Q News

Liliana Bakhtiari and Alex Wan won Atlanta City Council Districts 5 and 6, respectively. If Keisha Waites wins her At-Large runoff, the three would make the most LGBTQ representation on the council at the same time.

Wins, Losses & RUNOFFS

Local LGBTQ candidates rack up record election results

By Patrick Saunders

OF NEARLY TWO DOZEN LGBTQ HOPEFULS

running for public office on Nov. 3, several candidates won representation outright, with even more living to fight in the Nov. 30 runoffs. The most decisive finisher was Alex Wan. The former city council member cruised to an easy victory in the Atlanta City Council District 6 race, finishing with nearly 80% of the vote. In 2010, Wan became the first Asian American and first openly gay male member of the council. He served two terms before losing a race for council president in 2017. “I am grateful that my friends and neighbors in District 6 have again affirmed my track record,” Wan said in a statement. “I am humbled and honored by the broad base of support during this campaign; it’s a great springboard to continuing to fight for our shared issues, including public safety, city service delivery and quality of life initiatives.” Another LGBTQ candidate — Diogi Pet Services owner Courtney DeDi — placed third in the same district race with 10% of the vote.

POISED FOR HISTORY Queer community organizer Liliana Bakhtiari won the Atlanta City Council District 5 race without a runoff. She crossed the 50% threshold in the five-person race by just 20 votes, according to unofficial results. If that tally holds up, Bakhtiari becomes the first openly LGBTQ Muslim elected official in state history. 

It would be a comeback of sorts for the candidate, who came within about 250 votes of winning the same seat in 2017. At this writing, she has not claimed victory, and the second-place finisher Mandy Mahoney has not conceded. In other Atlanta races with LGBTQ candidates, former state Rep. Keisha Waites tops her field for the Atlanta City Council Post 3 At-Large spot. With 30% of the vote, she faces Jacki Labat in the Nov. 30 runoff. If Bakhtiari and Waites pull out wins and join Wan, it will be the most openly LGBTQ members to serve on the Atlanta City Council at the same time. LESS SUCCESSFUL Atlanta City Councilmember Antonio Brown lost his bid to become Atlanta’s first LGBTQ mayor. He finished a distant fifth in the race with just over 5% of the vote. City Council President Felicia Moore easily advances to a runoff in the race against Councilmember Andre Dickens, who bested former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in third. Gay veteran and small business owner Mike Russell came in fourth in the race for Atlanta City Council president. Six other LGBTQ candidates for Atlanta City Council lost their races on Tuesday: Brandon Goldberg and Jereme Sharpe for Post 1 At-Large; Kelly-Jeanne Lee in District 1; Larry Carter in District 4; Devin Barrington Ward in District 9; and Jason Hudgins in District 10. All three LGBTQ candidates for the Atlanta school board also lost on Tuesday: Stephen Spring for At-Large Seat 7; Jason Allen for At-Large Seat 9; and Bethsheba Rem in District 2. SUBURBAN GAYS Gay educator Brett Reichert beat Jonathan Scott by over 30 points in the Hapeville City Council At-Large race. He becomes the council’s first-ever

Big gains in the suburbs meant a win for Brett Reichert in Hapeville, plus high runoff hopes for Khalid Kamau in South Fulton and Imani Barnes in Tucker. openly LGBTQ member. Reichert was “humbled and proud,” he posted on Facebook. Chamblee City Councilmember Brian Mock ran unopposed for mayor and will become the city’s first LGBTQ leader. Doraville City Councilmember Stephe Koontz ran unopposed and begins her second term in the District 3 seat in January. Hiawassee Mayor Liz Ordiales also ran unopposed and cruises to a second term. Pine Lake City Councilmember Jean Bordeaux returns for a third term as one of three top three vote getters in a four-person race for that council. South Fulton City Councilmember Khalid Kamau heads into a runoff against the incumbent Bill Edwards in the race for mayor. Kamau would become the city’s first LGBTQ mayor if elected. TUCKER’S MIXED BAG Emory University scientist Imani Barnes goes into a runoff against Cara Schroeder for the City Council District 2 Seat 1 post. If she wins, Barnes would be the council’s first Black and first LGBTQ member. Former Obama aide and TV pundit Robin Biro lost his bid to become Tucker’s first LGBTQ mayor. The incumbent Frank Auman beat him by about 10 points. For more on the elections and all the best local LGBTQ news coverage, visit theQatl.com.