Mary Norwood and Kasim Reed will face a run off December 1 to decide Atlanta's next mayor.

Tuesday's results:

- Norwood 45 percent;

- Reed 37 percent;

- Lisa Borders 14 percent;

- Jesse Spikes 3 percent.

However, many voters weren't enthused about the election or with any of the candidates. As we observed here last week, “Generally, voters are gloomy about the future, deeply unsettled by the economy and distrustful of politicians. There's a palatable yawn from most city residents and a jaded, sullen indifference to the oh, so earnest appeals from the mayoral candidates...The question is - given the sour mood of Atlanta's voters - how many will show up to vote? Ho hum.” [Italics Added].

Only an estimated paltry 24 percent of the city's 258,000 registered voters turned out yesterday

The run off election could be historic as well. Many experts believe Norwood could become Atlanta’s first white mayor since Sam Massell left office at the end of 1973. However, race has been a frequent storyline in the campaign and many believe it will play a part of the tale on December 1.

Atlanta voters go to the polls November 3 to choose a new mayor, new city council president, city council members, board of education and municipal court judges.

The race to succeed two term Mayor Shirley Franklin has, of course, has drawn most of the scant attention voters are paying to the election.

Franklin, once named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News and World Report and ranked by Time magazine as one of the top five mayors in the country in 2005 has, by most accounts, been an unmitigated disaster during these last two years of her final term.

Generally, voters are gloomy about the future, deeply unsettled by the economy and distrustful of politicians. There's a palatable yawn from most city residents and a jaded, sullen indifference to the oh, so earnest appeals from the mayoral candidates.

Crime is the number one issue with recent and sharp increase in home invasions, smash and grabs, car jackings and break-ins, robberies, thefts, shootings killing and muggings- a litany of woes. The relentless crime spree - appropriately enough - has even struck across the street from City Hall.

A property tax increase wasn't greeted with any acclaim - naturally - as many see city government being dysfunctional, plagued with a deficit and still bloated with too many employees and heavy bureaucracy. Two of the three leading candidates for mayor - Mary Norwood and Lisa Borders - are members of an unwieldy, 15 person, contentious, city council which sucks $6.9 million annually from taxpayers.

A new poll, released this week, shows [Mary] “Norwood Far Ahead in Atlanta Mayor Race.”

- Norwood at 46 percent;

- Reed at 26 percent;

- Borders at 17 percent;

- Spikes at 2 percent;

- Undecided voters at 5 percent.

This poll - and others - and conventional wisdom say Councilwoman Mary Norwood will finish first but face a December 1 runoff. Race has already raised its ugly head in the campaign and might do so again, polarizing the city.The question is - given the sour mood of Atlanta's voters - how many will show up to vote? Ho hum.

14 Americans killed in 2 Afghan helicopter crashes

This is a result of the ill-fated War on Drugs - an absolutely criminal use of U.S. Troops in another deadly and losing effort.

Bring them home.

NOTE: The following was emailed to me by a friend. We have yet to ascertain attribution so the author or source remain anonymous.

“If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh. A liberal will delete it because he's 'offended'."

"If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one. If a liberal
doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal
is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat
his enemy. A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still
look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life. If a
liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic are conservative, they see themselves as
independently successful. Their liberal counterparts see themselves as
victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his
situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. A
liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.
(Unless it's a foreign religion, of course!)

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping
for it, or may choose a job that provides it. A liberal demands that
the rest of us pay for his.

If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and
is embarrassed. If a liberal slips and falls, he grabs his neck, moans
like he's in labor and then sues.

If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have
a good laugh. A liberal will delete it because he's 'offended'." 

Conservative vs. Liberal - We might add that Conservative women look like Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin. Liberal women look like Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton.

Like other metro counties, Fulton is now facing the hard facts of declining revenues in a recession and the tough choices to be made as a result.

Fulton County's been living off a budget surplus but by the end of the year, it will be gone leaving the county with a $27.1 million gap. The county started the year with a $59.7 million surplus. The county's 2009 projected expenditures is $665.8 million.

So far, Fulton commissioners have maintained the 2008 millage rate which was doable since at the time the county had a surplus..That's gone now.

