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Cobb elections board adds officer election to agenda after heated debate; Moskbacher elected chair
Summary
The Cobb County Board of Elections voted 3–2 to amend the July agenda to conduct officer elections. After nominations and separate votes by office, the board elected Jennifer Moskbacher chair (3–1–1) and Stacy Efrett vice chair (3–1–1); the secretary post received no successful nomination.
The Cobb County Board of Elections voted 3–2 to amend its July agenda and conduct officer elections during the meeting, after more than an hour of debate about timing and whether the board should wait for new appointments.
Board member Mr. Bruning moved to add a vote to “conduct the election of officers,” citing the bylaws’ annual July timing; the motion was seconded and became the subject of extended discussion. Attorney Daniel White advised that the bylaws set July as the default time for electing officers and that a subsequent board could re-run elections if it chose. Opponents argued the delegation had not yet completed appointments and that holding elections now would bind a board that might soon have new members.
“I'm not comfortable making a determination on our officers when we don't know who those officers are going to be,” one board member said during debate, arguing for deferral until appointments were complete. After discussion, the motion to amend the agenda carried by a 3–2 vote.
With nominations open, board members offered two competing slates and individual nominations. The board then reopened nominations to vote by office. For chair, nominations were for Tori Silas and Jennifer Moskbacher. A voice vote on Silas failed; a separate vote elected Moskbacher as chair 3 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention. For vice chair, nominations included Silas and Stacy Efrett; Silas failed and Efrett was elected 3 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention. The board attempted to fill the secretary post but no candidate accepted a nomination and the position remained unfilled at adjournment.
The board recorded the results publicly and noted that any future board could hold a subsequent election if members wished to do so.
Board action and next steps: the board placed the election on the agenda, held nominations and separate votes by office, and certified the two officer elections. The secretary position remains vacant; staff and board members discussed that, in practice, remaining officers and staff would perform administrative duties until a secretary is appointed or elected.
The meeting adjourned after the elections and other business.
