to follow two main policies: required universal and correct use of masks and physical distancing to the greatest extent possible. 
- Wants to make sure that students learning virtually have access to the internet, daily school lunches and academic and social support.

COVID

Plans to expand the resources of the Affordable Housing Bond program.

Wants the budget to focus on the public school system, including youth programs, transportation and fair and affordable housing.

- Plans to expand the resources of the Affordable Housing Bond program.
- Wants the budget to focus on the public school system, including youth programs, transportation and fair and affordable housing.

City Budget

Wants to engage the local community to increase awareness around Atlanta's Affordable Housing Bond program.

Prioritizes addressing the lack of fair and affordable housing and unprotected legacy residents.

Said, "legislation has to place investors, rehabbers, developers and real estate attorneys who are attempting to poach our properties on notice, with issue of criminal charges, fines and jail time."

- Wants to engage the local community to increase awareness around Atlanta's Affordable Housing Bond program.
- Prioritizes addressing the lack of fair and affordable housing and unprotected legacy residents. 
- Said, "legislation has to place investors, rehabbers, developers and real estate attorneys who are attempting to poach our properties on notice, with issue of criminal charges, fines and jail time."

Housing & Urban Development

Plans to create a task force to address crime, establish mental health resource agents within the Atlanta Police Department and educate the public on how to stay safe.

Wants to bring together child services, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta courts, restorative justice groups and non profit organizations to create a youth intervention plan.

Plans to start a "Where is Your Teen?" initiative to motivate companies and organizations to create programs for teenagers.

- Plans to create a task force to address crime, establish mental health resource agents within the Atlanta Police Department and educate the public on how to stay safe.
- Wants to bring together child services, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta courts, restorative justice groups and non profit organizations to create a youth intervention plan.
-  Plans to start a "Where is Your Teen?" initiative to motivate companies and organizations to create programs for teenagers.

Public Safety

Wants to have "a positive, progressive and inclusive transit ecosystem," by supporting Atlantans who don't have access to a car, have a disability and/or prefer using public transit.

Plans to expand participatory budgeting so that residents decide how public funds are spent on transportation projects.

Wants to create a committee with organizations like Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and BeltLine Now.

Plans to remove "laws that allow for over-policing of walking, biking, and riding transit, including crossing outside of a crosswalk."

- Wants to have "a positive, progressive and inclusive transit ecosystem," by supporting Atlantans who don't have access to a car, have a disability and/or prefer using public transit. 
- Plans to expand participatory budgeting so that residents decide how public funds are spent on transportation projects. 
- Wants to create a committee with organizations like Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and BeltLine Now. 
- Plans to remove "laws that allow for over-policing of walking, biking, and riding transit, including crossing outside of a crosswalk."

Transportation & Infrastructure

Wants to update the zoning code to allow for more flexibility when building housing and more people to live near transit and to fix exclusionary zoning policies.

- Wants to update the zoning code to allow for more flexibility when building housing and more people to live near transit and to fix exclusionary zoning policies.

Zoning

Brandon Graham

Atlanta Public Schools

Ballotpedia

Byron was born and raised in Atlanta. Byron attended Atlanta public schools and went to Howard University and Clark Atlanta University. He was the chair of his Neighborhood Planning Unit and president of the Vine City Civic Association and is a board member of Beulah Baptist Church. Byron and his wife have three daughters and one son. They live in Vine City.

Byron is the CEO of Capacity Builders, Inc.

Byron Amos was a member of the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education representing District 2 from 2011 until 2019. In 2019, He ran for City Council to represent District 3 in a special election that went to a runoff.

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Wants to create a workforce development program to provide education for people looking for work and connect them with local small businesses.

- Wants to create a workforce development program to provide education for people looking for work and connect them with local small businesses.

As of August 10, 2021, Byron Amos’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Said, "I would like to see our City budget change such that it commits funds to the things that the City truly

needs to survive and grow. People sometimes say, to see what a company cares about show me your

- Said, "I would like to see our City budget change such that it commits funds to the things that the City truly
needs to survive and grow. People sometimes say, to see what a company cares about show me your
budget."

Wants to start an Eviction Help Center to help individuals in danger of losing their homes and to provide resources for property owners.

Supports expanding the city's anti-displacement initiative.

Plans to use real estate "owned by the City of Atlanta, APS, the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Housing Authority to create new affordable communities."

- Wants to start an Eviction Help Center to help individuals in danger of losing their homes and to provide resources for property owners.
- Supports expanding the city's anti-displacement initiative.
- Plans to use real estate "owned by the City of Atlanta, APS, the Atlanta BeltLine and the Atlanta Housing Authority to create new affordable communities."

