Sam Foster (Mayor of Marietta, Georgia, candidate 2025)

Sam Foster

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Mayor of Marietta

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

Kennesaw State University

Personal

Profession

IT professional

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Sam Foster is running for election to the Mayor of Marietta in Georgia. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Foster completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Sam Foster provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2025:

• Bachelor's: Kennesaw State University
• Gender: Male
• Profession: IT Professional
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: Marietta for Everyone
• Campaign website
• Campaign endorsements
• Campaign Facebook
• Campaign Instagram
• Campaign YouTube

Elections

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for Mayor of Marietta

Incumbent Steve Tumlin and Sam Foster are running in the general election for Mayor of Marietta on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Steve Tumlin (Nonpartisan)
		Sam Foster (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

Foster received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Foster's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Collective PAC
• Georgia Conservation Voters
• Lead Locally
• REAL Action Inc.
• Run for Something
• Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund
• Vote Common Good
• Young Democrats of Georgia
• Fair Fight
• Jane Fonda Climate PAC

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sam Foster completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Foster's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Sam Foster, a systems engineer and community advocate running for Mayor to build a Marietta that works for everyone. I grew up in a working-class family. My dad worked for MARTA and my mom worked for the state of Georgia. They taught me to work hard, care about people, and never stop trying to make things better.

When I moved to Marietta for college, I personally saw how expensive housing was and how unsafe it felt to walk or bike anywhere. I tried calling and emailing city leaders about the lack of sidewalks. Nothing changed. So I started showing up at City Council meetings and organizing neighbors to speak up.

I co-founded A Better Cobb, a nonprofit that pushes for safer streets, better transit, and affordable housing. I also started Marietta Bike Social, a free weekly ride for bikers of all ages and abilities that connects neighbors and builds community.

In my day job, I spend my time analyzing complex systems and making them more efficient. I bring that same mindset to city government, make systems work, fix what’s broken, and do it efficiently. Marietta has so much potential. We just need leadership that listens and puts regular people first.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Housing Affordability: Whether you are buying or renting, you deserve a home you can afford in Marietta. I will support zoning changes that allow more housing options and push for inclusionary zoning so working families can live close to jobs and schools. We can reuse vacant lots and underused parking areas to create new homes and mixed-use spaces that bring neighborhoods back to life. If you work in Marietta, you should be able to live here too. That’s how we keep families together and make our city stronger.
• Safe Streets for All: Everyone deserves to feel safe getting around, whether walking, biking, or driving. I will slow down traffic in neighborhoods, add crosswalks, fix dangerous intersections, and fill sidewalk gaps that make daily trips unsafe. We can prevent crashes before they happen through better street design and simple improvements that save lives. Safety should not depend on what part of the city you live in. A safe street is a fair street, and every resident deserves both.
• Less Traffic: Traffic will not fix itself. The only real way to decongest our roads is by giving people other options. I will invest in reliable buses, safe sidewalks, and bike connections that make short trips easier without a car. We can focus growth near jobs, shops, and schools so people spend less time stuck in traffic and more time living their lives. Reducing traffic is about convenience, safety, and planning a city that works for people, not just for cars.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about housing, transportation, and fairness in how our city grows. Marietta should be a place where working people can afford to live and get around safely without spending hours in traffic. I care about zoning reform that allows more housing options, better transit, and safer streets with sidewalks and bike lanes that actually connect. I also want to make sure the city uses land and tax dollars efficiently so we can fund parks, schools, and public safety without overburdening families. My focus is on building convenience back into daily life and creating a Marietta that works for everyone.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my grandma. When we lived in Bridgeport, Connecticut, she ran a flower shop downtown. She was a florist, and people from all over the neighborhood would stop by for weddings, birthdays, and funerals. She didn’t have a big storefront or fancy equipment. She just worked hard and built something that supported her family and made people happy.

Watching her taught me a lot about what it means to take pride in your work and give back to your community. That kind of entrepreneurship is what makes communities strong. But right now, it’s hard for people like my grandma to do the same thing. Starting a small business from home should not take hiring a lawyer or going through months of city red tape. People should not have to cross their fingers hoping the City Council is in a good mood that day.

We need to make it easier for residents to start small businesses and earn a living. Home-based businesses, food vendors, and local services are what keep neighborhoods vibrant. My grandma showed me that small business owners are the heart of a community. We should be helping them succeed, not making them fight the system just to get started.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility is simple: put people first. People are tired of empty promises. Leadership means showing up, being transparent, and treating residents with respect. Decisions should be based on what helps families live better, not on who has the most influence. The job is to set a clear vision for the city, manage resources responsibly, and keep the public involved. A mayor should make sure the basics work: streets, housing, parks, and services. In every decision, we must ask ourselves, “Is this serving the people of Marietta?”

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave behind a city where people don’t have to risk their lives just to cross the street. We’ve lost too many neighbors to crashes that could have been prevented. These aren’t accidents. They’re the result of bad road design, and until we start fixing that, nothing will change.

I want Marietta to be a place where it’s safe to walk, bike, or take the bus without fear. We need more sidewalks, crosswalks, and better transit. Most trips people take are within five miles of home. Investing in safer streets isn’t charity. It’s smart, efficient, and saves lives.

If I can leave behind a city that protects its people and gives everyone the freedom to get around safely, that’s a legacy worth leaving.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou because it reminds me that no matter where you start, your story matters. It’s about finding strength and dignity even when things are hard. That message sticks with me. It’s part of why I’m running for office, to build a Marietta for everyone because their story matters too.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I’d be Yuji Itadori from the Jujutsu Kaisen anime series. He’s a good person who tries to do what’s right. He looks out for people and doesn’t give up, no matter how heavy things get. I respect that.

A mayor is a leader in his or her city. What does that mean to you?

Leadership starts on the ground, not behind a fancy desk. You cannot know what a city needs if you only read reports. I believe in walking or biking every street and talking directly with residents. A mayor should listen, build consensus, and make decisions that keep Marietta affordable, connected, and safe.

If the mayor in your city is a member of the city council and there's a city manager appointed to handle the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe should be the mayor's top priority in office?

The mayor should have a clear vision and work with city staff, not against them. Work with the council and city staff to deliver results people can see. Focus on housing, safety, and infrastructure. Publish progress and keep residents updated so everyone knows what the city is doing and why.

What do you love most about your city?

The people. Marietta has neighbors who look out for each other and small businesses that know your name. There’s a strong sense of community here. I love that it’s big enough to have history and culture but still small enough that you can make a difference.

What do you perceive to be your city's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Housing costs, traffic, and aging infrastructure. Families are being priced out, and our roads and sidewalks are not keeping up with growth. We need smart planning that brings homes, jobs, and transit closer together so daily life is more convenient and affordable.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Georgia Conservation of Voters

JanePAC
Lead Locally
REAL Action Inc

Run for Something

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

I spoke to a woman who had never voted before in her life, and she told me she registered just so she could vote for me. That meant a lot. She’s currently unhoused, but she used to own a business here in Marietta. We, as a community, have to do better for our unhoused neighbors. What inspired me most was that even with everything she’s going through, she still wanted to use her voice and her vote to hold leaders accountable. She deserves to have leaders who see her and fight for her.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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