By the Numbers: 2025 Election Data & Resident Survey Analysis
The 2025 municipal election cycle is officially complete. With both the General Election and the subsequent runoff concluded, we can now step back and analyze the full picture.
You may have noticed we were quieter than usual regarding our survey results late last year. This was a deliberate choice. We withheld this data to ensure it would be viewed as a resource for governance, rather than interpreted through a political lens while candidates were still campaigning.
But now that the seats are filled, we can combine the official election data with our own resident surveys to answer a big question: How is Sandy Springs changing?
Part 1: The Hard Numbers (Election Data)
The official results show that our city is more engaged—and more diverse—than ever before.
1. A Historic Turnout
Civic participation in Sandy Springs has reached a new baseline. Total voter participation in 2025 reached 22,790, a substantial increase over the 15,368 total votes cast in 2021. This surge shows that residents are paying closer attention to local issues than ever before.
2. The "Hidden Residents" Are No Longer Hidden
For years, we have talked about the "hidden residents"—the voters (many of them our essential workers) living in multi-unit communities who power our economy but are often left out of the civic conversation. In 2025, that dynamic changed dramatically.
Then: In 2021, this group comprised just 14% of the electorate.
Now: In 2025, that figure more than doubled to 32%.
This is a massive shift that ensures housing stability and affordability remains a front-and-center issue.
3. A More Diverse Electorate
We also saw a broadening of voices at the ballot box, with African American voter turnout increasing from 11% in 2021 to 16% of the total vote in 2025.
Part 2: What You Told Us (Survey Results)
While the election data tells us who voted, our community surveys tell us why.
1. You Are Early Birds
Our survey data mirrored the official high turnout. 93% of respondents indicated a plan to vote, with 73% planning to cast their ballots during Early Voting.
2. Traffic & Housing Are Linked
When we asked about your top concerns, Traffic was the single highest standalone issue (28.6%). However, when you combine Housing (17.7%) and Redevelopment (12.9%), issues related to "what gets built and where" account for over 30% of the total response.
The Connection:
The election data proves that essential workers are now a major voting bloc. The survey data suggests their concerns—housing stability and traffic caused by commuters—are linked. When workers can't afford to live here, traffic gets worse.
2026: What’s Next?
The electorate has evolved. In the coming months, we will be offering additional ways to keep the conversations going so that we can hear and learn from each other. The data is clear: Sandy Springs is growing more active, more diverse and more focused on housing than ever before.