Most incumbents on ballots for Cobb County voters were re-elected in 2022 at all levels, including veteran East Cobb elected officials.
But behind the scenes, problems with issuing absentee ballots and disagreements over how to draw local political boundaries created controversy and intrigue.
Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell and Cobb school board chairman David Chastain were re-elected in November, as were East Cobb-area state lawmakers Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick and Reps. Sharon Cooper, John Carson and Don Parsons.
They will be joined by Sen. John Albers, also a Republican, and Democratic newcomers Jason Esteves (Senate) and Solomon Adesanya (House) in representing East Cobb when the 2023 session convenes in January.
East Cobb will also have two Republican members of Congress, incumbent Rep. Barry Loudermilk of the 11th District and newcomer Rich McCormick of the 6th District.
In both the general election and the U.S. Senate runoff, Cobb Elections was sued by voting-rights advocacy groups over issues with timely mailing of absentee ballots.
Both times, the county entered into a consent decree to give affected voters extra time to return their mail-in ballots.
Right before the general election, the three Democrats on the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to contest commission redistricting maps under the state’s home rule provisions.
It’s a novel challenge, since legislatures are empowered to conduct reapportionment. But Commissioner Jerica Richardson of District 2 in East Cobb said that she’s the first sitting elected official to be redrawn out a seat.
Elected in 2020, Richardson said in March “I will not step down.” Under Georgia law she has until Dec. 31 to move into the new District 2, which includes much of the city of Marietta as well as the Cumberland and Kennesaw areas.
The new District 3 includes the area around Post Oak Tritt Road and Johnson Ferry Road where Richardson bought a home in 2021. But she said she’s not moving.
The resolution passed in October was opposed by Republican commissioners Keli Gambrill and Birrell, who said the county’s challenge of redistricting is outside the rule of law and was politically motivated.
The county has submitted maps keeping Richardson in similar District 2 lines to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, and it’s expected to be challenged by the state Attorney General’s office.
The first Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting of 2023 is Jan. 10.
Related:
- Warnock cruises in Cobb, wins Georgia U.S. Senate runoff
- Ga. elections board to investigate Cobb absentee ballot issues
- Early voting surges in Cobb in U.S. Senate runoff
- Cobb Elections sued over absentee ballots in U.S. Senate runoff
- How East Cobb voted in U.S. Senate general election, governor’s race
- Cobb adds Saturday early voting for U.S. Senate runoff
- Recertified Cobb election results change outcome in Kennesaw race
- Birrell, Chastain re-elected in key Cobb races
- Cobb extends deadline for absentee voters not mailed ballots
- Cobb Election failed to mail out 1k+ absentee ballots
- Cobb passes home rule redistricting resolution in party-line vote
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