Atlanta mayoral hopefuls file for candidacy

ATLANTA — We're less than three months away from the election that will decide Atlanta's next mayor.

Tuesday was the first day that candidates could officially file their paperwork to qualify to get their name on the ballot.

A couple of mayoral candidates held rallies as they handed a check over to the city that may weed out others in this packed race.

Channel 2's Craig Lucie was there when mayoral candidate Mary Norwood handed over a $5,529 check to Atlanta's election superintendent. That's what it costs to get your name on the ballot.

“Our city is very dynamic right now,” she said.

As soon as Norwood wrapped up at City Hall, Lucie sat down with her for a one-on-one interview to talk about her key issues.

“People have seen me for 25 years and I’ve done what I have said and so I am trusted in all parts of Atlanta. That’s the best of a new Atlanta,” she said.

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Norwood says voters will know about every major city expense.

“(I will) make sure (the) financial house (is) in order and I start transparency. I will have on record all finances be put on internet, including checks, and know where city workers are,” she said.

Lucie also asked her about preventing violent crime and dealing with repeat offenders.

“One of the things we do Craig is get our police officers to stay. We train them extraordinary well but then five, six, eight years (later) they go somewhere else. That is costing us a fortune and (we) don’t have strength we should have,” she said.

Candidate Ceasar Mitchell kicked off filing day with support from former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young.

“We doubled down on walking (the) walk, not talking, double down (and) make a difference for citizens for Atlanta,” he said.

One major focus for Mitchell is to make Atlanta affordable.

“We will get focused on making Atlanta the city of opportunity where everyone has a chance to move forward and no one gets left behind,” he said.

Fulton County chairman John Eaves is resigning his old post -- aiming to climb in the polls and make history.

I'm going to qualify and put my 100-percent plus into running into being the next mayor of Atlanta.

The mayoral race isn't the only one in the election. Residents will also decide the Atlanta City Council president, City Council members, board of education members and judges.

Cox Media Group