— Matthew Rao, Chair, Beltline Rail Now

ENDORSEMENT

Update Saturday, October 26th, 2024 - How We Scored the Candidates 

Our endorsement of Devin Barrington-Ward has raised questions from our readers and others about how and why we arrived at that decision. Please note that our evaluation of the five candidates is based only on one issue, their position on Beltline rail.

Key among the reasons was the candidates’ answer about mentioning Beltline rail specifically on their websites. Candidate Barrington-Ward’s website had a broken link to a page stating his strong support for Beltline rail when we initially scored the candidates. He was given a negative score on that question as a result. When we learned that the detailed and long advocacy of Beltline rail was there all along, we voted as a group to re-score him. 

Only Devin was a definite among the five that we studied. He was the only one to be clear that rail is the solution, and he’s the most definitive about what he would do as an elected official. The other candidates all said pro-rail things but also stated positions that revealed their desire to revisit the mode. Devin’s score of 84 put him almost 20 points ahead of the next-highest scorer, Dr. Nicole Evans Jones. We think Devin and all the candidates can do better. 

We realize there are many issues voters weigh in choosing a candidate. A healthy and respectful debate about all issues is a benefit to all candidates and all voters. We hope to work with the winner of the election on our target issue: Beltline rail. As you can see, we have highlighted pros and cons in our view about each candidate, even as we propose that there is one candidate most likely to advance Beltline rail. That candidate is clearly Devin. 

Beltline rail is already 10 years behind. Rail & trail were supposed to be built simultaneously. The time for study is over and we are already in project development for the Streetcar East extension. We’ve got some catching up to do. Devin Barrington-Ward shows he’s ready to get the baton in his hand and lead the race to the finish.

Update Friday October 25th, 2024

After hearing from you, our supporters, that we didn't endorse a candidate in this competitive race, we have gone back and discussed each candidate and our different conversations with them and have decided to endorse Devin.  We are excited to endorse Candidate Devin Barrington-Ward for the Post 3 At-Large seat. About 25% of registered voters have already cast ballots, but that means many more than half of likely voters have not yet chosen their candidates in this consequential election. 

We learned this week that due to a technical glitch, we did not see some of the content that Devin put forward from his website in answering one question on our survey, so we have decided to take that content into consideration.  Devin clearly understands the importance of Beltline rail to the future of an affordable, sustainable Atlanta for all. His amended score, taken in context with his public appearances and written statements, make it clear that his fundamental beliefs and his willingness to work for them are aligned with the goal of light rail on the Beltline.

There are many issues facing city voters this November, but on BeltLine rail there is clearly one who stands above the rest of the candidates in the Post 3 At-Large race, and that person is Devin Barrington Ward. 

Early voting continues through November 1st! So get out and VOTE!

 October 20th, 2024

With the election upon us, there is still no clear champion for Beltline rail in Post 3 At-Large. 

I wish we had better news. As early voting continues, voters will decide which of five candidates they will elect to Post 3 At-Large for the Atlanta City Council. We wanted to know what the candidates think about BeltLine rail, the city’s plan for 22 miles of light rail transit around the entire Beltline loop, and what they would do to advance and assure its completion if elected.

At this time, based on their written responses to multiple-choice questions and 2 free-form essay questions in our Candidate Survey, we cannot endorse a candidate in the race. No candidate scored better than 73 out of 105 possible points, and in our view, all the candidates demonstrated a fundamental lack of understanding of the project’s current status and were contradictory in their answers about what they’d do to advance Streetcar East and Beltline rail if elected. Our analysis of their positions appears here in our 2024 Candidate Scorecard.

This seat is important. It is only one of 3 at-large seats which ALL Atlanta voters vote to fill. The other two at-large posts are held by members Matt Westmoreland and Michael Julian Bond. This representative is accountable to ALL city voters, and the one who wins the seat can become part of the emerging coalition of BeltLine rail supporters, including the council president Doug Shipman, and council members Bakhtiari, Dozier, and Farokhi representing districts 5, 4, and 2 respectively.

We hope that there will be the anticipated runoff, and during the weeks leading to it that Beltline Rail Now can join with you and others to draw out the championing of the City’s most transformational piece of infrastructure, Beltline rail, and to see leadership from the two candidates who survive to give the voters of this city a candidate who will advance Beltline rail. 

So what should YOU do now? Show up at these candidates’ events and forums and press them for answers on Beltline rail, letting them know why it matters to you. If you have a Beltline Rail Now T-shirt, wear it, and if you don’t, buy one here. And when you vote, take the candidates’ answers into consideration among all the issues important to you. We need a veto-proof majority on council to assure that the vision of Atlantans moves forward. This office is a very important first step to getting there.