The votes are in, the ballots are counted, and the readers of Southern Voice have chosen this year’s favorites in Atlanta’s gay nightlife, community leaders, arts and entertainment, as well as the best in shopping, romance, restaurants and practitioners that treat the mind, body and spirit.

Some 7,000 polling hits at sovo.com and almost 700 mail-in ballots poured in over the four-week voting period, and the results show the diversity of gay life in Atlanta as well as the varied opinions within the voters pool.

The winners and runners up are listed here, along with choices made by the editors of Southern Voice.

COMMUNITY
Best Female Local Hero
Readers’ Choice: Karla Drenner
Editors’ Choice: Cathy Woolard

State Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) made history when she was elected to the state House of Representatives, becoming Georgia’s first and only openly gay state legislator. Southern Voice readers recognized that Drenner faced her biggest test this year, when the General Assembly debated — and ultimately approved — a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that goes to voters Nov. 2. Drenner lead the opposition and put a personal face on the issue. Once the amendment cleared the legislature, Drenner volunteered to lead Georgians Against Discrimination, a coalition opposing the ballot measure.

Second place went to Cathy Woolard, who resigned as Atlanta City Council president to run for Congress, and third place was a tie between Atlanta Pride Executive Director Donna Narducci and Q100 radio personality Melissa Carter.

Best Male Local Hero
Readers’ Choice: Allen Thornell
Editors’ Choice: Jeff Graham

Allen Thornell may have left his post as executive director of Georgia Equality in April to become regional deputy political director for Service Employees International Union, but he remains an activist on gay issues in the city, including serving on the steering committee for Georgians Against Discrimination. Southern Voice readers remembered Thornell’s two years leading Georgia Equality, including heading up efforts to defeat the state constitutional ban on gay marriage, as well as his work with AIDS Survival Project and other local non-profits.

Second place went to Jeff Graham, executive director of AIDS Survival Project, and third place was a tie between Jim Marks (a.k.a. Bubba D. Licious) and Glen Paul Freedman, Atlanta Executive Network executive director.

Best Politician: Cathy Woolard

Best Politician
Readers’ Choice: Cathy Woolard
Editors’ Choice: Karla Drenner

Cathy Woolard made history in 1997 by defeating an incumbent and becoming the first openly gay member of the Atlanta City Council. Four years later, she made history again by becoming the first woman — and first openly gay — City Council president. She wrote the city’s groundbreaking non-discrimination ordinance and fought in court for the city’s domestic partner benefits program. Earlier this year, she resigned her City Council post in an attempt to seek a seat in Congress, but her bid was unsuccessful.

Karla Drenner was awarded second place, and Mayor Shirley Franklin came in third.

Best Straight Ally
Readers’ Choice: Shirley Franklin
Editors’ Choice: State Rep. Nan Orrock

Mayor Shirley Franklin became the city’s first female mayor in 2001 after running an inclusive campaign that reached out to gay voters. Once in office, Franklin appointed a gay man and later a lesbian to high-ranking posts in her administration, hired a gay-friendly police chief, studied an Equal Benefits Ordinance for the city, appeared at numerous gay events, and spoke out publicly for gay issues.

Pat Gardner, a Democrat and gay-friendly member of the Georgia General Assembly who represents District 42, took second place.

Best Up and Coming Activist: Alex Wan

Best Up and Coming Activist
Readers’ Choice: Alex Wan
Editors’ Choice: Gregory Casajuana

Alex Wan acted on his longtime interest in politics first by becoming involved in the fight against a proposed constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage in the General Assembly and then by running for a seat in the state legislature. A win would have made Wan, the owner of an architecture firm in Tucker, the first openly gay man and Asian-American in the General Assembly. His race was unsuccessful, but the effort put Wan on the political map, and you can expect to see him run again.

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