Sandy Springs voters will return to the polls Dec. 2 to choose their next mayor after no candidate secured a majority in November’s election. It’s a scenario the north Fulton city has seen before. Nearly two decades ago, when Sandy Springs held its first-ever elections, runoffs were part of the package—a sign that even from the beginning, voters took their choices seriously.

In November 2005, Sandy Springs elected its first mayor and city council. While Eva Galambos won the mayor’s race outright, several council races headed to runoffs that December, setting an early precedent for competitive elections in the fledgling city.

The Time

It was November 2005. Republican Sonny Perdue was in his second year as Georgia’s governor—the first GOP governor since Reconstruction. President George W.

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