Mayoral candidates talk transit, affordable housing and more

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WSB Radio partnered with the League of Women Voters to host an open forum as the race for Atlanta mayor heats up.

Eleven candidates for Atlanta mayor participated and spoke about the issues on Thursday at Emory University.

The forum was moderated by WSB's Director of Editorials & Public Affairs Jocelyn Dorsey.

The forum lasted just over two hours ago inside a church on the Emory campus. The candidates for Atlanta Mayor explained why voters should put their faith in them.

“We’re on the verge of a wonderful future or choking on our own growth,” candidate Peter Aman said about the city’s expected growth.

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Sitting side by side at a long table, the candidates confronted the city’s big issues like keeping housing affordable while the population booms.

“We’ve got at least 10,000 vacant and abandoned homes in this city. As mayor we’re going to go get those homes,” candidate Ceasar Mitchell said.

“And make sure that we do not push out of Atlanta, the very people who built Atlanta,” Aman told the crows Thursday evening.

Several candidates in the race didn’t show up for the forum, including the frontrunner, city councilwoman Mary Norwood.

“It makes a lot of sense to be here and let people know where you stand, now if someone’s hiding from the camera, that’s another thing," candidate Kwanza Hall said.

After the forum, Norwood told Channel 2’s Justin Wilfon that she was committed to another event and plans on attending many more forums in the future with big issues like traffic to discuss.

“We also have to expand our sidewalk system, our walking trails, and also make this city friendlier for people to get around on foot or on bicycle,” candidate Keisha Lance-Bottoms said.

The candidates will face off many more times, in the final six weeks before election day.

Election day is Nov. 7.

Depending on the outcome, the top two vote getters will likely go on to a runoff in early December.

An early poll from August shows candidate Mary Norwood leading the pack, with 25.4 percent of the vote. However, three candidates -- Keisha Lance Bottoms, Peter Aman and Caesar Mitchell -- have more than 10 percent of the vote. On top of that, nearly 20 percent say they’re undecided or have no opinion.

Cox Media Group