BY VEENA RAO
Atlanta, GA: Three keenly watched Johns Creek City Council races, two of them with Indian-Americans Dr Nazeera Dawood and Arun Misra in the fray, will advance to a runoff scheduled for December 1.
None of the candidates in these races secured 50%+1 votes to avoid the runoff.
In the special election for the vacant Post 5 seat, Nazeera Dawood was a close second at 39.11 percent, or 1,577 votes. Stephanie Endres lead the race with 49.08 percent, or 1,979 votes. Carlos Carbonell was at 11.21 percent, or 452 votes.
For the special election to fill the Post 2 seat, Arun Misra was at 10.72 percent, or 432 votes. Burkhalter received 36 percent, or 1,451 votes. To fill the partial term through the year end, there will be a run off between Chris Coughlin and Todd Burkhaulter.
In the general election to fill the Post 2 seat, Jay Lin lead the race with 43.66 percent, or 1,897 votes. He’s followed by Chris Coughlin at 28.17 percent, or 1,224 votes and Todd Burkhalter at 27.59 percent, or 1,199 votes.
Nazeera Dawood, who had mobilized the community to vote like never before, was upbeat about the election results. “I was not tensed last night because I know we did our best during the campaign trail. We brought new voters to the table- literally adults voting for the first time. This momentum started during this campaign,” she told NRI Pulse.
She said she remained calm last evening, doing her normal chores. “When the results started coming in, the supporters were really glued to the election results site. I think they could not take the pressure. I stayed calm till the results came out, and when it did, I said: “The race begins now. Team, we need to get our act together in the next three weeks more than ever.” I feel very positive that the seat is ours because we are running a positive campaign. We are running on issues that will improve the quality of life in Johns Creek.”
Dawood said her team’s strategy is to regroup and get more support, continue with the door knocking and meeting more people. “I want our team and residents to continue to believe in our positive efforts,” she said.
Meanwhile, in the Doraville City Council election for District 2, MD Naser is reported as winning his seat with just over 50% of the votes. If he wins after all absentee and provisional ballots are counted, he will be the first Bangladeshi American to be elected in Georgia, and the first Asian American City Councilman in Doraville.
Naser had 369 of the votes counted, while his opponent Tim Snyder had 357 votes. Election results will be certified on Friday, November 6.
Naser, an officer at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, has lived in Doraville for over 16 years and have been a resident of the Northwoods neighborhood for the past 7 years.
