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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Mableton had previously been incorporated as a city on August 19, 1912 but was disincorporated four years later when a flood overwhelmed its sewer system.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cobbcountycourier.com/2023/08/mableton-city/|title=When Mableton first was (and shortly thereafter wasn't) a city|first=Larry Felton|last=Johnson|date=August 20, 2023|access-date=December 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223195049/https://cobbcountycourier.com/2023/08/mableton-city/|archive-date=December 23, 2023|url-status=live|website=Cobb County Courier}}</ref><ref name="Different"/> Mableton was the last of four proposed new cities in [[Metro Atlanta]] to be approved, the other three [[East Cobb, Georgia|East Cobb]], [[Lost Mountain, Georgia|Lost Mountain]] and [[Vinings, Georgia|Vinings]] all failed to be incorporated as municipalities.<ref name="Defeated">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/the-cityhood-movement-is-defeated-in-metro-atlanta|title=The Cityhood Movement Is Defeated in Metro Atlanta|date=May 25, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225163321/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/the-cityhood-movement-is-defeated-in-metro-atlanta?sref=A1Z2GUXp|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> In May 2023, Brentin Mock of [[Bloomberg News]] described the city movement in Metro Atlanta as being "defeated".<ref name="Defeated"/> Mableton being the only one out of the four to have a majority non-white population.<ref name="Different">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-05-26/how-to-create-an-inclusive-city?|title=A Different Kind of Cityhood Movement in Metro Atlanta|date=May 26, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225163448/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-05-26/how-to-create-an-inclusive-city?sref=A1Z2GUXp|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> |
Mableton had previously been incorporated as a city on August 19, 1912 but was disincorporated four years later when a flood overwhelmed its sewer system.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cobbcountycourier.com/2023/08/mableton-city/|title=When Mableton first was (and shortly thereafter wasn't) a city|first=Larry Felton|last=Johnson|date=August 20, 2023|access-date=December 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223195049/https://cobbcountycourier.com/2023/08/mableton-city/|archive-date=December 23, 2023|url-status=live|website=Cobb County Courier}}</ref><ref name="Different"/> Mableton was the last of four proposed new cities in [[Metro Atlanta]] to be approved, the other three [[East Cobb, Georgia|East Cobb]], [[Lost Mountain, Georgia|Lost Mountain]] and [[Vinings, Georgia|Vinings]] all failed to be incorporated as municipalities in referendums.<ref name="Defeated">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/the-cityhood-movement-is-defeated-in-metro-atlanta|title=The Cityhood Movement Is Defeated in Metro Atlanta|date=May 25, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225163321/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-25/the-cityhood-movement-is-defeated-in-metro-atlanta?sref=A1Z2GUXp|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> In May 2023, Brentin Mock of [[Bloomberg News]] described the city movement in Metro Atlanta as being "defeated".<ref name="Defeated"/> Mableton being the only one out of the four to have a majority non-white population.<ref name="Different">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-05-26/how-to-create-an-inclusive-city?|title=A Different Kind of Cityhood Movement in Metro Atlanta|date=May 26, 2022|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225163448/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-05-26/how-to-create-an-inclusive-city?sref=A1Z2GUXp|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> |
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In November 2023, the city was reincorporated in an election with 53% of the vote and a margin of just over 1,700 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/voters-choose-to-incorporate-mableton-making-it-georgias-newest-city|title=Voters choose to incorporate Mableton, making it Georgia's newest city|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224183303/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/voters-choose-to-incorporate-mableton-making-it-georgias-newest-city|archive-date=December 24, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref> The majority of no votes were concentrated in the north of Mableton, where household income is higher.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Mableton was different in that the supporters of de-annexation were multi-racial and multi-generational while organizers of similar secession movements tended to be mainly older white residents.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-24/atlanta-suburbs-residents-want-to-secede-from-new-city-of-mableton|title=Residents of Suburban Atlanta's Newest City Are Already Trying to Secede|date=January 24, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225145419/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-24/atlanta-suburbs-residents-want-to-secede-from-new-city-of-mableton|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> Human resources director Mark Sette said it was a "power grab" to annex unincorporated areas of north Mableton to "pay for all of the projects that they want down there [in south Mableton]".<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Thousands of people signed a petition to [[Municipal deannexation in the United States|de-annex areas]] that voted no from the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/push-to-de-annex-from-mableton|title=Some residents push to de-annex from newly-formed Mableton|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=January 18, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225003414/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/push-to-de-annex-from-mableton|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref> Mayoral candidate Aaron Carman said that he supported the people involved in the de-annexation effort but stated that if the de-annexation efforts do not pass, Mableton needed someone that could "bring the city together".