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Cobb elections staff outline precinct relocations and larger consolidation plan starting 2026
Summary
Elections staff proposed temporary and permanent polling‑place relocations for June and through the end of 2025 and described a summer consolidation plan that could reduce the county’s precinct count substantially beginning in 2026; the board was briefed on timelines, ADA concerns and equipment allocation plans.
Elections staff told the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration they have proposed a set of polling‑place relocations and collocations for the June election and temporary changes through the end of 2025, and that the office will pursue a larger precinct consolidation project to take effect in 2026.
The director said several District 1 and 3 locations told the office they no longer wished to serve as polling places, prompting relocations and co‑locations. She said one site would be moved permanently (Clarkdale 1) while others would be collocated for the remainder of 2025. “So the board of commissioners is responsible for voting on changing precinct boundaries. So those changes will go before the board of commissioners,” staff said, and the elections board retains authority over polling‑place selection.
Staff described the rationale: a 2024 change in law removed a prior requirement that the county provide one ballot‑marking device (BMD) per 250 registered voters, reducing the spatial constraints that had previously limited precinct size. With more voters casting early and absentee ballots, staff said they saw minimal day‑of lines in recent elections and can consolidate sites to save equipment, personnel and taxpayer dollars.
The staff proposal includes about 10 locations affected in June: a mix of permanent relocation for one site and temporary collocations for others, with Mars Hill 01 remaining a polling place for June but scheduled for relocation afterward. The office plans to present a full precinct‑boundary consolidation plan to the Board of Commissioners in August or early September and aims to implement larger consolidations beginning in 2026.
Board members asked staff to include ADA reviews, equipment‑allocation plans, counts of active registered voters affected by each consolidation, and comparable turnout data in the consolidation packet. Staff said those data were provided in a spreadsheet shared with the board and that collocated sites will use a single equipment set and one set of poll‑pads with two separate scanners (one per precinct combination) so ballots scanned into the wrong scanner will be rejected.
No vote was taken on the larger consolidation during the meeting; the board discussed timing, outreach and the need to consult the Board of Commissioners on boundary changes. Staff emphasized the goal of reducing precincts substantially (one staff member said a target of 100 precincts was desirable) to achieve long‑term efficiency.
