Mayoral candidates say they’re targets of dirty politics as early voting gets underway

ATLANTA — Tuesday was the first day for early voting in November’s election and some candidates running for Atlanta’s next mayor are already making claims of dirty politics.

Two candidates say someone is spreading false information to distract them during a critical time in the election process and to purposely mislead and confuse voters.

Atlanta City Council President and mayoral candidate Felicia Moore told Channel 2 investigative reporter Sophia Choi that someone sent hundreds of voters a text claiming the Republican Party was endorsing her.

“They actually did very illegal tactics by making it go out, as if it was my campaign—which it was not. Lying on the Republican party, they did not endorse anyone,” Moore said.

Even worse, she said anyone who replied to the text got a response with her personal cell phone number.

“So it was on a very deep and dark level,” Moore said.

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Moore told Choi that those who got the text shared it with friends and online. She’s now receiving lots of calls on her personal cell from upset voters.

She said she’s answering those calls to set the record straight before they make a decision.

Council member and mayoral candidate Andre Dickens said he too was targeted.

He told Choi that he found placards near early voting polling sites with the words “Defund the Police” and his name under it.

“It’s totally false. In no way am I for defunding the police. This is unfortunate that people are playing dirty politics in this silly season,” Dickens said.

Both candidates told Choi that they were targeted because they’re leading in the race.

Moore and Dickens said they have their suspicions on who is behind this effort but say they will focus on their campaigns for now with more political shenanigans anticipated before Election Day on Nov. 2.

Moore said she may start an investigation into who was behind any effort to confuse voters, after the election.

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