Atlanta elects first woman mayor

ATLANTA,, Ga., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Shirley Franklin, a 56-year-old former city administrator, will be the first woman mayor of Atlanta, a recount on Tuesday determined.

The recount, conducted at the request of defeated City Council President Robb Pitts, concluded that Franklin received 40,724 votes, or about 50.23 percent of the ballots -- enough to be elected without a runoff.

Franklin, who raised $3.25 million for her first campaign for public office, needed 50 percent plus one vote to win the Nov. 6 election. She defeated Pitts, who received about 33 percent of the vote, and third-place finisher Gloria Bromell-Tinubu, a Spelman College economics professor.

Franklin had the support of former Atlanta mayors Maynard Jackson and Andrew Young. Poet Maya Angelou and actress Cicely Tyson campaigned on her behalf.

"We can move from campaigning and the campaign and move on to the issues of governance," Franklin said after the recount result was announced by the Fulton County Board of Elections.

Pitts said he had doubts about the machines that were used to count the punch-card ballots. He also said he had been told of voting irregularities at some polling places.

The results are scheduled to be certified Wednesday by elections officials. Outgoing mayor Bill Campbell has served the maximum of two four-year terms in office.