More than two years after they were approved by the Georgia legislature, Cobb Board of Commissioner districts are finally being reflected on county government websites and in other official documentation.
That’s because commissioners on Tuesday voted to adopt the maps after losing an appeal over the “home rule” maps commission Democrats adopted in 2022 but that were ruled unconstitutional by a Cobb judge last month.
For voters in East Cobb, however, a lengthy saga of chaos and confusion is only partially over.
While almost all of East Cobb is in District 3—represented by Republican commissioner JoAnn Birrell—District 2 Commissioner Jerica Richardson, whose “home rule” district included some of East Cobb where she lives—is declaring herself a “de facto” commissioner.
Her colleagues declined on Tuesday to give notice of a vacancy in the new District 2, where she is not a legal resident. The legislative maps drew her out, prompting her and her two Democratic commissioners to attempt to use home rule authority to assert reapportionment powers the Georgia Constitution has delegated only to the legislature.
If that vacancy is declared, she would have the right to challenge her removal in court. But during the discussion, Birrell said she thought Richardson should serve out the rest of her term.
The vote was tied at 2-2 (Richardson had to recuse herself), and commissioners didn’t indicate if they would take up the matter again.
Her term expires on Dec. 31. Richardson, who did not seek re-election amid the home rule controversy, said on a “community huddle” call with constituents Thursday that as far as she’s concerned, “the seat is vacant, but I don’t know that it is,” a reference to having no formal notice of a vacancy.
She said she’s not sure at the moment what powers, if any, she may still have, especially about sitting in official meetings and taking votes.
“I still want to know if there is some authority under which I’m operating,” Richardson said on the call, adding that it’s a “deep, deep Constitutional crisis.”
Cobb commissioners don’t have another official meeting until Sept. 10.
But the question of whether some of her appointees may not be able to continue to serve—also due to district residency requirements—is uncertain as well.
Among them is David Anderson, Richardson’s appointee to the Cobb Planning Commission, which meets next Tuesday.
He’s a resident of what is now being recognized by the county as District 3, living in the area around Murdock Elementary School.
Planning Commission members serve concurrent terms as the commissioners who appoint them, so Anderson’s term also expires at the end of the year.
East Cobb News has inquired with the county about whether Anderson and other Richardson appointees may be affected by the new maps but has not received a response.
As for East Cobb voters who had been in District 2 under the “home rule” maps: While they got to vote in that race in the May primaries, they won’t be eligible to cast votes in the special elections that were ordered for early next year by Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill.
She vacated the primary results in Districts 2 and 4 because the Cobb elections board also used the “home rule” maps.
The official District 2 runs along I-75 and includes most of the Smyrna/Cumberland area, pushing as east as the western side of Powers Ferry Road.
Here are the precincts in East Cobb that went from District 2 under the “home rule” maps to District 3 under the state maps commissioners adopted this week:
- Chestnut Ridge 01
- Dickerson 01
- Dodgen 01
- Eastside 01
- Eastside 02
- Fullers Park 01
- Hightower 01
- Murdock 01
- Mt. Bethel 01
- Mt. Bethel 03
- Mt. Bethel 04
- Powers Ferry 01
- Roswell 01
- Roswell 02
- Sewell Mill 01
- Sewell Mill 03
- Sope Creek 01
- Sope Creek 02
- Sope Creek 03
- Terrell Mill 01
- Timber Ridge 01
Birrell and Keli Gambrill, the other Republican commissioner from District 1 in North and West Cobb, were re-elected in 2022 using the state maps.
Their current terms expire in 2026.
Cobb government has provided a link for citizens to check their commission district, by typing in your street address.
Related:
- Six presidential candidates to appear on Georgia ballot
- Cobb adopts state electoral maps; Richardson in limbo
- Cobb commissioners feud over resolving electoral map dispute
- Cobb may consider vacating District 2 commission seat
- Cobb judge upholds decision to call special elections
- Absentee ballot request period for Cobb, Ga. underway
- MORE: Visit the East Cobb News Politics & Elections Page
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
