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Forum held in Tucker for City Council, mayoral candidates

DeKalb County

Forum held in Tucker for City Council, mayoral candidates

Imani Barnes, center, and Cara Schroeder, left, are running for District 2, Post 1 of Tucker City Council. Robin Biro, right, is running for mayor.
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Tucker, GA — About 100 people showed up to hear from 12 candidates running for City Council and mayor at a Sept. 20 forum at First Christian Church of Atlanta in Tucker. District 3, Post 1 candidate David Deaton was not in attendance.

Four Tucker City Council seats are up for grabs in the Nov. 2 municipal election. Mayor Frank Auman is also up for re-election, running against candidate Robin Biro.

Early voting starts Oct. 12 at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library.

Moderated by Tucker resident Tim Thompson, each candidate had an opening and closing statement and two minutes to answer each question based on a list they received prior to the debate. Topics included age-friendly designation, senior living, a non-discrimination order, economic growth and transportation.

Candidates running:

Mayor: Frank Auman, incumbent, and Robin Biro

District 1, Post 1: Roger Orlando and Karen Peters Rivers

District 1, Post 2: Christine Bloodworth, Virginia Rece and Shawn Woods

District 2, Post 1: Imani Barnes, Cara Schroeder and Thomas Walker

District 3, Post 1: David Deaton, Neal Stubblefield and Alexis Weaver

Most candidates said they’re running to fulfill a sense of duty to public service. Auman, Schroeder and Stubblefield have the longest records of city involvement by serving to plan and develop the city through committees and volunteering with DeKalb County.

Both Barnes and Woods, whose first jobs were in Tucker, said they don’t seem themselves represented in the current City Council. This year candidates include members of the LGBTQ community, single parents and people of color.

Walker and Deaton ran for City Council in 2016, but lost. Walker was nine votes from entering a runoff with Matt Robbins, whose term is ending this year.

Candidates will continue to appear at local meetings, events and online. A replay of the livestream is available here.

More information about the Nov. 2 municipal elections

All Decaturish elections coverage can be found at Tuckerobservervotes.com 

The election will be Nov. 2. Early voting will begin on Oct. 12. The voter registration deadline for the upcoming city elections is Oct. 4. To register to vote, click here.

To see a list of important dates in the 2021 election year, click here.

Voters in DeKalb County are eligible to apply for an absentee ballot as of Aug. 16. The county will hold municipal elections on Nov. 2, as well as a county-wide E-SPLOST vote for DeKalb County schools.

To apply for an absentee ballot:

— Visit the Georgia Secretary of State website: www.sos.ga.gov.

—  Complete the absentee ballot application using the state’s official paper form or request an absentee ballot in writing. Use blue or black ink only.

Applications can be mailed to the county elections office and voters should use this address: DeKalb County Election Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, 30032-1239.

Applications can also be submitted through fax, 404-298-4038, or email, [email protected]. Voters may send an absentee ballot request for multiple people who live in the same household in the same envelope or email. If an absentee ballot is not mailed to you, contact your county’s elections office. You may still vote in person, either early or on Election Day.

An absentee ballot application must be requested 11 days prior to the election, which is Oct. 22. In accordance with SB202, a new voting bill signed by Governor Brian Kemp in March, a voter ID is required to apply for an absentee ballot. A Georgia driver’s license, Georgia voter card, U.S. military ID, employee ID issued by any branch of the federal or state government, U.S. Passport, tribal ID, or a document verifying a voter’s name and address – including a paycheck, utility bill, or bank statement – are accepted forms of ID. Voters can obtain a free ID at the DeKalb County Elections office at 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, 30030.

The Tucker Observer is a new community news website owned by Decaturish.comWe provide locally sourced news about Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain.

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