Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is running for reelection on a nonpartisan ballot on Tuesday, facing three lesser-known candidates: former police officer Kalema Jackson, progressive Eddie Meredith, and Republican Helmut "Love" Domagalski. Dickens, a Democrat, is highlighting the significant improvements the city has experienced during his first term in office.

According to AdImpact, a firm specializing in advertising tracking, Dickens' campaign has invested $350,000 on advertising, and he was the only candidate to have ads running as of the week before Election Day. This year, Dickens is perceived to be in a more favorable position compared to his 2021 election run, where he was considered an underdog. Historically, Atlanta mayors who seek reelection are often awarded a second term, with the notable exception of former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who chose not to run for a second term.

To be elected, candidates for Atlanta mayor must secure a majority of the votes. If no candidate achieves this, the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will proceed to a runoff election scheduled for December 2. Dickens was elected in a runoff during the 2021 election after finishing second in the initial voting round to Felicia Moore.

The majority of Atlanta's voters reside in Fulton County, with a smaller population in DeKalb County. Polls in Atlanta close at 8 p.m. ET on Election Day, and registered voters are eligible to participate in the mayoral election.

In terms of voter turnout and early voting, approximately 199,000 people participated in the City Council At-Large election in 2024, with around 75% of the votes cast during early in-person voting, 5% by mail, and 20% in person on Election Day. By the time of the election, nearly 23,000 ballots had already been cast before the official day of voting.

The counting of votes often takes some time. In the 2021 race for Atlanta mayor, over 97,000 individuals voted, with DeKalb County reporting results nearly an hour after the polls closed and Fulton County following shortly after, about 15 minutes later. The election night tally concluded at 1:49 a.m., with 99% of the votes counted.