Form: Mayor-City Council 
Founded: 1837 
Population: 416,474
 

Mayor

The mayor of the City of Atlanta is the chief executive and has all the powers of a chief executive. The current mayor of Atlanta is Shirley Franklin. Ms. Franklin was elected in November of 2001 for a term of 4 years. Her education includes a bachelors degree in sociology from Howard University and a masters degree from the University of Pennsylvania in sociology.

Mayor Franklin is the fifty-eighth mayor of Atlanta and the first female African-American mayor of Atlanta. Being the first female African-American mayor of Atlanta also gives her the distinction of being the first female African-American Mayor of a major Southern city. Mayor Franklin has held many positions that give her great distinction. Some of the more the notable positions are: being the nation’s first female chief administrative officer, working on the Atlanta committee for the Olympic Games, and being the vice-chairperson of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. In addition to holding these positions, Mayor Franklin has accomplished a number of objectives during her term as Mayor. Some of the objectives she achieved are: eliminating a budget deficit of $82 million, proposing ethical reform legislation, filling city potholes, and serving on numerous committees. Mayor Franklin has also received numerous awards and honors for her service. 

Duties of the mayor

          The mayor of the City of Atlanta is responsible for the administration and operation of the city as well as proposing an annual budget, and appointing city officers and commissioners.

 followed by current Mayor Shirley Franklin. As one can see in the past thirty years Atlanta’s mayoral office has been dominated by minority politicians.

Chief Operating Officer

The Chief Operating Officer of the City of Atlanta is Lynette Young. Ms. Young, who received a degree in political science from the University of Maryland, is in charge of the day to day operations of the city.

Cathy Woolard
Ms. Woolard is the President of the City Council of Atlanta. She is also the first openly gay elected official in Georgia.
 

Carla Smith
Ms. Smith represents District 1 in the Atlanta City Council.
 

Debi Starnes
Ms. Starnes represents the 2^nd district of Atlanta. She also has a Ph.D. in psychology and runs a bed and breakfast.
 

Ivory Lee Young Jr.
Mr. Young represents the 3^rd district in Atlanta.  He also has a degree in architecture and is one of the minority members of the council.
 

Cleta Winslow
Ms. Winslow the councilmember from the 4^th district of Atlanta, she is also one of Atlanta’s minority council members.
 

Natalyn Mosby Archibong
Ms. Archibong represents Atlanta’s 5^th district. She is also a minority member, small business owner, and a lawyer.
 

Ann Fauver
Ms. Fauver, a small business owner represents District 6.
 

Howard Shook
Mr. Shook represents the 7^th district of Atlanta and cites his duties to the council as his full-time job.
 

Claire Muller
Ms. Muller is the representative from the 8^th district.
 

Felicia Moore
Ms. Moore represents District 9 and is a minority member of the Atlanta City Council.
 

Clarence T. Martin
Mr. Martin is a native of Atlanta and is the representative from Atlanta’s 10^th district. Mr. Martin is also one of Atlanta’s minority representatives.
 

Jim Maddox
Mr. Maddox represents the 11^th district of Atlanta.
 

Derrick Boazman
Mr. Boazman is the representative from Atlanta’s 12^th district. Derrick Boazman is a native of Atlanta, the president of a company, and is one of the minority members of the city council.
 

Ceasar C. Mitchell
Mr. Mitchell is one of the at large council members. Mr. Mitchell is also one of Atlanta’s minority council members and a lawyer.
 

H. Lamar Willis
Mr. Willis, a native Atlantian, is another of Atlanta’s at large council members. In addition to this he is also one of the minority council members and is a lawyer.
 

Mary Norwood
Ms. Norwood is the final at large councilmember. Her outside employment is as a small business owner.
 

          Though Atlanta appears to have a relatively proportional representation in regard to the racial composition of the city, there is a disparity when one compares the relative affluence of a district to the race of its representative.