Expect More!

Because We Deserve More!

For the past five years, Lorraine has served as our District 7 County Commissioner. Whether you lived in her district or not, she’s done everything she can in that time to represent the best interest of all of DeKalb County. Below you can see her list of accomplishments, and there have been quite a few. Vote for Lorraine Cochran-Johnson to be your County CEO because it is time government is run like a business and service delivery is improved.

Early Voting April 29-May 17.

Election Day, Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Some of Lorraine Cochran-Johnson Accomplishments:

• 2023 Elected Official of the Year by American Public Works Assoc.
• Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure Committee 2020 to 2022 appropriating $1,077,074,904.
• Exercises fiscal accountability as Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure (PWI) requiring mandatory audit of all contracts above $3 million resulting in $57,215,092 in revenue savings to taxpayers.
• Planning Economic Development and Community Services (PECS) Committee member 2020.
• Led charge to revive DeKalb County Land Bank with $200,000 appropriation to address blight and place abated properties into productive use and on tax digest.
• Initiated and funded 2022 DeKalb Convention Center Study to begin formal discussion and strategy for future convention center development.
• Authored Video Surveillance Legislation requiring mandatory video surveillance at all gas and service stations and high-risk businesses to create safe communities.
• Authored law that stopped the proliferation of dollar stores in DeKalb County, which led to mandatory distance requirements between stores, better lighting and security features, and healthy food options.
• Founded HOPE at Stonecrest in partnership with Operation HOPE to support home ownership and financial literacy, resulting in over $20 million in home loan financing and down-payment assistance to first-time homeowners. Secured $250,000 annually from RBC Bank since 2019 to fund two full-time financial coaches.
• Founded $10 million E.M.B.A.R.C. Youth Farm to address youth entrepreneurship, life skills, healthy living, and access to affordable organic produce, eggs, and honey.
• Participated in the development of three State of Art Senior and Community Centers with a combined value of $25.8 million.
• Materialized over $380 million in infrastructure improvements through the SPLOST program.
• Supported securing the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan in 2021 to ensure funding for EPA-required Consent Decree work associated with water capital improvements and saving taxpayers over $60 million in revenue.
• As a member of PWI and FAB Committees in 2022 led charge for the private placement of $73,742,270 in Tax Anticipated Notes (TAN) to reduce debt liability by $30 million.
• Approved budgets during the five-year cycle delivering fiscal stability and fund balance to DeKalb County following structural revenue deficits from 2015 – 2017.
• Founded Lock-In-For-Life in 2019 to provide guidance to black male youth through mentorship, life skills, mental health, and self-empowerment training to more than 500 program participants.
• Founded DeKalb County Small Business Summit in 2020 to support small business owners, and encourage Local Small Business Enterprise and iSupplier participation, with more than 500 registered attendees.
• Created Join Me! COVID-19 Campaign at the peak of the pandemic to educate the community through website, billboards, bus wraps, mobile PPE delivery, digital communications, and a website with over 600,000 visitors.
• Raised the bar in governmental communications through 298 general and special edition newsletters; website boasting 16,118,018 visitors; 6,865 Friends and Followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; 86 Town Halls and community events, 6 interactive annual reports and fluid communication strategies, including Weekly Chat Podcast to engage constituents.
• Provides 10 tons of food annually to veterans at Atlanta VA Arcadia Clinic during quarterly food distributions.
• Allocated over $3,469,667 in discretionary, Cares Act and ARPA funds since 2019 to organizations, programs, and projects supporting the community.
• Consistently operates District 7 office under budget with materialized revenue savings.
• Received majority vote in 101 out of 102 District 7 precincts to defeat an incumbent in 2018 with 67.4% of the vote.
• Re-Elected in 2022 receiving 77.5% vote and a majority vote in all 102 District 7 precincts – while facing two challengers.
• Elected Deputy Presiding Officer of the Board of Commissioners in 2020 and 2021.
• Joseph R. Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award 2023
• Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Inc. Housing Champion 2023
• Corrected 2023 Elected Official of the Year by American Public Works Association
• Exercises fiscal accountability as Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure (PWI) requiring mandatory audit of all contracts above $3 million resulting in $92,032,057.67 in revenue savings to taxpayers.

