ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman announced on Wednesday that he will not be seeking reelection.
Shipman, who was elected in 2021, said in a statement that “major medical challenges” in his family have caused him to rethink running for a second term, which he initially planned on doing.
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He says these challenges are requiring him to focus on his family and his roles as a husband, father and son.
“While I will continue to vigorously fulfill my duties to the end of my current term, I cannot in good faith ask the voters of Atlanta to elect me again,” he wrote in a statement. “The City Council President role is a full one and my expectations and the expectations of the voters are ones I cannot fulfill for another four years.”
Shipman did not comment on his family’s medical challenges and asked for privacy for his family.
“I will always treasure the trust Atlantans have placed in me to serve,” he wrote.
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he is saddened by Shipman’s announcement.
“My heart goes out to City Council President Doug Shipman, his wife and two young children. I’m asking that the entire city join me in prayer for the Shipman family. We will do whatever we can to provide support to our friend and colleague as he navigates this difficult time,” the mayor wrote.
When he was elected, Shipman had never before held public office. He replaced former president Felicia Moore when she decided to run for mayor.
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