Atlanta City Council District 11 Race Shrinks as Two Candidates Disqualified

The candidate field for District 11 of the Atlanta City Council has been reduced from ten to eight after two first-time candidates were disqualified over residency requirements.

Keith Lewis Jr. and Sherry Williams were removed from the ballot after the city clerk determined neither could provide sufficient proof of living in the district for at least one year prior to qualifying. Missing documentation included tax returns, driver’s licenses, and voter registration records.

Lewis called the decision unfair and a loss for the community.

“The city of Atlanta loses when community-first people like him are disqualified,” he said, adding that he has served the community “with dignity and pride.”

Williams maintained that she had lived in the district for years, presenting a lease and witnesses to support her residency claim. However, her voter registration records were the key point of dispute.

With the two disqualifications, the race remains crowded with Andre Burgin, Curt Collier, Stephen Dingle, Harold Maurice Hardnett, Toni Belin-Ingram, Nate Jester, Wayne Martin, and Reginald Rushin all vying for the seat.

The disqualifications have immediate implications for the upcoming election, narrowing the race and highlighting the importance of residency verification in local elections.