Incumbent, 3 newcomers elected to Atlanta school board

Byron Amos, left, and Keisha Carey

Byron Amos, left, and Keisha Carey

In one of four Atlanta Board of Education runoff races, voters re-elected Byron Amos, though his challenger plans to request a recount.

Amos, the only incumbent on Tuesday’s ballot, defeated Keisha Carey by 80 votes in the race to represent central Atlanta District 2, according to unofficial results.

Late Tuesday, Amos said he plans to go on a “listening tour” to sit down and connect with different parts of his district to find out how he can best represent voters in his next board term.

“The reason I ran again is I truly believe there’s still work to be done in Atlanta Public Schools and in District 2,” Amos said. “Being in a runoff is definitely a humbling experience. I have heard the voters. They are requesting a different type of leadership.”

Carey, in a statement Wednesday, said she will request a recount.

Candidates have 48 hours to request a recount after results are certified by the elections board.

Voters also elected three newcomers to the school board.

Kandis Wood Jackson, an attorney and former Teach for America Teacher, will take the seat held by departing board chairman Courtney English. Wood Jackson received nearly 70 percent of the votes in the race against Patricia Crayton for the at-large District 7 post.

In the race for the west Atlanta District 5 seat, Erika Mitchell beat Raynard Johnson.

In the east Atlanta District 3 race, Michelle Olympiadis defeated Adzua Agyapon.

Five other board seats were decided in the November election. Voters retained incumbents Leslie Grant, Eshé Collins, Cynthia Briscoe Brown, Jason Esteves, and Nancy Meister.

Board members will be sworn in at a Jan. 8 meeting, when the board also will select its new chairman.