ATLANTA — Two candidates will compete in a runoff to become Atlanta’s next mayor.
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary Norwood took the top two spots in Tuesday’s election, knocking out the 10 other candidates from the crowded field.
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Both candidates were in Channel 2's studios live Wednesday morning on Channel 2 Action News This Morning to talk about the runoff.
The results don’t come as a huge surprise. Norwood and Bottoms had substantial leads in the most recent WSB-TV, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Landmark Communications poll released Friday.
Bottoms said she wants to continue to talk to the voters.
“I think the most important thing is to continue to speak to voters directly and that’s what we have done for the last year, making sure that they really understand what our plan is for the city and that’s about making sure that our communities are not left behind,” Bottoms said.
[ [WATCH: Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks on Channel 2 Action News This Morning] ]
Norwood said her past experience helps her in the runoff.
“Because I have run before, I understand this. So, I intend to reach out to all of the voters across the city. I am truly the candidate that represents the entire city,” Norwood said.
[ [WATCH: Mary Norwood speaks on Channel 2 Action News This Morning] ]
Channel 2's Dave Huddleston was at Bottoms' election party in downtown Atlanta.
"This is about so much more than me. It's about so much more than all of us," she told her supporters as she stood onstage with her family. "This really is about the generations and what we are doing today. The decisions that we are making will impact our children, our children's children."
Channel 2's Richard Elliot spent Tuesday night at Norwood's election party in Buckhead.
“This has been an amazing race. It has been a wonderful year. All throughout this campaign we have had double digit support in every single part of Atlanta,” Norwood said. “I am very hopeful. I am very excited and I am looking forward to being your next mayor."
[ [LIVE: See complete election results here] ]
The winner of this election will replace current Mayor Kasim Reed.
The runoff election will take place on Dec. 5.
ATLANTA MAYOR QUICK FACTS
- The city's last five mayors have been African-American
- The last 27 have been Democrats
- There have only ever been two Republican mayors of Atlanta
- Shirley Franklin was the first female mayor of Atlanta. The next mayor will be the second
- Only four former Atlanta mayors were born in Atlanta
- Click here for more facts about Atlanta mayors