Fulton Commissioners Ivory and Arrington to Challenge Chair Robb Pitts

Atlanta, GA – Two members of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners have officially announced bids to challenge longtime Chairman Robb Pitts in this year’s county chair race, setting up a contentious Democratic primary and signaling shifting dynamics in county leadership.

Commissioners Mo Ivory (District 4) and Marvin S. Arrington Jr. (District 5) qualified to run for Fulton County Chairman, a position currently held by Pitts. Their campaigns will collide with the incumbent ahead of the May 19 Democratic primary, following qualifying in early March.

Ivory, who has served on the commission since 2025, said she respects Pitts’ legacy but believes new leadership is needed to tackle urgent issues facing the county. She criticized the commission’s handling of public safety and jail conditions, pointing to what she sees as resistance from current leadership to her policy priorities. Ivory was the lone commissioner to oppose a recent plan to renovate the Rice Street jail and build a new medical-and-mental-health facility.

Arrington also emphasized the need for change, calling for a new generation of leadership. A practicing attorney, he has been outspoken about criminal justice and intergovernmental relationships, advocating for a completely rebuilt jail and stronger coordination with the sheriff’s office, district attorney, and solicitor.

Chairman Pitts, who has led the county commission since 2017 and brings decades of public service and institutional knowledge to the role, has underscored his ongoing strategic projects as reasons to retain his seat. He points to planned infrastructure, senior services, and workforce programs as evidence of his vision and capability to continue guiding Fulton County.

With five of the commission’s seven seats—including the chair—up for election this year, the board is poised for significant turnover.