Shake off your presidential election hangover: Atlanta voters head to the polls this November to decide who should hold the mayor's office and City Council seats — three of which will be wide open.

Why it matters: Local government is where decisions are made regarding your property taxes, neighborhood safety, kids' education and more.

Driving the news: Below, a rundown on who's running for what races at City Hall.

What's next: We will make updates as new candidates file their paperwork.

• The period to qualify for office and officially appear on the ballot begins on Tues., Aug. 19 and ends on Fri., Aug. 22.

Mayor

Mayor Andre Dickens, who officially kicked off his re-election campaign on Tuesday at Monday Night Garage, thus far has only racked up two official opponents, according to the city's elections database.

Officially running:

• Walter Reeves, who challenged Dickens in 2021
• Marcus Lamar, a West Midtown resident

Context: Over the past 50 years, incumbent Atlanta mayors who want to serve a second term have gotten their wish, and oftentimes with negligible opposition.

• The November election might follow suit, given Dickens' public support and $1.4 million war chest.

City Council President

In February, City Council President Doug Shipman announced he would not seek re-election, citing family health issues.

Officially running:

• Atlanta City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet

Rumored to run:

• Former U.S. Congressman and City Council member Kwanza Hall

City Council

District 2

The district that includes Old Fourth Ward, Midtown and parts of Downtown is up for grabs after Atlanta City Council member Amir Farokhi announced he would not seek another term.

• Kelsea Bond, a queer labor organizer, has filed paperwork to run.
• Other people said to be considering the seat include Midtown's Courtney Smith and Virginia-Highland's Alex Bevel Jones, both of whom are community leaders.

District 5

First-term council member Liliana Bakhtiari will have to fend off nonprofit professional Adam Gore-Wright to represent neighborhoods like Reynoldstown, Edgewood and East Lake.

District 7

Lawyer Jamie Christy told Axios she is running to compete for the Buckhead seat long held by Council member Howard Shook, who recently announced his retirement from Council.

Read about more Council district races

We're about six weeks away from finding out which artists will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and we want to take a moment to make the case for Outkast.

Why it matters: The rap duo from East Point pioneered the sound of Atlanta, which propelled the city to become the hip-hop capital of the South.

• André 3000's proclamation that the South "got something to say" also became a rallying cry for other artists to bask in the glory of Southern hip-hop culture.

Driving the news: Fans can choose up to seven nominees each day through April 21.

• Outkast had a little more than 61,500 votes as of yesterday afternoon and was not among the top seven artists fans were backing.

What they're saying: Our colleague Troy Smith of Axios Cleveland says the odds are 70% for Outkast to be inducted this year.

• A hip-hop artist has been inducted every year over the last five years, and Outkast is the only group representing the genre this year.

The big picture: It's safe to say that Outkast and the larger Dungeon Family collective have done just as much to introduce Atlanta to the world as city boosters who lobbied for the 1996 Olympics and other major events — including next year's FIFA World Cup (we even have our own hype song) and Super Bowl LXII in 2028.

The bottom line: It's time to show the world that Atlanta and the South still have plenty to say.

• Vote Outkast early and often.

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The pandemic upended America's housing market, delivering wins for homeowners and roadblocks for those still dreaming.

Why it matters: Sky-high home prices, elevated mortgage rates and a shortage of houses for sale are pushing homeownership out of reach for many.

In the past five years, here are five ways the market transformed and what could come next.

1. Home prices skyrocketed

Cheap borrowing costs and remote work unleashed a homebuying frenzy early in the pandemic — and sent prices soaring.

By the numbers: The median U.S. home price in January was $418,000, up around 45% from $289,000 five years ago, according to Redfin.

Zoom in: In Georgia, the median home price in January was $359,000, up 55.4% from $231,000 in January 2020.

• Prices peaked at around $390,000 in June of last year.
• John Ryan, chief marketing officer for Georgia MLS, a real estate listing service, previously told Axios he's not expecting prices to drop much any time this year.

The big picture: A stubborn housing shortfall is keeping prices high, even as buyers have retreated, with 2024 sales hitting a nearly 30-year low.

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A Jonesboro City Council member says embattled Mayor Donya Sartor, who resigned and then rescinded her resignation, should step down. (Atlanta News First)