Metro Atlanta school board races set — see who’s on the ballot this fall

Friday was the deadline for candidates to submit the proper paperwork and cash to run for several open seats on the Atlanta school board.

And while they may not draw presidential endorsements or crowds that could fill stadiums, there will be some intense campaigning for these school board seats in the city and other parts of metro Atlanta this November.

Four metro Atlanta school districts will hold school board elections Nov. 4. Even-numbered seats on the Atlanta school board are up for election. Two incumbents have announced they’re not running again: District 2 representative Aretta Baldon and at-large Seat 8 board member Cynthia Briscoe Brown.

Three seats on the City Schools of Decatur board of education will be on the ballot. All three incumbents are running unopposed. A similar scenario is unfolding in the city of Buford, where incumbents Bruce Fricks and Kathleen Perkins Welch are also unopposed.

All seven seats on the Marietta City Schools board are up this year.

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School board races generally have low turnouts, so an election can be decided by a few votes.

School boards have some big responsibilities. In metro Atlanta, boards handle school district budgets worth billions of dollars. One of their biggest tasks is hiring and evaluating the district’s superintendent.

Here is a list of candidates who have qualified to run.

Atlanta Public Schools

District 2

Marlissa Crawford

Tony Mitchell

Stephen Owens

District 4

Jennifer McDonald (Incumbent)

Sanjay Mendonca

District 6

Tolton R. Pace (Incumbent)

Michael Hopkins

Patreece Hutcherson

Jonathan Leon

Tyrese Miller

Seat 8 At-Large

Kaycee Brock

Royce Mann

Aisha Stith

City Schools of Decatur

District 1, Post A

Hans Utz (Incumbent)

District 2, Post A

Carmen Sulton (Incumbent)

At-Large

Lorraine Irier (Incumbent)

City Schools of Marietta

Ward 1

Jeff DeJarnett (Incumbent)

Ward 2

Laura Holder

Nicole Tirado

Ward 3

Jeff Collins

Ward 4

Jaillene Hunter (Incumbent)

Ward 5

Angela Orange (Incumbent)

Jesse D. Bonner Jr.

Ward 6

Christina Rogers

Tony Viola

Ward 7

Irene Holly Berens (Incumbent)

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