[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6247387,"mediaKeyId","3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729","parentId",3213038,"title","Board agrees to run six cities' November elections, adds contingency meeting dates; AIP schedule for November tabled","audioSeconds",1138,"startMs",1918000,"endMs",3056000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729&start=1918&end=3056","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729/thumbnail_1918000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6247387/Cobb-County/Georgia/Board-agrees-to-run-six-cities-November-elections-adds-contingency-meeting-dates-AIP-schedule-for-November-tabled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247387-5902497e12da5d1a5b92aea86413594d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775434390&Signature=HOcTrmfTU9NYCNyaWS7fkC8UVfOo9QUcMFGyNqfMNa86uwJ0kTp398zrfpxlHuoDMotkHctKD~aPdSxVHsbMgcRSnf-PHnFSFpjQpnxkb9yxdoRSRSmhUl6-YxPSNTQ9IN3GW0n1XeXb0saANSiaPAlOcb00CWHaOT7OdOxIrEFlM01gw-kGjAXhYBrlcXoPAZ9qoXmVg99yPy~qR5LZlkZtm5Xnt9nHRQa7LwweZdz40lNTjwXEzpCg9v8II5Bs0auu1M1SHIGiB~Eja1orDedTVCBka2PGFuNmL4K-gEBM4Ryv4xLyhl5ycKa6MZy~2yv7fkvDPu~GHWCJwKuYpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-07T16:43:59.723Z","article","The Cobb County Board of Elections approved contracts to conduct municipal general elections for six cities on Nov. 4 and amended its 2025 meeting calendar to add contingency dates in the event of a July 15 runoff. The board tabled a proposed advance‑in‑person (AIP) schedule for the Nov. 4 municipal and Public Service Commission (PSC) election to allow staff to confirm an additional East Cobb early‑voting site and related logistics.

Director Fall presented contracts prepared with the county attorney's office and said all six municipalities — Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Mableton, Marietta and Powder Springs — had signed. The board moved to approve the request to conduct each city's general election on Nov. 4. Mr. Bruning moved the approval and Miss Fisher seconded; the chair reported the motion passed unanimously.

The board also approved adding three meeting dates to the calendar if a July 15 runoff occurs for the statewide PSC race: an election‑night meeting on July 15, a pre‑certification meeting on July 18 and a certification meeting on July 21. The board discussed whether the July 18 pre‑certification meeting could be held virtually; county legal counsel and board members clarified that pre‑certification is governed by the State Election Board rule and the Open Meetings Act and that a physical quorum will be required for such public meetings.

Finally, Director Fall presented a draft AIP schedule for the Nov. 4 election that largely mirrors the June early‑voting schedule but includes one East Cobb Government Center site to serve voters in the eastern portion of the county. Board members and public commenters raised concerns that East Cobb may need additional coverage (Tim Lee Senior Center is traditionally a high‑volume site, but an agreement limits use in odd years) and that Mountain View Library or other nearby facilities be canvassed. Because facility confirmations were incomplete, the board voted to table the AIP schedule item until staff could check availability at Mountain View/Tim Lee area facilities and consider adding a West Cobb site if warranted.

The motion to table the AIP schedule was moved by Mr. Bruning and seconded by Miss Fisher; the chair reported the motion passed. Director Fall said she will provide turnout data from the most similar prior municipal election (the 2021 municipal election) and follow up on facility availability for East Cobb and West Cobb sites before the board's next meetings in June.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration Meeting - 05/05/25","oneSentenceSummary","The board agreed to conduct November 4 municipal general elections for six cities, approved contingency meeting dates in case a July 15 runoff is required, and tabled a proposed advance‑in‑person schedule for November while staff checks additional East Cobb and West Cobb sites.","taxTitle","Cobb County, Georgia","taxId",3733,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6247391,"Residents urge caution on precinct consolidation, call for clearer signage and better accessibility",800,558000,1358000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729&start=558&end=1358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729/thumbnail_558000.jpg","/articles/6247391/Cobb-County/Georgia/Residents-urge-caution-on-precinct-consolidation-call-for-clearer-signage-and-better-accessibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247391-3659791d86ecec9bdd3c14247db72224/orig.mp4?Expires=1775434390&Signature=IpAre388uAD2uoB7xVZycebZn1hPqeVDUurwaOnl8HJySek2xu5HBICYtstx6PUP7BD8urI04PLCM74H9Knleaz3bFPiy0Sgh~RR2fB2tXAvZnXcjqFD~a9GUPlhEuqi633bMvQa7uQ7TJECCkM4bb~gjZ9ESEuh5c1NkPLhYF5lQctOd592vPOXEXhc8eLljtmj1pG0aX-H-tkiliS22waUnUe1Oqzz-FVls9spZH7yNXh5agPhh6m3sKuxZxoC3YbhFkILYDaiI~KCV3FeVnnQ-p0qKMbOQOJn2BZmsgsiZsu64mV2pfXQBJvbP7OkvmgPgrcg1ZP~iXzFv7fJ-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During public comment several residents and organization representatives praised elections staff for smooth administration but urged the board to consider voter access and community outreach before larger consolidation moves.

