1973 Atlanta City Council election
| Elections in Georgia |
|---|
The 1973 Atlanta City Council took place on October 2, 1973, to elect the Atlanta City Council, which was the first election since the replacement of the six-member Atlanta Board of Aldermen with the 19-member City Council (which was formalized by a 1974 Charter Review Commission). The election took place concurrently with the 1973 Atlanta mayoral election. A runoff for several seats was held on October 16, 1973.
In the same election, Atlanta voters elected Alderman Wyche Fowler as President of the Atlanta City Council. Fowler defeated Reverend Hosea Williams in a runoff election. In the primary election, Fowler and Williams finished first and second, respectively, followed by former Alderman Wade Mitchell and Rector Robert B. Hunter.[1]
The 1973 election saw a rise in the influence of African-American politicians in Atlanta. Five new black City Council members were added to create a 9–9 split, while two black women were elected to the Atlanta Board of Education for a 5-4 black majority.[2]
Council President
Declared candidates
- Joel Aber
- Wyche Fowler, lawyer, former chief of staff for congressmember Charles L. Weltner
- Robert B. Hunter, clergyman, rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
- Wade Mitchell, incumbent alderman, banker[3]
- Cecil Turner, incumbent alderman, real estate lawyer[4]
- Hosea Williams, civil rights activist and research chemist
Runoff candidates
- Wyche Folwer
- Hosea Williams
District 1
Declared candidates
- John H. Calhoun, civil rights activist
- John Releford
District 2
Declared candidates
- Charles Helms, Presbyterian clergymember[5]
- Sam Sheats, barber
- Samuel Lee Stephens
Runoff candidates
- Charles Helms
- Sam Sheats
District 3
Declared candidates
- Eunice Cooper
- John Daniels
- James Howard
- Frank "Sonny" Jones
- Tillman Ward
- J. Lowell Ware, publisher of Atlanta Voice
Runoff candidates
- Eunice Cooper
- James Howard
District 4
Declared candidates
- James Bond
- Malcolm J. Dean
- Mildred Glover
- Ethel M. Mathews
- Jesse Williams
Runoff candidates
- James Bond
- Mildred Glover
District 5
Declared candidates
- Morris Finley
- Charles Turner
District 6
Declared candidates
- Edward G. Hartline
- Tom Houck, civil rights activist
- Nick G. Lambros, incumbent alderman, former state representative[6]
District 7
Declared candidates
- Ray Abernathy
- George Cotsakis
- Roger Kelton
- Frank Salley
- Hank Schwab
Runoff candidates
- Ray Abernathy
- George Cotsakis
District 8
Declared candidates
- Tom Corish
- Richard Guthman, banker[7]
- C. J. Lynch
- G. Everett Millican, incumbent alderman
Runoff candidates
- Richard Guthman
- G. Everett Millican
District 9
Declared candidates
- Brady Barnett Jr.
- Robert "Bob" Lane
- Arthur Langford Jr, Baptist clergymember
District 10
Declared candidates
- Lorenzo Benn, businessman
- Gloria Thomas Borders
- Ira Jackson
- Cecil Mc? McLean
- Ryburn G. Stephens
- Calvin Thornton
District 11
Declared candidates
- James F. Maddox Sr
- Carl Ware
Runoff candidates
- James F. Maddox Sr
- Carl Ware
District 12
Declared candidates
Runoff candidates
- Hugh Pierce
- Cozier Smith
At-Large Post 13
Declared candidates
Runoff candidates
- E. Gregory Griggs
- Robb Pitts
At-Large Post 14
Declared candidates
At-Large Post 15
Declared candidates
- Panke Bradley
- H. D. Dodson
At-Large Post 16
Declared candidates
- Chuck Driebe
- Buddy Fowlkes
At-Large 17
Declared candidates
At-Large 18
Declared candidates
- Jack Summers
References
- ^ "1973" (PDF). Fulton County Government. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ Poinsett, Alex (January 1974). "1973: Year of Watergate". Ebony. Vol. XXX, no. 3. p. 32.
- ^ "Wade Mitchell Obituary - Atlanta, GA". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
- ^ "Cecil Turner Obituary - Atlanta, GA". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
- ^ "Charles Helms Obituary - Charlotte, NC". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
- ^ "Nick G Lambros obit". The Atlanta Constitution. 2002-01-05. pp. H6. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
- ^ "Richard Guthman Obituary - Sandy Springs, GA". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-12-13.