Candidates who qualified to run for metro Atlanta school board races

Several candidates have qualified to run for their county school board seats in the upcoming May 21 general primary.

Notably, several long-term board members have elected not to seek reelection, including Katha Stuart from Fulton County, Dr. Mary Kay Murphy from Gwinnett County Schools, David Banks from Cobb County Schools, Vickie B. Turner, Dr. Joyce Morley, and Anna Hill from Dekalb County Schools.

While most school board elections in Georgia are nonpartisan, some districts still run partisan races. Notably, several long-term board members have elected not to seek reelection, including Katha Stuart from Fulton County, Dr. Mary Kay Murphy from Gwinnett County Schools, David Banks from Cobb County Schools, Vickie B. Turner, Dr. Joyce Morley, and Anna Hill from Dekalb County Schools.

Cherokee County Schools

In this partisan race, incumbents Kelly Kind Poole (R) qualified to run in District 1 and Patsy Jordan(R) for District 2.

Clayton County Schools

All candidates who qualified in Clayton County Schools are incumbents who are running in uncontested races. In District 2

District 2

Mark Christmas (District 2)

District 3

Jessie Goree (District 3),

District 5

Deatrice “Dee” Haney (District 5)

District 6

Mary Baker (District 6)

District 7

 Sabrina Hill (District 7)

Cobb County Schools

Cobb County voters are running with new hotly contested maps that were passed by the Georgia Legislature. Georgia Gov Brian Kemp approved the in Jan 2024, but there are still concerns with Democratic lawmakers with concerns that Black and Hispanic voters are packed into specific districts in an attempt to weaken their vote. In this partisan race,  David Banks who is the Board Vice- Chair who represents Post 5 is not seeking reelection.

Post 1

Vickie H.W. Benson (D)

Randall Allen Scamihorn (R)

Post 3

Leroy Tre’ Hutchins (D)

Post 5

Laura Judge (D)

John H. Cristadoro (R)

Post 7

Andrew Cole (D)

Bradford Jay Wheeler (R)

Dekalb County Schools

Four seats—District 1, 3, 5, and 7 in Dekalb County Schools—are up for election this year in this nonpartisan race. Here are the nine candidates who qualified for four school board seats, with three incumbents not seeking reelection. In District 1, Anna Hill is not seeking reelection. In District 5, Vickie B. Turner is not seeking reelection, and Dr. Joyce Morley in District 7 is not seeking reelection.

District 1

Austin McDonald

Andrew Ziffer

District 3

Deidra Russel Wright

Deirdre P. Piece (Incumbent)

District 5

Donna Priest- Brown

Telessa Ammons

Tiffany Tate Hogan

Manus B. Caldwell, Jr.

District 7

Awet “Howard” Eyasu

Douglas County Schools

In this partisan race, Douglas County Schools has two seats up for reelection.

District 1

Johnnie Ruth Morgan (D). (I)

Devetrion Caldwell (D)

Tameka Scott (D)

District 5

Glenn Easterwood (R) (I)

Forsyth County Schools

In this partisan race, Forsyth County Schools has five eight candidates running for three school board seats.

District 2

Lindsey Adams (I )

Trisha Hoyes

Jessica Fleming (D)

District 3

Tom Cleveland (I)

Dorian Usherwood (R )

Debbie Stair (D)

District 4

Claudia Wood (D) (I)

Chris Grimes ( R)

Fulton County Schools

Fulton County Board veteran Katha Stuart will not seek reelection in this nonpartisan race.

District 1

Sara Elizabeth Gillespie

Lyndsey Coates

District 3

Katherine Green Gregory (I)

Mustafa Karadeniz

Samuel Beck

District 4

Franchesca Warren (I)

Stefani Carrera de Beck

Gwinnett County Schools

In this non-partisan race, long-time board member Dr. Mary Kay Murphy will not seek reelection after 25 years of serving on the Gwinnett County School Board. There are 11 candidates running for three board seats.

District 1

Karen Watkins (I)

Leroy Ranel, Jr.

Rachel Ruffin Stone

District 3

Domonque Cooper

Yanin Cortes

Steve Gasper

Anthony Mulkey

Shana Vidal White

District 5

Tarece Johnson Morgan (I)

Jacquelyn Evenezer

Patrina King

Henry County Schools

Henry County Schools has nine candidates vying for three school board seats in this non-partisan race.

District 1

Pam Nutt (I)

John H. Dewberry

Cassandra Norsworthy

Earlene H. Crump

District 3

Jennifer Gardner Carter

Larry N. Bryant

District 5

Makenzie McDaniel (I)

Gewel Richardson

Sheri Mimbs

Candidates qualified March 4-8, and early voting starts on April 29. If there is a runoff for any of these races, it will start on June 18.