Janet Rau told the board she appreciated volunteers who directed voters at an early‑voting location on Election Day and said those volunteers redirected \"approximately 30 people\" who otherwise would have been displaced when a site was not open. \"I would encourage the Board to continue to do that when we have special elections,\" she said.

Ben Williams, president emeritus of the Cobb County branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, spoke in favor of consolidation if it is done in a way that builds community and preserves outreach. \"We've gotta do something to now let those folks who are now being aggregated together understand that they are a voting community,\" Williams said, and offered his group's assistance to educate voters.

Monica Brown, who said she represents the Cobb County Democracy Center, urged the board to avoid consolidating precincts such that single polling locations would be expected to serve many thousands of voters. \"We have precincts that have as many as 6,000, almost 7,000 voters... being mindful of those numbers of voters so that we're not eliminating too many precincts,\" Brown said.

Rosser Sutherland described an accessibility problem at Bridgepointe Church in Marietta: the usual entrance was locked and signage still pointed people to it, forcing some voters to \"walk around into the street through the grass\" to reach the side door and the machines. He said a pregnant woman and a voter using a walker had to navigate the difficult route.

Beth Hendrickson thanked the board and staff for smooth recent elections and urged caution in timing and scope of consolidations, noting state legislative proposals could change advanced in‑person and no‑excuse absentee voting and so might increase election‑day precinct demand.

Amanda Robinson and other speakers praised Director Fall and staff for election professionalism and for maintaining accessibility. Commenters consistently asked for clear signage at changed sites, advance notice to voters, and community outreach to explain new precinct boundaries or co‑locations.

Board members acknowledged the public comments during the public hearing and asked staff to include signage, parking and accessibility checks as they finalize co‑locations and relocations.","Multiple public commenters told the board they support efficient elections but want careful planning, clearer voter signage and attention to accessibility when precincts are consolidated or co‑located.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6247396,"Board approves multiple temporary and permanent polling‑place relocations and co‑locations through 2025",262,1361000,1623000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729&start=1361&end=1623","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729/thumbnail_1361000.jpg","/articles/6247396/Cobb-County/Georgia/Board-approves-multiple-temporary-and-permanent-pollingplace-relocations-and-colocations-through-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247396-2b943d345df565e62f9429f9e7ee05ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775434390&Signature=baTshhsl68kyMaJiPHVvizFzSm96qsSlL~Lfxo~805USUIapdDok0h6LnDoRmx2GG~~VAT~xr0FdLdAcUg7V6rk7vO9VSX3ixn6uHllhh~aAhFzL2o4C6HmECr19HDLiOu4ea1to9R9u3lHYtbIB9xXLdA3FIkqZieN65oSVyKSgq63kh0RCtHJDyLpWKQmvSOuYb39dhkXpDrNGUlVJeyBay8uDUVfo88J579AhqpSd0BEynWQnU2xpz62GMuD4UxbbRyOg00JGPBdqS7Z6jXj8p6G-iC5GMRB07-~3rmqta2J-glqbi7jKZctR~ZefLtHK3fjN51WIhVDTvL6Rjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Fall presented a block of proposed polling‑place relocations and co‑locations after receiving 90‑day notices from current hosts that they could no longer serve as polling places.

She told the board the moves respond to sites that \"gave us their 90 days notice that they are no longer able to serve as a polling place,\" and that most affected locations had been churches no longer willing or able to host elections.

The board approved a temporary relocation for Murdock 01 to Dodgen Middle School only \"in the event of a July 15 runoff\" if the church could not host that date. The board also approved one permanent relocation — Clarkdale 01 moving from Refuge Community Church to Old Clarkdale Community Center — and a set of co‑locations that will be in effect beginning June 17 through the end of 2025 (except Mars Hill 01, which would start July 15). Director Fall described co‑locations as two precinct polling places operating inside one building with separate ballot scanners and precinct‑specific paper records.

Approved co‑locations and relocations (motioned and passed unanimously):

- Murdock 01 → temporary move to Dodgen Middle School (only if July 15 runoff required).
- Clarkdale 01 → permanent relocation to Old Clarkdale Community Center (from Refuge Community Church).
- North Cobb 01 → co‑located at North Cobb Senior Center (with Acworth 1C).
- East Side 02 → co‑located at Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (with Powers Ferry 01).
- Kennesaw 4A → co‑located at Ben Robertson Community Center (with Kennesaw 3A); city council approval required for municipal polling site.
- Bells Ferry 02 → co‑located at Covenant Presbyterian Church (with EL02/Christ Worship Center voters redirected);
- WLO 01 (Willie 001) → co‑located at Wesley Chapel Methodist Church (with P001);
- Kemp 02 → co‑located at Lovingood Middle School (with Oregon 01);
- Clarkdale 02 → co‑located at Linked Up Church (with Sweetwater 1);
- Mars Hill 01 → co‑located at Durham Middle School (Durham 01) beginning July 15.

