The runoff race for chairman of the Cobb County Commission took an interesting turn this week when incumbent Tim Lee blamed challenger Bill Byrne for the anti-gay resolution that led organizers of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to pull planned volleyball events out of Cobb.
The 1993 resolution declared the “life style advocated by the gay community” was “incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes.”
The resolution caused an uproar among Atlanta's gay and lesbian community and later spawned the “Olympics Out of Cobb” campaign, a successful attempt to force Olympic organizers to pull events from the county.
Openly gay East Point City Council member Lance Rhodes faces a Dec. 6 runoff with Karen Rene, a first-time political candidate.
Rhodes garnered 49.52 percent of the Nov. 8 vote while Rene received 45.22 and Marie T. Williams got 5.05, according to official Fulton County election results. Because no candidate achieved 50 percent plus one vote, the top two advance to the runoff.
Rhodes, seeking his third term on the council, was instrumental in getting domestic partner benefits passed for city employees.
Gay East Point incumbent faces political newcomer in runoff
Deal vs. Barnes: Readers react to governor’s race
Re: Election discussions at facebook.com/thegavoice (Aug. 11)
Editor’s note: GA Voice readers had plenty to say about Nathan Deal’s victory over Karen Handel in the Aug. 10 GOP gubernatorial primary runoff. Deal, who attacked Karen Handel on gay issues, now faces Democrat and former Gov. Roy Barnes and Libertarian John Monds on the November ballot.
Last night’s "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" highlighted the Republican gubernatorial runoff between Karen Handel and eventual winner Nathan Deal.
The segment highlighted the endorsements Deal and Handel received in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote. Deal was endorsed by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Handel received the backing of “Momma Grizzly” Sarah Palin.
Handel concedes in anti-gay GOP governor's contest; Sinkfield wins Dem nomination for Secretary of State
Keisha Waites and Joan Garner are vying to be the first openly gay Fulton County Commissioner as they face each other in a runoff on Aug. 10.
During the July 20 Democratic primary for the District 6 seat, Waites placed first in a field of four with 3,576 votes, or 41.46 percent, with Garner in second with 3,408 votes, or 39.14 percent, according to official Fulton County Elections results.
Only 168 votes separated Waites and Garner, who advance to the runoff because neither received more than 50 percent of the vote. David Holder received 837 votes, or 9.7 percent. Sally Smith finished last with 807 votes, or 9.55 percent.
The General Primary Runoff will determine the winner out of the top two finishers in contests where no candidate received the majority of votes in the July 10 primary election.
In addition to the contest between lesbian candidates Keisha Waites and Joan Garner in Fulton County, here are two of the top races of LGBT interest on the primary ballot.
While few candidates for the state’s top offices have openly campaigned for LGBT votes, many have long records — some positive, more negative — on issues that impact our community.