Atlanta, GA
Atlanta voters return to polls for City Council runoff election
ATLANTA – Voters across Georgia will be back at their polling places on Tuesday to decide a number of runoff races.
Many candidates for county and city offices around the state failed to get enough votes required to win the Nov. 5 general election outright.
In total, nearly 20 races are on Tuesday’s ballot across the Peach State.
One of the races is to fill the vacancy left open by former Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Waites, who stepped down earlier this year.
After November’s election, the field was narrowed to two candidates; Nicole Jones, a former administrator for Atlanta Public Schools who now owns a small business, and Eshe Collins, a civil rights attorney serving on the Atlanta Board of Education.
SEE MORE: Candidates for Atlanta city council meet face-to-face ahead of runoff
“I’m running to put neighborhoods first,” Jones said at a forum in Buckhead last month.
“For me, [it’s] continuing to fight for a city that’s for us, for all of us,” Collins said.
In the last election, Jones received about 40% of the vote. Collins received around 25%.
Both candidates said they would take a different approach to the role than Waites did.
“I will be way more present, I think, [than someone who] never stepped down,” Jones said. “And then I want to ensure that the council is an independent body.”
“One thing that I’ve heard from the community a lot is [the need for] someone that is actually present and engaged,” Collins said.
Registered voters, including those who did not vote for this seat in the general election, are eligible to vote in the race.
Polling hours for the runoff are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the City of Atlanta and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the rest of the state. You can find your precinct on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
To vote in-person, you will need to bring a valid ID such as a driver’s license or passport.
The Atlanta Falcons are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and they’ll be relying on a new coaching staff to help them get there. But Kevin Stefanski is no rookie; he’s a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, only now he’ll be working with an entirely different group of personnel after coaching in Cleveland since 2020.
In addition to a new coach, the Falcons may have a different starting quarterback as Michael Penix Jr. continues to rehab last season’s torn ACL. He’ll also be competing with Tua Tagovailoa. Together, the Falcons believe they can compete for a playoff spot in the NFC South, but to do so, they’ll need all the help they can get. Unfortunately, the Falcons may not have everyone on hand to start the season.
According to The Athletic‘s Falcons insider Josh Kendall, the NFL is “likely” to suspend edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
Pearce faces three felony charges after an incident with his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce’s charges are for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing the police, and resisting arrest with violence.
“Atlanta now appears to be waiting on the NFL to decide on Pearce. Under the league’s personal conduct policy, commissioner Roger Goodell has wide latitude to impose discipline regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. The league is likely to suspend Pearce. Steelers defensive back Cam Sutton was suspended eight games in 2024 after a domestic violence incident that began as a felony charge but was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor. Goodell could also place Pearce on the commissioner’s exempt list, which serves as an indefinite suspension while the league gathers more information.”
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall on James Pearce
Pearce is coming off an excellent rookie season that saw him record a team-high 10.5 sacks while starting three of his 17 appearances. The 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft looks like he’s poised to be a star. Yet, now the 22-year-old may have to wait to start his second NFL season. The question is how long?
If Pearce is forced to miss time, the Falcons will be counting on others, such as fellow 2025 first-round pick Jalon Walker, to make a bigger impact. The 22-year-old Walker recorded 5.5 sacks, making nine sacks in 15 appearances.
5 Possible Brendan Sorsby NFL Supplemental Draft Landing Spots for Late July
I’ve also heard that Atlanta sees great value in Swain at No. 23, but the Hawks have been signaling for some time that they are prepared (and perhaps even prefer) to trade their second pick in the first round after No. 8 for future draft capital. It sounds as though Atlanta will invite external trade interest for that pick until it is actually on the clock to make the selection Tuesday night.
marcstein.substack.com
Caitlin Clark talks her signature shoe, Indiana Fever player of the week, more
Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has had social media buzz about her signature shoe, and she spoke about the technology, being a role model and more.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever continued their 2026 WNBA regular season with a 113-96 loss against the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, June 20.
Clark, a former Iowa women’s basketball star, and the Fever are 9-7 after the first 16 games of the regular season.
Here’s a look at how Clark fared in Saturday’s game in Atlanta:
Caitlin Clark stats today in Indiana Fever vs Atlanta Dream
- Minutes: 34
- Points: 26
- Rebounds: 3
- Assists: 7
- Blocks: 0
- Steals: 1
- Turnovers: 7
- Fouls: 3
- FG shooting: 11-18
- 3-point shooting: 3-7
- Free throws: 1-2
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever upcoming games
- June 22: vs Phoenix Mercury, 7 p.m. CT, USA Network
- June 24: vs Phoenix Mercury, 6:30 p.m. CT, USA Network
-
Movie Reviews1 minute agoFilm reviews: ‘Toy Story 5’ and ‘The Death of Robin Hood’
-
World11 minutes ago‘Criminal Minds’ Star Paget Brewster Tells TV Journalist to ‘Work at a Shelter’ After Mixed Review, Sparking Outrage From Other Critics
-
News16 minutes agoThe Deadly Rise of Giant Trucks and S.U.V.s
-
Health38 minutes ago7 Celebrity Weight Loss Success Stories—From Adele to the Pioneer Woman
-
Lifestyle53 minutes agoSunday Puzzle: B to the B to the B
-
Technology1 hour agoBose thinks it can be a media company for some reason
-
World1 hour agoMeloni’s spat with Trump is calculated strategy to boost her approval ratings: expert
-
Politics1 hour agoTrump’s Iran gamble divides GOP hawks and ‘America First’ conservatives over what victory looks like