With the county on a calendar year budget, Commissioners will release a proposed 2010 spending plan Dec. 15. Department heads are being asked to explain with 5 percent and 10 percent cuts would do to their operations.

The Gwinnett County Commission, when faced with a budget shortfall, made deep cuts in county services despite howls of protest from some residents. But they chose to make spending cuts rather than raise property taxes.

Fulton County joins the state and other county and city governments in having to make spending cuts. Cutting government spending is always good for taxpayers in any economic environment. That it's necessary now isn't bad news. Would that the commissioners might even take a look at their own $3.2 million budget and find a dollar or two they can live without.

Next year's gubernatorial election will be the first since 1998 without an incumbent on the ballot. And in 1998, one of those non incumbent candidates - Roy Barnes - was elected and then defeated in his bid for a second term for by Sonny Perdue.

Recently, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution featured an op-ed piece, “Political Memo for Georgia Democrats.” The author, Howard Franklin - a self-described “Red Clay Democrat” - is a supporter of the former Democratic Governor Roy Barnes.

“It’s been 11 years since a non incumbent Georgia Democrat won a statewide election. But former Gov. Roy Barnes hopes to change that in 2010. Now, more than ever, Democrats must seize this opportunity and cultivate fertile ground for statewide victories - for Barnes and for down-ballot Democrats to follow...”

Mr. Franklin then proceeds to outline “five things [Georgia Democrats] must do to win beyond the 2010 primaries.”

“1. Present an attractive Democratic brand to voters: …Unifying policy positions to win over moderate and independent voters.”

“2. Acknowledge the role of race in politics: ... Democrats must put aside identity politics.”

“3. Avoid costly primary battles: ...Bloody primary battles jeopardize statewide elections”

“4. Run strong everywhere: Recruit good candidates across the state.”

“5. Lure working-class white men back: They have left the party in droves, taking their moderating sensibilities with them.”

Sage advice from Mr. Franklin but Democrats are probably poised - again - not to heed the advice contained in numbers 2 and 5.

Franklin's memo to Georgia Democrats prompts me to offer my own memo to Georgia Republicans.

I've made no secret about being less than enthused with the currently announced same ol', same ol' Republican gubernatorial candidates and I've encouraged Herman Cain to enter the fray. I've also taken to task so called “Family Values” Republicans.

Having written all that, however, Georgia can't afford to go back to a Democrat in the governor's mansion. 2002 was a watershed year in our politics when voters elected the first Republican gubernatorial candidate in 135 years, Sonny Perdue.

So, paraphrasing Mr. Franklin's five points, here are five things Georgia Republicans “must do to win beyond the 2010 primaries.”

1. Present an attractive [Republican] brand to voters: We've made remarkable progress since 2002 practicing the virtues of low taxes and fiscal restraint. This is a patented Republican brand and the party should never, ever stray from it.

2. Acknowledge the role of race in politics: Identity politics - including playing the race card - is not a Republican problem. A third of Democratic Primary voters are African-American and they vote overwhelmingly Democratic in the General Election. While that won't change in 2010, Republicans must continue to preach the gospel of opportunity, limited government and individual freedom to Black and Hispanic voters.

3. [Can't] avoid costly primary battles: Unless there's a consensus candidate emerges - as Barnes is likely to be in the Democratic Primary - a costly Republican Primary battle looms.

4. Run strong everywhere: There's no dearth of good Republican candidates which is one reason the state legislature is now in Republican hands.

5. [Keep] working-class white men: There's no chance of losing white men BUT Republicans must appeal to Independents and avoid party hardliners on such issues as Sunday alcohol sales.

Th Georgia electorate - within a few points - is almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Each can generally count on a base of about 43% of the General Election vote. The rest comes from Independents and Libertarians.

This is why number 5 is so critical to Republican fortunes in 2010. The electorate is more diverse now and is also less wedded to party affiliation or loyalty. Republicans cannot elect a candidate who ignores this.

While Republicans may be gleeful about a possible rematch with “King Roy” Barnes next fall, he'll be a formidable and resourceful challenger. If there's a Republican Primary brawl resulting in a bloody runoff - similar to the Democrats self-destructing primary battle in 2006 - the Republican nominee will face a tough General Election fight.