ATLANTA (Diya TV) — Indian American civic leader Rohit Malhotra is making another bid for elected office. This time, he is running for a seat on the Fulton County Commission.

Malhotra, founder of Atlanta’s Center for Civic Innovation, is running as a Democrat in the Nov. 3 special election for the District 4 seat. His campaign comes months after he narrowly missed winning the Atlanta City Council presidency.

Malhotra finished that race about 2,800 votes short of victory. Now, he hopes to build on that campaign and bring his civic work to Fulton County government.

The District 4 race opened after former Commissioner Mo Ivory left the seat on March 6. Ivory is now running for Fulton County commission chair.

Fulton County scheduled the special election for Nov. 3. If no candidate wins a majority, voters will return for a runoff on Dec. 1.

Malhotra qualified for the race on May 1, according to county election records. He faces fellow Democrat Aaron A. Sampson Jr. He also faces nonpartisan candidates Karen Rene’ and Natalie Hall.

District 4 covers Atlanta, East Point, Hapeville and College Park. The winner will serve on the seven-member Fulton County Commission.

The commission oversees key county services. These include public health, public safety, elections, libraries and other local programs.

Malhotra has centered his campaign on issues that affect residents across Fulton County. His priorities include election administration, health care, mental health services and public safety.

He also wants to expand workforce development and entrepreneurship programs. In addition, he is calling for stronger support for small businesses and nonprofits.

Malhotra has also made government transparency a central part of his campaign. He wants greater fairness in the county budget and tax system. Furthermore, he wants to raise household incomes and improve public transit.

“This moment requires bold, honest, and courageous leadership in our local government,” Malhotra said.

He added that Atlanta and the Tri-Cities deserve leaders who will fight for their needs.

Malhotra says his Fulton County campaign grows from the coalition he built during his Atlanta City Council campaign.

He described that coalition as multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-neighborhood and multi-generational. According to Malhotra, the group has continued to grow since the 2025 election.

He also says the campaign reflects a new approach to local politics. His message focuses on cooperation, transparency and community involvement.

Malhotra brings more than 15 years of experience in public policy and civic innovation to the race. He founded the Center for Civic Innovation in Atlanta. Through the organization, he has supported more than 200 small businesses, nonprofits and entrepreneurs.

Earlier in his career, Malhotra served as an Ash Innovation Fellow in the Obama administration. He also worked with organizations such as HouseATL and ProGeorgia.

The Working Families Party of Georgia has endorsed Malhotra. The group had encouraged him to enter the Fulton County race and also backed his 2025 campaign for Atlanta City Council president.

Malhotra said he is proud to call the Working Families Party his political home. He described it as a coalition of leaders from different racial and generational backgrounds.

The Asian American Advocacy Fund has also endorsed Malhotra. The organization praised his work bringing communities together and turning policy ideas into action.

The group pointed to household incomes, public transit, government transparency and small-business support as key reasons for its endorsement.

The Nov. 3 special election will decide who completes the remainder of the District 4 term. If no candidate wins a majority, voters will hold a runoff Dec. 1.

If Malhotra wins, he would become the first Asian American and the first millennial to serve on the Fulton County Commission.