Steve Bradshaw is not as honest!

Steve Bradshaw is also running for DeKalb CEO is not the ethical individual he claims to be. He is currently using our hard earned tax money to campaign. No other candidate has used their office to campaign like Sneaky Steve Bradshaw. Why else would you send out flyers to all of DeKalb County with your photo on it and pretend you are informing people of the upcoming election. Come on now, we ain’t stupid!

Also, Steve would like to bring rooming houses next door to us homeowners. Atticus LeBlanc is owner of PadSplit and a large contributor to the Steve Bradshaw’s campaign. PadSplit are basically rooming houses and devalue the homeowners living in those neighborhoods. All of these homes are in majority black neighborhoods. PadSplit advertises these as affordable housing, however, they don’t follow zoning laws and there are several lawsuits against them. They take a 3/1 and turn it into a 6br/2ba house and rent it out by the room in minority residential neighborhoods. 

Former Solicitor Karen Scott was assigned to lawsuits against them, but she left for private practice and is not sure who has taken over the case(s).

PadSplit hired a lobbyist 3 years ago to lobby the state to change the definition of a family so it would be easier to allow these types of investments in residential neighborhoods.

The issue is would Bradshaw move to change Zoning laws to allow these predatory investors continue to ruin south DeKalb like the investors who are buying up all of the other properties

Advance voting, also called early voting, is an easy and convenient way to cast your ballot. During advance voting, registered voters can vote at any DeKalb County advance voting site. 

Advance Voting dates for the May General Primary/Nonpartisan Election are as follows:

Monday–Friday (Apr. 29–May 17), 7 a.m.–7 p.m.

Saturday (May 4 & May 11), 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sunday (May 5), 12 p.m.–5 p.m. (Closed Sunday, May 12 in observance of Mother’s Day)
* These sites are also drop box locations

Advance Voting Flyer
English
Español (Spanish)
한국어 (Korean)
አማርኛ (Amharic)
 

Berean Christian Church
2201 Young Road 
Stone Mountain, GA 30088

Bessie Branham Recreation Center
2051 Delano Dr. NE
Atlanta, GA 30317

Beulah Missionary Baptist Church
2340 Clifton Springs Road
Decatur, GA 30338

Clarkston Library
951 N. Indian Creek Drive
Clarkston, GA 30021

County Line-Ellenwood Library
4331 River Road
Ellenwood, GA 30294

DeKalb Voter Registration & Elections Office *
4380 Memorial Drive.
Decatur, GA 30032

Dunwoody Library* 
5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338

Emory University 
1599 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322

Greater Piney Grove Church
1879 Glenwood Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316

Hairston Crossing Library
4911 Redan Road
Stone Mountain, GA 30088

Lynwood Recreation Center*
3360 Osborne Road. NE
Atlanta, GA 30319

Neighborhood Church
1561 McLendon Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30307

New Bethel AMEC
8350 Rockbridge Road SW
Lithonia, GA 30058

New Life Community Alliance*
3592 Flat Shoals Road
Decatur, GA 30034

North DeKalb Senior Center
3393 Malone Drive
Chamblee, GA 30341

Salem-Panola Library
5137 Salem Road
Lithonia, GA 30038

Stonecrest (former Sam’s Club) *
2994 Turner Hill Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30038

Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library *
5234 Lavista Road
Tucker, GA 30084

Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library
2861 Wesley Chapel Road
Decatur, GA 30034

Wait Times and Counts

GIS Election Dashboard

Before You Go

If you are a voter with a physical disability or are 75 years of age and older, you do not need to wait in line. Just walk to the entrance and a poll worker will assist you in casting your ballot.

Restrooms are available, if needed, at many of our Advance Voting locations.

Please be sure to wear a mask and practice social distancing at all times. We encourage you to be a good neighbor while waiting in line.

What to bring with you for in-person voting:

• A valid ID, such as a driver’s license, passport, or voter identification card
• A mask to help ensure your safety and the safety of the poll workers and voters around you.
• Chair, water, and snacks if the location has a long wait line
• Your absentee ballot if you are wanting to vote in-person instead. If you do not have your absentee ballot, you will need to sign an affidavit stating that you are instead casting your ballot in-person.