Wants the city's police force to reach 2,000 active officers.

Said, "I will bring new focus on ensuring that the 500 repeat offenders who commit a disproportionate amount of crime are appropriately sentenced by the Judge."

Supports relying more on youth intervention programs.

Plans to increase housing available for police officers to promote more community-level policing.

Supports expanding the use of video cameras and license plate readers to improve crime monitoring.

- Wants the city's police force to reach 2,000 active officers.
- Said, "I will bring new focus on ensuring that the 500 repeat offenders who commit a disproportionate amount of crime are appropriately sentenced by the Judge."
- Supports relying more on youth intervention programs.
- Plans to increase housing available for police officers to promote more community-level policing.
- Supports expanding the use of video cameras and license plate readers to improve crime monitoring.

Supports the expansion of MARTA and wants to review the proposed lists of projects.

Said, "I believe that the leadership failed our residents by not supporting the projects that were immediately needed and that was not the best investment of taxpayers’ dollars."

Promises to try and clear the backlog of all transportation and infrastructure projects.

- Supports the expansion of MARTA and wants to review the proposed lists of projects.
- Said, "I believe that the leadership failed our residents by not supporting the projects that were immediately needed and that was not the best investment of taxpayers’ dollars."
- Promises to try and clear the backlog of all transportation and infrastructure projects.

Said, "\[s\]ome of the \[z\]oning recommendations that are being presented by the Atlanta City Design appears to be an assault on single-family neighborhoods."

- Said, "\[s\]ome of the \[z\]oning recommendations that are being presented by the Atlanta City Design appears to be an assault on single-family neighborhoods."

Byron Amos

Elijah was born and raised in Atlanta. He was a bachelor's degree in English from Fort Valley State University and a law degree from Howard University.

Elijah is a lawyer. He founded a marketplace for Black-owned sneakers and a law firm focused on business. He previously worked as an intern at Microsoft and as a corporate attorney at law firm Fenwick & West LLP.

Elijah Porter's campaign for city council is his first entry into politics.

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Wants to improve services for the elderly and the disabled by creating a program to do home improvement work and technology assistance for these populations and provide entertainment and activity programming.

Plans to create city initiatives that invest in apprenticeship programs to help people get occupational licenses, CTE certification programs and jobs programs.

Wants to create urban gardens in the city to improve the environment and decrease food insecurity.

- Wants to improve services for the elderly and the disabled by creating a program to do home improvement work and technology assistance for these populations and provide entertainment and activity programming. 
- Plans to create city initiatives that invest in apprenticeship programs to help people get occupational licenses, CTE certification programs and jobs programs. 
- Wants to create urban gardens in the city to improve the environment and decrease food insecurity.

Wants to maintain COVID relief measures and renew the eviction moratorium for residents and businesses until the spread of COVID decreases.

Plans to support small businesses in their applications for relief funding and connect them to federal grant and state grant opportunities.

Wants to create temporary assistance programs for residents.

- Wants to maintain COVID relief measures and renew the eviction moratorium for residents and businesses until the spread of COVID decreases. 
- Plans to support small businesses in their applications for relief funding and connect them to federal grant and state grant opportunities. 
- Wants to create temporary assistance programs for residents.

Wants to create a department within the Office of the Controller to investigate resident and small business complaints about city contracts and financial dishonesty.

Plans to grandfather the elderly into certain property tax brackets to make sure they can stay where they live.

- Wants to create a department within the Office of the Controller to investigate resident and small business complaints about city contracts and financial dishonesty. 
- Plans to grandfather the elderly into certain property tax brackets to make sure they can stay where they live.

Wants to improve renting, strengthen tenant protections and encourage "economic wealth building."

Plans to improve public housing by using some of the city's land to create permanent affordable housing and reinvest in shared-equity ownership structures.

Wants to work with local property owners to extend city contracts for affordable housing.

- Wants to improve renting, strengthen tenant protections and encourage "economic wealth building."
- Plans to improve public housing by using some of the city's land to create permanent affordable housing and reinvest in shared-equity ownership structures. 
- Wants to work with local property owners to extend city contracts for affordable housing.

Wants to "strengthen\[\] trust between police and the communities they serve" by creating partnerships between the police and communities, such as community monitoring and safety watches.

Support alternatives to policing like increasing employment to decrease recidivism, diversion strategies for youth and removing barrier to employment.

Wants to create a civilian review board to review and punish police misconduct and make civilian complaints against officers public.

- Wants to "strengthen\[\] trust between police and the communities they serve" by creating partnerships between the police and communities, such as community monitoring and safety watches. 
- Support alternatives to policing like increasing employment to decrease recidivism, diversion strategies for youth and removing barrier to employment. 
- Wants to create a civilian review board to review and punish police misconduct and make civilian complaints against officers public.