Director Fall explained how co‑locations will work operationally: voters will \"check‑in at the same poll pads\" and receive a card that encodes the voter's precinct; that card opens the correct ballot on a ballot‑marking device and each precinct will have a separately labeled scanner. She said the scanners are programmed to reject ballots for the wrong precinct so a ballot placed in the wrong scanner will be returned to the voter or routed to an emergency bin if needed.

Board members asked questions about staffing, provisional stations and physical signage. Director Fall said managers and assistant managers from each co‑located precinct will be present; clerks will be reduced where possible. Provisional voting will be handled at a single provisional station in a co‑located site, but with separate paper ballots and separate secure bags for the precincts.

All polling‑place changes on the agenda were moved, seconded and approved unanimously by the board. Director Fall said most relocations are temporary through the end of 2025 while the county considers potential future consolidations to begin in 2026.

The board asked elections staff to continue coordinating with municipal partners where municipal approval is required and to confirm facility availability and accessibility features.","The Board of Elections approved a package of polling‑place changes — one permanent relocation and several co‑locations — to cover sites that gave 90‑day notice they could no longer host elections; one temporary relocation was approved only for a possible July 15 runoff.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6247399,"Cobb County elections office reports 16,468 ballots cast; board unanimously certifies April 29 special election",208,229000,437000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729&start=229&end=437","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3213038-b60aa4eaa6d951e099aac0ea29b51729/thumbnail_229000.jpg","/articles/6247399/Cobb-County/Georgia/Cobb-County-elections-office-reports-16468-ballots-cast-board-unanimously-certifies-April-29-special-election","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6247399-e2a6315c85b4dfedb34687e9b6795d9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775434390&Signature=QBTFejcks8J22mP-hevZmWwxMAGOZxOPShdLu277sCadXbFEmGMkjtSt2CwcmkuwZs8DaIZsAa9SwKLLVVEO65rBzaXWMXA2FMWRCHgnh88jg11cD4RXUBRzdZvVOC4Pw5nC5udMK14bc8easAHjy498jBXElUKG0mlTlhTlKKIjRZwmgh2IDnwsTV3KvLTjt9GCAWsWcKmj8LpbMjIS-zoC6kQzG2sUmvUdBmArWsg4m6UXdGdNOhFIvkOCrMYNjJtzldRwf5Hlk7~4QA9tfn4aOzIsn0TN-npe-fQOKRaqUp2f7neW-LdbnbonQforp5pRmwu-Tbs8u7-Hxv-R~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Fall, director of the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration, presented official totals from the April 29 special election and the board voted unanimously to certify the results.

\"This gave us a total of 16,468 ballots cast,\" Director Fall told the board as she walked members through pre‑election, absentee‑by‑mail and election‑day numbers. She said overall turnout for the election was 6.85 percent.

The report included a breakdown of advance in‑person (AIP) voting, absentee by mail (ABM) returns and election‑day activity. Director Fall said AIP produced 6,217 voters, Smyrna was the busiest AIP site with just under 3,000 voters, and ABM produced 163 total returned ballots with six provisional ABM ballots returned; four of those were cured. On election day, she reported 10,066 voters at polling places. Director Fall said the only change to the official results after the last pre‑certification packet was the provisional total, which ended at 22 ballots.

The board then moved to a formal vote. Mr. Bruning moved to certify the April 29 results and Miss Fisher seconded; the chair called the question and the motion \"passes unanimously,\" according to the meeting record.

Director Fall also noted that a risk‑limiting audit will begin at 9 a.m. the next day at the elections office. \"There'll be six teams, so both parties can send six representatives, and it'll take place at our main office,\" she said, adding the audit will sample just over 10,000 ballots for a 5 percent risk limit.

The certification vote was limited to approving the official election summary report presented by Director Fall; no other actions were taken on election administration during that vote.

Board members asked no substantive follow‑up questions after the certification vote and the board moved on to public comment and other agenda items.

The board's certification and the audit schedule complete the formal steps required under state election procedures for the April 29 special election.","Director Fall presented turnout and ballot totals for the April 29 special election; the Cobb County Board of Elections unanimously certified the results and scheduled a risk‑limiting audit for the following morning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board agrees to run six cities' November elections, adds contingency meeting dates; AIP schedule for November tabled

Residents urge caution on precinct consolidation, call for clearer signage and better accessibility

Board approves multiple temporary and permanent polling‑place relocations and co‑locations through 2025

Cobb County elections office reports 16,468 ballots cast; board unanimously certifies April 29 special election