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/q-mableton-mayoral-candidates-233600472.html|title=Q&A with Mableton mayoral candidates|date=February 28, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225004027/https://news.yahoo.com/q-mableton-mayoral-candidates-233600472.html|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=Yahoo News}}</ref> State representative [[David Wilkerson (politician)|David Wilkerson]] submitted two de-annexation bills that would have allowed some areas to de-annex from Mableton but both failed in the [[Georgia General Assembly]].<ref name="Bill"/> A compromise bill in response to the bills submitted by Wilkerson was drafted by state representatives [[Terry Cummings (politician)|Terry Cummings]] and [[Michael Smith (Georgia politician)|Michael Smith]] but this also failed as it was not published in time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mableton-mayor-city-council-election|title=Polls open Tuesday to decide Mableton's first mayor, city council|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225003345/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mableton-mayor-city-council-election|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref><ref name="Bill">{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mableton-annexation-fails-under-gold-223500792.html|title=Mableton de-annexation fails under the Gold Dome|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/Rz7y5|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=Yahoo Finance}}</ref> |
In November 2023, the city was reincorporated in an election with 53% of the vote and a margin of just over 1,700 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/voters-choose-to-incorporate-mableton-making-it-georgias-newest-city|title=Voters choose to incorporate Mableton, making it Georgia's newest city|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224183303/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/voters-choose-to-incorporate-mableton-making-it-georgias-newest-city|archive-date=December 24, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref> The majority of no votes were concentrated in the north of Mableton, where household income is higher.<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Mableton was different in that the supporters of de-annexation were multi-racial and multi-generational while organizers of similar secession movements tended to be mainly older white residents.<ref name="Bloomberg">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-24/atlanta-suburbs-residents-want-to-secede-from-new-city-of-mableton|title=Residents of Suburban Atlanta's Newest City Are Already Trying to Secede|date=January 24, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225145419/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-24/atlanta-suburbs-residents-want-to-secede-from-new-city-of-mableton|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> Human resources director Mark Sette said it was a "power grab" to annex unincorporated areas of north Mableton to "pay for all of the projects that they want down there [in south Mableton]".<ref name="Bloomberg"/> Thousands of people signed a petition to [[Municipal deannexation in the United States|de-annex areas]] that voted no from the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/push-to-de-annex-from-mableton|title=Some residents push to de-annex from newly-formed Mableton|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=January 18, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225003414/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/push-to-de-annex-from-mableton|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref> Mayoral candidate Aaron Carman said that he supported the people involved in the de-annexation effort but stated that if the de-annexation efforts do not pass, Mableton needed someone that could "bring the city together".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/q-mableton-mayoral-candidates-233600472.html|title=Q&A with Mableton mayoral candidates|date=February 28, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225004027/https://news.yahoo.com/q-mableton-mayoral-candidates-233600472.html|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=Yahoo News}}</ref> State representative [[David Wilkerson (politician)|David Wilkerson]] submitted two de-annexation bills that would have allowed some areas to de-annex from Mableton but both failed in the [[Georgia General Assembly]].<ref name="Bill"/> A compromise bill in response to the bills submitted by Wilkerson was drafted by state representatives [[Terry Cummings (politician)|Terry Cummings]] and [[Michael Smith (Georgia politician)|Michael Smith]] but this also failed as it was not published in time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mableton-mayor-city-council-election|title=Polls open Tuesday to decide Mableton's first mayor, city council|first=Denise|last=Dillon|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231225003345/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mableton-mayor-city-council-election|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=FOX 5 Atlanta}}</ref><ref name="Bill">{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mableton-annexation-fails-under-gold-223500792.html|title=Mableton de-annexation fails under the Gold Dome|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=December 25, 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/Rz7y5|archive-date=December 25, 2023|url-status=live|website=Yahoo Finance}}</ref> |
Revision as of 17:38, 25 December 2023
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Elections in Georgia |
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The 2023 Mableton mayoral election took place on March 21, 2023 with a runoff held on April 18, 2023 as no candidate got 50% of the vote in the general election. Aaron Carman gained the most votes in the first round but lost the runoff to former Chair of the Cobb County Democratic Committee Michael Owens who became the first mayor of Mableton, Georgia in over 100 years.[1] Despite the runoff election being described as "historic", only 6,113 votes were cast and voter turnout remained low at 12.9% of about 47,200 voters.[2][3]
Background
Mableton had previously been incorporated as a city on August 19, 1912 but was disincorporated four years later when a flood overwhelmed its sewer system.[4][5] Mableton was the last of four proposed new cities in Metro Atlanta to be approved, the other three East Cobb, Lost Mountain and Vinings all failed to be incorporated as municipalities in referendums.[6] In May 2023, Brentin Mock of Bloomberg News described the city movement in Metro Atlanta as being "defeated".[6] Mableton being the only one out of the four to have a majority non-white population.[5]
