1993 Atlanta mayoral election

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1993 Atlanta mayoral election
Flag of Atlanta.svg
← 1989 November 2, 1993 (general)
November 23, 1993 (runoff)
1997 →
Turnout44.52% (general)
36.40% (runoff)
  Bill Campbell 2012 (1).jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Candidate Bill Campbell Michael Lomax Myrtle Davis
Party nonpartisan nonpartisan nonpartisan
First-round vote 39,997 18,900 12,779
First-round percentage 48.98% 23.15% 15.65%
Second-round vote 48,600 18,155
Second-round percentage 72.80% 27.20%

 
Candidate Nancy Schaefer
Party nonpartisan
First-round vote 9,057
First-round percentage 11.09%

Mayor before election

Maynard Jackson
Democratic

Elected Mayor

Bill Campbell
Democratic

The 1993 Atlanta mayoral election occurred on November 2, 1993, with a runoff election held on November 23, 1993.

Incumbent mayor Maynard Jackson declined to seek reelection to what would have been a fourth overall (and second consecutive) term, citing family and personal reasons.[1][2]

Since no candidate received a majority in the general election, a runoff election was held between the top-two finishers. Bill Campbell won election in the runoff.

Candidates[]

Advanced to runoff
  • Bill Campbell, Atlanta city councilor[3][2]
  • Michael Lomax, former chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and 1989 mayoral candidate[3]
Eliminated in general election
  • A. Amenra
  • Bob Braxton
  • James A. Coleman
  • Myrtle Davis, Atlanta city councilor[3]
  • John Genins
  • David Librace
  • Lafayette Perry
  • Nancy Smith Schaefer, activist
  • Mark Teal
  • Mitchell Williams

Campaign[]

General election[]

The election would determine who would, expectedly, serve as mayor during the upcoming 1996 Summer Olympics in the city.[3] Among the issues that the individual elected mayor would inherit would be an Olympics that were considered significantly behind-schedule in regards to planning.[3]

Peter Applebome of The New York Times, on October 15, 1993 characterized the races being largely between Campbell, Davis, and Lomax, in which Campbell was leading, and Lomax was likely to place second.[3] Applebome wrote, "the three have mounted a civilized, relatively low-key race in which polls show Mr. Campbell with a healthy lead"[3] Applebome also wrote that the candidates had waged an "issue-oriented race".[3]

Crime was a major topic of the campaign. Campbell proposed reorganizing the city's police department, placing more officers in the city's neighborhoods, and rehiring retired officers to give more staffing flexibility (while costing less to train then new officers). Lomax proposed hiring 400 new police officers. Davis focused more on addressing the social causes behind crime.[3]

Outgoing mayor Maynard Jackson endorsed Campbell.[3]

Lomax had high name-recognition, but also had high disapproval in opinion polling.[3]

Runoff[]

Observers considered the runoff campaign between Campbell and Lomax as having been ugly.[2] Instead of being issues-focused, the campaign became focused on questions that Lomax made regarding Campbell's ties to a federal corruption probe and questionable expenditures at Hartsfield International Airport.[2]

Results[]

General election (November 2)[]

Atlanta mayoral general election, 1993[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
nonpartisan Bill Campbell 39,997 48.98
nonpartisan Michael L. Lomax 18,900 23.15
nonpartisan Myrtle Davis 12,779 15.65
nonpartisan Nancy Smith Schaefer 9,057 11.09
nonpartisan A. Amenra 230 0.28
nonpartisan James A. Coleman 216 0.27
nonpartisan Bob Braxton 124 0.15
nonpartisan David Librace 83 0.10
nonpartisan Mark Teal 72 0.09
nonpartisan John Genins 69 0.09
nonpartisan Lafayette Perry 66 0.08
nonpartisan Mitchell Williams 62 0.08
Turnout 81,655 44.52

Runoff (November 23)[]

Atlanta mayoral runoff election, 1993[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
nonpartisan Bill Campbell 48,600 72.80
nonpartisan Michael L. Lomax 18,155 27.20
Turnout 66,755 36.40

References[]

  1. ^ Suggs, Ernie (19 August 2019). "From 2003: Maynard Jackson, 1938-2003: 'A lion of a man'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Campbell defeats Lomax in Atlanta mayor's race". UPI. 24 November 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Applebome, Peter (15 October 1993). "Mayor's Race Shows Soaring Atlanta Is Not Above Urban Ills". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  4. ^ "CITY OF ATLANTA GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 02, 1993 FINAL REPORT FINAL RESULTS REPORT NUMBER 11". Fulton County. 3 Nov 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  5. ^ "CITY OF ATLANTA GENERAL ELECTION RUNOFF NOVEMBER 23, 1993 FINAL REPORT FINAL RESULTS REPORT NUMBER 3". Fulton County. 23 Nov 1993. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
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