New Birth, AJC, WSB-TV and V-103 partner to host DeKalb CEO debate April 18

STONECREST,GA–DeKalb County voters are urged to attend an upcoming DeKalb Chief Executive Officer debate on Thursday, April 18, 7 p.m., at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. The “DeKalb Matters” debate will feature all qualified candidates vying to be the next CEO of DeKalb County. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB-TV (Channel 2), and V-103 will serve as official media partners and panel representatives for the debate.

“DeKalb County is a thriving force in Metro Atlanta. The next CEO will be tasked with building on the momentum of the last decade by ensuring that we make continued progress in economic growth and development as well as the various quality-of-life issues facing our families,” said New Birth Senior Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant. “This debate is a critical conversation on the future of DeKalb and who is best prepared to lead us forward.”

During the debate, candidates Steve Bradshaw, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Larry Johnson will discuss their respective vision for the county and answer a series of questions from panelists and virtual community members. V-103 morning news anchor Maria Boynton, WBS-TV anchor and investigative reporter Sophia Choi, AJC DeKalb lreporter Sara Gregory will serve as the panelists for the debate with AJC senior editor Mike Jordan serving as the debate’s moderator.

“Helping voters navigate political viewpoints, policy positions, and personal perspectives is one of local media’s most important responsibilities,” said Jordan. “I’m excited to moderate this discussion between DeKalb County CEO candidates on behalf of the AJC, and I look forward to a robust conversation that serves the public interest.”

The debate will be streamed live on WSBTV.com, AJC.com and on New Birth’s YouTube page.

DeKalb County is Georgia’s fourth largest county. Located just six miles immediately east of downtown Atlanta, DeKalb is home to 750,000 residents situated across 11 distinctively unique municipalities.

The DeKalb CEO is at the helm of a $1.74B budget and a county government that has 6,834 full-time positions. DeKalb has the third largest public school system in the state, educating 99,000 (K-12) students speaking over 185 languages and representing over 160 nations.

Seating is limited. Members of the public interested in attending the DeKalb Matters CEO debate in person should register here.

Voter registration information will be provided at the debate. For more information, visit www.newbirth.org.