In November 2023, the city was reincorporated in an election with 53% of the vote and a margin of just over 1,700 votes.[7] The majority of no votes were concentrated in the north of Mableton, where household income is higher.[8] Mableton was different in that the supporters of de-annexation were multi-racial and multi-generational while organizers of similar secession movements tended to be mainly older white residents.[8] Human resources director Mark Sette said it was a "power grab" to annex unincorporated areas of north Mableton to "pay for all of the projects that they want down there [in south Mableton]".[8] Thousands of people signed a petition to de-annex areas that voted no from the city.[9] Mayoral candidate Aaron Carman said that he supported the people involved in the de-annexation effort but stated that if the de-annexation efforts do not pass, Mableton needed someone that could "bring the city together".[10] State representative David Wilkerson submitted two de-annexation bills that would have allowed some areas to de-annex from Mableton but both failed in the Georgia General Assembly.[11] A compromise bill in response to the bills submitted by Wilkerson was drafted by state representatives Terry Cummings and Michael Smith but this also failed as it was not published in time.[12][11]
Candidates
- Aaron Carman, sales manager and IT salesman[13]
- LaTonia Long (eliminated in the first round, endorsed Owens[14]), public policy manager and former chief of staff to state senator Gloria Butler[15]
- Michael Murphy (eliminated in the first round, endorsed Owens[14]), business owner, chair of the Georgia Black Republican Council and former aide to Cobb County Chairman Mike Boyce[16][17]
- Michael Owens, former Chair of the Cobb County Democratic Committee (2016–2019) and cyber security executive[13][18]
General election
Endorsements
- Erick Allen, former Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 40th District[19]
- Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council[20]
- Roy Barnes, former governor of Georgia[21]
- Ron Davis, councilman-elect of Mableton's District 1[22]
- Craig Owens, sheriff of Cobb County[22]
Fundraising
Campaign finance reports as of March 15, 2023 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Total raised | Cash on hand | |
Aaron Carman | $9,600 | Not disclosed | |
LaTonia Long | $21,940[a] | $7,775 | |
Michael Murphy | $6,750 | Not disclosed | |
Michael Owens | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | |
[15] |
First round
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Aaron Carman | 2,162 | 36% | |
Nonpartisan | Michael Owens | 1,846 | 31% | |
Nonpartisan | LaTonia Long | 1,472 | 24% | |
Nonpartisan | Michael Murphy | 561 | 9% | |
Nonpartisan | Write-in | 43 | 0.7 | |
Total votes | 6,084 | 100% |
Runoff
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Michael Owens | 3,396 | 55.68% | |
Nonpartisan | Aaron Carman | 2,703 | 44.32% | |
Nonpartisan | Write-in | 14 | 0.22% | |
Total votes | 6,113 | 100% |
Notes
- ^ Long and her husband loaned her campaign $3,500.
References
- ^ "Mableton first-ever mayor talks his top priorities for Cobb County's largest city". WABE. June 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ "Michael Owens elected mayor of Mableton". Yahoo Sports. April 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Zickgraf, Ryan (April 19, 2023). "Turnout, enthusiasm remained low for Mableton's historic runoff elections". Atlanta Civic Circle. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Larry Felton (August 20, 2023). "When Mableton first was (and shortly thereafter wasn't) a city". Cobb County Courier. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ a b "A Different Kind of Cityhood Movement in Metro Atlanta". May 26, 2022. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ a b "The Cityhood Movement Is Defeated in Metro Atlanta". May 25, 2022. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ Dillon, Denise (November 9, 2022). "Voters choose to incorporate Mableton, making it Georgia's newest city". FOX 5 Atlanta. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Residents of Suburban Atlanta's Newest City Are Already Trying to Secede". January 24, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023 – via www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ Dillon, Denise (January 18, 2023). "Some residents push to de-annex from newly-formed Mableton". FOX 5 Atlanta. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "Q&A with Mableton mayoral candidates". Yahoo News. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "Mableton de-annexation fails under the Gold Dome". Yahoo Finance. March 20, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Dillon, Denise (March 20, 2023). "Polls open Tuesday to decide Mableton's first mayor, city council". FOX 5 Atlanta. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "Mableton City Candidates" (PDF). www.mableton.org. March 21, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "Mableton Mayoral Candidate Michael Owens endorsed by former mayoral candidates". spotlightsouthcobbnews.com. April 3, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ a b "LaTonia Long leads fundraising race among Mableton mayoral candidates". Yahoo News. March 15, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "Mableton mayoral candidates offer their plans for trash service". Yahoo Finance. March 16, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "Michael Murphy". Georgia Black Republican Council. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "Cobb County Democrat Dr. Michael Owens enters race for Georgia Secretary of State". spotlightsouthcobbnews.com. September 26, 2021. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ "News leading up to the election of Mableton mayor and council". spotlightsouthcobbnews.com. March 20, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Mableton, Michael Owens for Mayor of. "Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council Supports Owens for Mayor". Michael Owens for Mayor of Mableton. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Larry Felton (March 3, 2023). "Roy Barnes Endorses Michael Owens In Mableton Mayoral Race". Cobb County Courier. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Johnson, Larry Felton (April 12, 2023). "Owens receives endorsement from Sheriff Craig Owens, District 1 Councilman-elect Ron Davis in his mayoral bid for Mableton". Cobb County Courier. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "Election Results: City of Mableton, Clayton County special elections". FOX 5 Atlanta. March 21, 2023. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "City of Mableton elects first mayor, city council". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. April 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 23, 2023.