Eshé Collins has taken up the mantle of Atlanta City Council member for the at-large seat of District 3, officially sworn in to begin addressing the needs of the city's over half a million residents. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Collins was sworn in by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shermela Williams and vowed to dive right into the city's pressing issues, stating, "This swearing in allows me to get ramped up with operations. Get on board and get started with the work, so I’m day one ready in January."
Cutting her teeth quickly, Collins is already set to soon have her portrait posted among her fellow council members and has been touring the city's upcoming diversion center for non-violent offenders. While her eagerness to start is clear, the apparent need to swiftly address affordability, public safety, and transit equity was echoed by her during the campaign trail, which she recounted in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta: "Affordability has been key, public safety is key, but also transit equity accessibility ensuring that communities that highly depend on transit and transportation are able to access all the things throughout the city."
Collins fills the position following the departure of Keisha Sean Waites, who resigned back in March to run an ultimately unsuccessful campaign for Fulton County clerk. The victory for Collins came after a runoff on December 3 against contender Nicole Jones, as noted by Rough Draft Atlanta. Her formal swearing-in was a precursor to organizing her office operations and getting her staff in place.
A more ceremonial swearing-in is to set take place before the first council meeting of 2025, scheduled on Monday, Jan. 6, with a reception to precede it at 11 a.m. in the City Hall Atrium. The path ahead for Collins includes completing Waites’ term with an eye toward re-election in November 2025. "I am excited. As you can see, I’m excited. I am real excited," Collins expressed buoyantly in a statement procured by FOX 5 Atlanta. Her positive demeanor hints at a dynamic presence she is preparing to bring to the Atlanta City Council in the coming year.
