Rohit Malhotra Announces Campaign for Atlanta City Council President
Long-time local civic leader launches bold bid to transform City Hall and create economic opportunity for families, small businesses, and neighborhoods.
ATLANTA, GA — Today, Rohit Malhotra—a nationally recognized civic leader with deep roots in Atlanta and a background in community-centered research, data, and public policy— officially announced his candidacy for Atlanta City Council President.
Malhotra has spent his entire career in public service, with a consistent focus on improving outcomes for families and communities. Malhotra holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government– where he focused his research on social finance, open data, and community engagement. Malhotra served as an Ash Innovation Fellow in the Obama administration before he founded and became the executive director of the Center for Civic Innovation in Atlanta
Malhotra enters the race with a bold vision to make local government in Atlanta more effective, transparent, and rooted in the needs of its residents. His candidacy is also a direct response to the harmful effects national politics have had on Atlanta communities.
“I’m running for City Council President because Atlanta needs principled, people-first leadership,” said Malhotra. “The answer to bad national politics is good local policy. Local government has the power to shape our daily lives. That means making sure our democracy works for everyone, not just the powerful few.”
Atlanta’s economy is booming—but not for everyone. While the city sees historic growth, Atlanta ranks last in the nation for economic mobility. That means children born into poverty here are less likely to escape it than anywhere else in the country. As a result, Atlanta now has the highest income inequality in the U.S.
“We will address economic inequality head on,” Malhotra said. “This campaign will tackle the root causes of inequality with bold, targeted policies and investments that ensure that every family, small business, and community in Atlanta has a real shot at success, not just survival. We have an opportunity to transform the City Council from a reactive legislative body into a bold, accessible, and transparent force for progress”
Rohit Malhotra is the proud son of Punjabi Indian immigrants and comes from a family of educators and small business owners. Over the past decade, Rohit has trained and supported over 250 local entrepreneurs—most of them women. He also spearheaded a groundbreaking 0% interest loan fund intentionally focused on investing in Black-led and women-led small businesses. His work has been recognized nationally and taught in classrooms from Harvard to Georgia State, earning praise from leaders like the late Congressman John Lewis, who called him a “good troublemaker.” Rohit’s leadership has earned him honors such as the Echoing Green Global Fellowship, Leadership Atlanta (2019), Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders, and most recently, Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Forty Under 40. He has served on numerous boards shaping policy around housing, democracy, and the arts, including HouseATL, ProGeorgia, the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Atlanta Hawks. Through every effort, Rohit’s mission is clear: to make government work better for the people it’s meant to serve.
- Raise household incomes and create real pathways for families to build and sustain generational wealth.
- Invest in homegrown small businesses and local entrepreneurs to help them thrive and stay open in Atlanta.
- Follow through on commitments to expand and improve high-quality public transportation with a focus on affordability, efficiency, and transparency.
- Make city spending transparent and accessible so taxpayers can see where their money is going and to evaluate which programs are working (and also, which programs are not).
- Protect and strengthen democratic processes, including referenda and ballot initiatives, while guarding against suppression tactics like signature matching.
- Empower Atlanta’s Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) and neighborhood leaders to ensure better representation of community voices in City Hall.
- Create a trust fund for Atlanta’s artists, musicians, and creatives, recognizing their central role in shaping both our culture and our economy.
- Invest in proven violence prevention programs that address root causes and create a comprehensive, community-centered public safety strategy.
Media Contact:
Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood
press@rohitforatlanta.com | www.rohitforatlanta.com