Other candidates were former Atlanta Police Officer John Chambers, Socialist Workers Party activist Debby Bustin, Hare Krishna community leader William Ogle, attorney John Genins, Betty Morrison, Ernest Moschella and write-in candidate Howard Tucker.

In the primary election, Fowler and Williams finished first and second, respectively, followed by former Alderman Wade Mitchell and Rector Robert B.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Urban League resisted Maynard Jackson's attempts to gain support for his campaign until he showed them the results of a Cambridge Survey Research poll that demonstrated he could win 54 percent of the total vote.

Since Maynard Jackson finished 3,500 votes under the majority required for a win, he faced Massell in a runoff election.

Jackson gave speeches urging racial unity and campaigned for the runoff in black churches.

In the days leading up to the runoff, Jackson's staffers called local radio stations and warned that black turnout was expected to be low.

By 11:00 pm, it became clear that Jackson had won, and he delivered his acceptance speech at the Sheraton Biltmore ballroom.