Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson is no longer in office after the Georgia Court of Appeals declined to hear her appeal.
Richardson, a one-term Democrat whose tenure representing District 2 expired at the end of 2024, is no longer a “de facto” commissioner, as she described herself in taking up the appeal last month.
A Cobb Superior Court judge ruled on Dec. 31 that Richardson could no longer serve, due to Cobb residency requirements.
Her district lines were changed in 2022 during reapportionment and drew her out of her East Cobb home, triggering a legal battle lasting more than two years.
On Wednesday, Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid issued a statement saying that “I respect the decision of Georgia’s Court of Appeals and look forward to moving beyond the divisive issues of the past few years.
“Unfortunately, this process has temporarily left residents of one district without their commissioner on the board. However, our intent from the beginning has been to uphold the rights of our citizens and ensure that those they elect have the opportunity to serve.”
For the time being, the five-member commission is down to four members, and will likely stay that way until the end of April, at the conclusion of special elections for District 2 and District 4.
Updated, 10:30 pm:
Here’s what Richardson posted on social media Wednesday night:
I stand by my statement that it is unacceptable for 200,000 to go unrepresented and for our legislature to have the legal authority to systematically remove elected officials. For the last four years, this office has been under attack by the entire state infrastructure because change is scary for so many. Unfortunately, the unknown is exploited so that power can be transferred from the hands of many to the hands of few.
Early voting in those primaries began on Saturday. District 2 formerly included some of East Cobb, which is now mostly in District 3.
Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt said Wednesday there wouldn’t be an interim appointment to fill the District 2 seat, since the special elections fall outside a 180-day window for such action.
District 2 includes some areas of East Cobb near I-75, as well as most of the city of Marietta, Smyrna and the Cumberland-Vinings area.
The special elections were ordered by another Cobb judge following May 2024 primaries that followed “hone rule” maps approved by Cupid, Richardson and Monique Sheffield, the other Democratic commissioner, that differed from the legislative maps signed into law.
Court rulings rejected the “home rule” maps, since the Georgia Constitution requires that county redistricting be approved by the legislature.
District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, a Republican, said last month that “it’s time to put an end to ignoring the Constitution and the laws of this state and the county and go back to the real business of the county at hand.”
Richardson hasn’t commented on the appeals court’s decision not to hear her appeal. Her colleagues declared her seat vacant in December, but she had the right to appeal.
But when Richardson resumed her seat in January, she was adamant that it was important to fight a “precedent” in the legislature not honoring a local delegation redistricting map.
“This fight was never about me but about protecting American values,” she said.
Commissioners meet for their first business meeting without Richardson on Tuesday, with split 2-2 partisan lines.
More from Richardson’s statement:
“To my community: In many ways we won the minor battle- I was able to serve a complete term, although tumultuous, as a result of bold leadership and constant action from an empowered and educated community. I hope that the legacy of this office is to know if we take ownership of our government, we can accomplish so much and fight off some of the most terrible threats to our safety and stability. While there is much to be proud of, the warfront is bigger than the battle. This precedent is set, and our state delegation now has a legal, but undemocratic power. We must not cease in our fight to reinstate checks and balances. That is true from the top of our government all the way to the bottom. No one should be above the law, and everyone should be equally protected by the law. That is this nation’s moral high ground and we cannot lose it. I may be out of office, but I am not out of ideas, nor am I out of a community. We will continue to stand up for what is right and pull together to accomplish the impossible.
“As I have mentioned before, there is an election underway to choose my successor. A lot is at stake, and we need people in office who are going to go beyond the bare minimum. That means, as a voter, more than the bare minimum is required from you. Get to really know each of the candidates. Challenge them on the challenges we face today. Ask them how they are going to tackle all of facets of the job. This is your representation, and if the last few weeks have demonstrated anything — elections have consequences.
“Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.”
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