More than $580,000 in contributions has flowed into candidates’ campaign accounts in the Sandy Springs municipal election being held on Nov. 4.
Most of the funds have gone to the four mayoral candidates, where the third-term incumbent faces off against two incumbent city council members and a candidate who is making a second challenge against the sitting mayor. The candidates combined for $412,411 in contributions as of the end of the last reporting period on June 30.
City council candidates had reported raising $168,155 in campaign contributions at the end of the reporting period. That brought the total for contributions in the municipal election up to $580,566.
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Incumbent Mayor Rusty Paul had a slight lead in funds ($171,279) over Andy Bauman ($161,043). Bauman is leaving his District 6 Sandy Springs City Council seat to make a run for mayor.
Jody Reichel will also leave her District 4 City Council seat for the mayoral race. She had raised $77,678 for her campaign.
Dontaye Carter, who ran against Paul when he was seeking a third term, had raised $23,411 for his campaign.
City council races accounted for fewer campaign dollars, with two districts having candidates currently unopposed and another district having two candidates who filed paperwork saying that they plan to accept no more than $2,500 in campaign contributions.
Incumbent John Paulson so far has no challenger. He reported $22,859 in campaign contributions.
In the District 2 election, incumbent Melody Kelley reported $27,135 in campaign contributions.
Lauren Locke, who filed a declaration of intent to accept contributions in this district race, told Rough Draft Atlanta she began accepting campaign contributions after the June 30 reporting period.
The District 3 race between incumbent Melissa Mular and challenger Tara Overzat has seen nearly $40,000 in campaign contributions between the two candidates. Mular’s $28,314 in campaign contributions exceeds Overzat’s $10,804 by more than two to one.
District 4 has two candidates – David Michael Flynn and Frank Stanley Roberts – who filed affidavits of exemption that state they will accept no more than $2,500 in contributions.
Alex Somer, who left a mayor campaign to run for a council seat in District 4, has not filed a declaration of intent to accept campaign contributions or a contribution report. Somer told Rough Draft Atlanta that he has not collected contributions since suspending his campaign for mayor so he would not violate the rules.
In District 5, Mary Nora Ford reported raising $16,361. Colin Hubbard’s $1,600 in campaign contributions were a tenth of what Ford raised in the reporting period.
District 6 candidate Andrew Chinsky had no declared opponent for the seat being vacated by Andy Bauman at the end of his current term. Chinsky reported receiving $61,082 in campaign contributions.
Candidates must qualify in person at Sandy Springs City Hall, located at 1 Galambos Way. The qualifying period runs:
- Mon., Aug. 18 through Thurs., Aug. 21, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Fri., Aug. 22, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