Wants to rebuild Atlanta's infrastructure responsibly and transparently.

Plans to improve efficiency of public transportation and increase funding for public transportation, especially MARTA, and highway improvements.

- Wants to rebuild Atlanta's infrastructure responsibly and transparently.
- Plans to improve efficiency of public transportation and increase funding for public transportation, especially MARTA, and highway improvements.

As of August 20, 2021, Elijah Porter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Elijah Porter

Erika has a bachelor's degree in accounting from Albany State University and a masters' in business administration from Emory University. She sits on boards for the Initiative for Affordable Housing, Historic Hills CDC and Ladies of Favor, Inc. She also is a Fulton County Court Appointed Special Advocate. Erika lives with her family in the historic Castleberry Hill neighborhood.

Erika is a licensed accountant, and she owns an accounting services business.

Erika Estrada ran in a special election for District 3's City Council seat in 2019 but did not advance to the runoff election.

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Plans to address abandoned and blighted properties.

Wants to increase the number of green spaces and parks in the district and address existing food deserts.

- Plans to address abandoned and blighted properties.
- Wants to increase the number of green spaces and parks in the district and address existing food deserts.

As of August 9, 2021, Erika Estrada’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wants to give more funding to small businesses and nonprofits.

Plans to create partnerships among private, public and community organizations to increase access to training, mentorship and money for existing and new small businesses.

- Wants to give more funding to small businesses and nonprofits.
- Plans to create partnerships among private, public and community organizations to increase access to training, mentorship and money for existing and new small businesses.

Supports finding long-term funding sources to "address housing affordability long-term and immediately prevent displacement devastating many of our legacy residents and families."

- Supports finding long-term funding sources to "address housing affordability long-term and immediately prevent displacement devastating many of our legacy residents and families."

Plans to advocate for legislation that increases accountability and enhances training for first responders.

- Plans to advocate for legislation that increases accountability and enhances training for first responders.

Erika Estrada

Information on Ken's personal background is not available at this time.

Information on Ken's professional background is not available at this time.

Information on Ken Wainwright's political background is not available at this time.

As of August 23, 2021, Ken Wainwright did not have a website or any information online.

Ken Wainwright

Keona has a bachelor's degree in education from Clark Atlanta University and a master's degree in adult education from Central Michigan University. She recently served as vice chair and then chair of a Neighborhood Planning Unit. She also served as committee chair for the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board (APAB) and as secretary of APAB's Committee on Council.

Keona worked as an adjunct instructor at Dekalb Technical College and owned five personal care homes.

Keona Jones' campaign for city council is her first entry into politics.

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Supports the preservation and memorialization of westside Atlanta's history.

Wants to develop more public-private partnerships.

- Supports the preservation and memorialization of westside Atlanta's history.
- Wants to develop more public-private partnerships.

Supports using masks and current efforts to get Atlanta residents vaccinated.

Wants to educate the public on "any current or future distribution of any additional COVID funding."

- Supports using masks and current efforts to get Atlanta residents vaccinated.
- Wants to educate the public on "any current or future distribution of any additional COVID funding."

Plans to make sure public resources are distributed equitably.

Wants to make the budget process more transparent.

- Plans to make sure public resources are distributed equitably.
- Wants to make the budget process more transparent.

Supports affordable housing throughout Atlanta.

Wants to provide incentives for developers to build more affordable housing.

Plans to examine housing for citizens with HIV/AIDS.

- Supports affordable housing throughout Atlanta.
- Wants to provide incentives for developers to build more affordable housing.
- Plans to examine housing for citizens with HIV/AIDS.

Plans to collaborate with Atlanta Police and other safety-related departments and improve public safety officials' community engagement.

Supports the Policing Alternative and Diversion Program.

Wants to develop more neighborhood watch programs.

- Plans to collaborate with Atlanta Police and other safety-related departments and improve public safety officials' community engagement.
- Supports the Policing Alternative and Diversion Program.
- Wants to develop more neighborhood watch programs.

Said, "I would like to fund more infrastructure projects that were slated to be funded since 2015 in the order of safety and priority."

- Said, "I would like to fund more infrastructure projects that were slated to be funded since 2015 in the order of safety and priority."

Said, "\[z\]oning should remain in the hands of our citizens not the government."

- Said, "\[z\]oning should remain in the hands of our citizens not the government."

Keona Jones

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 

Passes laws and regulations for your city.

Atlanta City Council Member, District 3

Election results

Runoff election

Candidates (6)

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