Some challengers in Atlanta’s school board races are giving their incumbent opponents a literal run for their money in the battle for financial support for their campaigns.
Candidates for District 3 and the At-Large 7 and 9 seats have raised more money or have more cash on hand than the school board members who currently hold those seats, according to campaign disclosure reports filed with city of Atlanta reviewed Friday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
District 3 candidate Ken Zeff leads the field with $68,323 in donations and $13,766.86 in cash on hand, as of his Oct. 25 filing. Incumbent Michelle Olympiadis, who filed her most recent disclosure report in July, reported raising no money for her campaign.
Oct. 25 was the last deadline before Tuesday’s election. Candidates had a five-day grace period to submit their disclosures.
Notable donors to Zeff’s campaign include former Atlanta Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, East Lake developer Tom Cousins and his son-in-law Greg Giornelli, the former CEO of Purpose Built Schools Atlanta, which currently has a contract with APS to run three of its schools.
“As a first-time candidate, I am grateful for the community’s support to help get out our message about what is possible for Atlanta Public Schools,” Zeff said in response to questions about fundraising via email. “Ultimately, the vision and experience of the candidate matter most, but direct and sustained outreach to the 83,000 District 3 voters has been essential.”
In the At-Large Seat 7 race, Alfred “Shivy” Brooks has raised $47,798.61 compared to current board member Tamara Jones, who has reported $31,142.65 in contributions. Brooks also has more cash on hand than Jones — $20,045.65 compared to Jones’ $9,400.85. The third candidate in that race, William “Will” Sardin, has raised $1,100, according to his most recent disclosure report.
“Fundraising is pivotal in a school board election,” Brooks said via email. “It is critical to outreach efforts by providing funds for campaign materials, advertising, and events, amplifying a candidate’s message. As a teacher running for school board, I had to raise more than my annual salary to gain the credibility and visibility necessary to be a viable candidate.”
In the At-Large Seat 9 race, incumbent Jessica Johnson outraised her opponent Nkoyo Effiong Lewis, but Lewis has more cash on hand. Lewis reports $22,547.88 cash on hand compared to Johnson’s $14,616.04. Several contributions made to Lewis came from out-of-state donors.
“Running citywide demands major funds to reach voters. In my first-ever race, I spent over 75 hours on the phone with former colleagues, classmates, and trusted friends who invested in this campaign based on their knowledge of my professional experience, tenacity, and commitment to improving outcomes in public education,” Lewis said via email.
However, having a large war chest doesn’t ensure victory. In 2013, several candidates vied for Atlanta’s At-Large Seat 8. Real estate developer Mark Riley, who had served on the school board previously, raised more than $155,000, according to state records. However, Cynthia Briscoe Brown won the seat. She raised just over $1,200 according to disclosures.
The two District 5 candidates addressed issues concerning their disclosure reports.
Incumbent Erika Mitchell owes $125 for missing a 2018 filing deadline, according to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. Mitchell disputes that, but says she did miss a deadline in January of 2021 due to a clerical error she made. She says she cleared up the mistake by re-filing the disclosure and paying $125 in fees to the commission.
State documents show Mitchell’s opponent, Raynard Johnson, has racked up $1,000 in fees for failing to file disclosure forms dating back to 2017. Johnson said a glitch in the city’s electronic filing system prevented him from meeting the September 2023 filing deadline. City officials haven’t yet confirmed the glitch. Johnson did not respond to other questions from the AJC about failing to submit financial disclosures.
The APS money race
Here are the candidates’ fundraising hauls, from campaign disclosure reports filed through Oct. 25, the last deadline before Tuesday’s election.
District 1, east and southeast Atlanta
Katie Howard (Incumbent): $18,985
District 3, east and northeast Atlanta
Michelle Olympiadis (Incumbent): $0
Ken Zeff: $68,323
District 5, west Atlanta
Erika Mitchell (Incumbent): $51,510
Raynard Johnson: No campaign disclosure forms.
At-Large Seat 7
Tamara Jones (Incumbent): $31,142.65
Alfred “Shivy” Brooks: $47,798.61
William “Will” Sardin: $1,100
At-Large Seat 9
Jessica Johnson (Incumbent): $44,037.93
Nkoyo Effiong Lewis: $33,614
Source: City of Atlanta.
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