Early Wednesday, Keisha Lance Bottoms declared victory in Atlanta's mayoral runoff election, telling the crowd at her campaign party, "I'm so honored to be your 60th mayor." Mary Norwood, a fellow city council member, said that she is trailing by only 759 votes, with some military absentee ballots yet to be tallied, and she's requesting a recount. "This is very close. It is not over yet," Norwood said. "We are two days away from knowing."
Bottoms, 47, is black and a Democrat, while Norwood, 65, is white and an independent. If Norwood wins, she would be Atlanta's first white mayor since 1974 and its first non-Democrat since 1879. The race highlights the shifting demographics of Atlanta and the economic and housing disruptions as the city gets younger, wealthier, and more diverse, The Associated Press reports. Regardless of race, Atlanta voters are concerned about snarled traffic, public transportation, safety, and affordable housing.
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