Three candidates who ran in the Cobb Commission District 2 election in May that was later invalidated in court have qualified to run in a special election for the same seat in February.
They include former Cobb Board of Education member Jaha Howard, who won that primary, as well as former State Rep. Erick Allen and Taniesha Whorton, who lost to Howard in a runoff.
All three qualified this week for the special election in the Democratic primary to culminate on Feb. 11.
A fourth Democrat also has qualified.
Tracy Stevenson, who lives in the East Cobb area and has been a frequent critic of the current commission’s Democratic majority, announced his candidacy on Friday,
A retired general contractor now residing in the city of Marietta, Stevenson said he will be stressing “fiscal responsibility and transparency” in his campaign, and pointed to the Cobb government budget as a pressing concern.
“Our Cobb county General budget has risen almost 30% in the last 3 budget cycles and that is unsustainable.”
He also opposed the Cobb transit tax referendum that was defeated in November.
Friday was the last day for qualifying.
Special elections for District 2 and District 4 were ordered in July by a Cobb Superior Court judge who threw out the May primaries. Judge Kellie Hill said the electoral maps used in those elections violated the Georgia Constitution because they were not approved by the legislature.
The commission’s Democrats approved maps under “home rule” auspices that retained some of District 2 in the East Cobb area in a ploy to keep Commissioner Jerica Richardson in her seat.
The Cobb Board of Elections used those maps for the primaries, but Hill said only the legislature can conduct redistricting.
Hill made the ruling after Alicia Adams filed a complaint for being disqualified for the District 2 race by the elections board, saying she didn’t live within its boundaries.
Adams is the only Republican to qualify for the special election in District 2, which contains small portions of the East Cobb area, mainly around Marietta city limits and the parts of the Powers Ferry Road area.
Richardson, who lives off Post Oak Tritt Road, ran unsuccessfully for the 6th Congressional District seat but continues to serve on the commission.
Her colleagues voted in September to vacate the District 2 seat, and Richardson is appealing that decision in Cobb Superior Court.
Most of East Cobb is in District 3, represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell, whose term expires in 2026.
In District 4 in South Cobb, Democratic commissioner Monique Sheffield qualified, as did Yashica Mitchell, who also ran in the 2024 primary that Sheffield won handily.
Two Republicans have qualified, Julien Grhas and Matthew Hardwick.
Both District 2 and District 4 are considered Democratic-friendly seats. Democrats have a 3-2 majority.
The general election for both commission seats is in April.
It’s unclear whether Richardson and Sheffield will be able to continue serving after their terms expire on Dec. 31.
Richardson’s appeal was heard in Cobb Superior Court Friday but no ruling was issued.
Related:
- Cobb commission special election dates set
- East Cobb voters prefer Trump, but Harris makes it close
- Loudermilk, East Cobb legislators win easy re-election
- Cristadoro pledges open door after Cobb school board election
- Cobb Democrats win countywide races; GOP holds school board
- East Cobb Votes: Close school board races; transit tax fails
- MORE: Visit the East Cobb News Politics & Elections Page
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