First Black Woman Mayor Elected In Palmetto, Georgia

by Mary Spiller

November 11, 2023

Teresa Thomas-Smith is dedicated to ending the racial and economic divide in her city.

Palmetto, located just 30 minutes south of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, is about the introduce a new city mayor. The 6,000 people who populate Palmetto are welcoming the first African-American female mayor — Teresa Thomas-Smith.

The election, conducted on Nov. 7, introduced Thomas-Smith as the historical figure in Palmetto’s 170-year political history. The population of Palmetto is Black or African American, 60.25%; white, 26.43%; and two or more races, 5.53%. She beat the competition by 84 votes.

Mayor-elect Thomas-Smith said, “I am on such a high, even when I lay down, I can’t sleep. The city is vibrating right now, it is not just me.” 

According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the mayor-elect expressed her excitement for the job. She served for four years on the city’s council and after being in Palmetto for 20 years as a resident. She wants to bring her “loving” energy to the city she’s lived in. 

She promised residents that they could expect the highest standards from her.

“They can expect honesty, transparency, and communication. The very first thing I want to do is create a City Hall, a city government that is welcoming to the citizens. We want everyone to know this administration values you, as a member of this community,” Thomas-Smith told the outlet.

The 55-year-old politician was first introduced to politics because of her desire to learn more about her community. She expressed, “We want this to be an eat, work, live, play community where everybody has something to do.”

Originally from Atlanta, Thomas-Smith said she is excited to bring a smart development plan to the city that will maintain the city’s historical standing composition. 

She explained, “There is a way to do economic development that keeps the city with a small-town feel.”

She hopes that the new development will help to resolve the racial divide in the area. As a wife and mother, it’s important to improve the place that they will grow up and plant their roots, she noted. 

“There’s more that unites us than separates us. We all get cut, we all bleed the same red blood,” she pointed out.

When asked, “So, your message to white Palmetto residents who may not have voted for you is love?” Thomas-Smith replied that it was “absolutely” her message, to spread love and not division. 

Thomas-Smith will be sworn into office on Jan. 2, of 2024.

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