Cobb Commissioner District 2 Democratic runoff results

Cobb Commissioner District 2 Democratic runoff results

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Cobb Commissioner District 2 Democratic runoff results

Updated, 10:24 pm:

According to final, unofficial results, Howard received 73 percent of the vote with all 37 precincts reporting.

Howard tallied 1,738 votes to 641 for Whorton, and he won 35 of the 37 precincts.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office has updated results at this link. They must be certified by the Cobb Board of Elections.

Howard advances to the November general election, but it is unclear what the District 2 boundaries will look like and who the Republican candidate may be.

For the primary and runoff, District 2 included a good portion of East Cobb, but the electoral maps are under a legal dispute that could change them.

There was a hearing Thursday in Cobb Superior Court before Judge Kellie Hill on that matter. Afterwards, the Cobb Board of Elections asked for a delay in the District 2 and District 4 commission general elections slated for November, until after the matter is resolved in the courts.

Democratic first-term Commissioner Jerica Richardson was drawn out of her seat during legislative reapportionment in 2022, and she and her Democratic colleagues are observing maps drawn by the Cobb delegation, citing “home rule” powers that apply to local governments.

Most of East Cobb was included in the legislative maps in District 3, which is represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell, who was re-elected to a fourth term in 2022.

Richardson opted to run for the 6th Congressional District, but was routed in the May 21 primary by incumbent Democrat Lucy McBath.

In the District 2 maps being observed by the Cobb commissioners and Cobb Elections Board, the only Republican to qualify is Pamela Reardon, a local GOP activist.

In the legislative map, Reardon lives in District 3 and could be disqualified if those boundaries change.

But another Republican, Alicia Adams of the Kennesaw area, is challenging the county-observed maps after being disqualified. She filed to run according to the District 2 legislative maps.

But East Cobb Democratic activist Mindy Seger challenged her qualification based on residency requirements, and the Cobb Elections Board concurred.

Adams has appealed that decision in Cobb Superior Court. Hill asked for oral arguments following a recent decision by the Georgia Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two Cobb residents against the county “home rule” maps.

Another Cobb judge, Ann Harris, ruled in January that the county maps were unconstitutional, saying only the legislature can conduct reapportionment, and that home rule powers do not include redistricting.

The county appealed the Harris ruling, and the state’s high court reversed it, concluding that the plaintiffs didn’t have standing.

Near the end of its ruling, the Supreme Court did acknowledge that there are “very serious Constitutional issues” with the county commission Democrats’ adoption of the “home rule” maps.

But Adams’ legal challenge could prompt a ruling on the legal merits of the county “home rule” maps, possibly before the general election.

It’s possible the District 2 primary and runoff results could be thrown out and new elections ordered before November.

Original post:

The polls have closed in Tuesday’s runoff elections that includes the Democratic Party race for District 2 on the Board of Commissioners.

Jaha Howard and Taniesha Whorton were vying for the right to earn a spot on the November ballot.

Democrats hold a 3-2 edge on the commission. Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and Commissioner Monique Sheffield, both Democrats, are up for re-election in November.

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