Democrats were leading in several important local races in Cobb Tuesday night and appeared within striking distance of capturing a majority on the board of commissioners.
More than 330,000 votes had been tallied and election officials were working into the early morning to upload another 82,000, according to Elections Director Janine Eveler. She said another 15,000 absentee ballots also needed to be processed.
With nearly all precincts reporting, Democrat Lisa Cupid was ahead of incumbent Republican Mike Boyce in the county commission chair’s race. Democrat Jerica Richardson held a sliver advantage over Republican Fitz Johnson in the race to represent East Cobb on the commission in District 2.
Currently, the Board of Commissioners is comprised of four Republicans and one Democrat. If Cupid and Richardson maintain their leads, they could flip the board, along with Monique Sheffield, the Democratic candidate running unopposed for Cupid’s vacated seat in South Cobb.
Democrats have reason to be optimistic elsewhere. In the Sheriff’s race, Democrat Craig Owens, a county police major, was leading incumbent Republican Sheriff Neil Warren.
Political observers will be watching to see whether Democrats have made good on their promise to turn Cobb true blue. In the last presidential election in 2016, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump among Cobb voters, but Republicans retained control of many local offices.
Jacquelyn Bettadapur, chairwoman of the Cobb County Democratic Committee, pointed to midterm gains for her party, as well as what she characterized as “crazy” and divisive rhetoric from the Republican side.
“I think that turns off fair-minded, moderate-thinking people,” she said. While some of the local races are driven by specific issues, Bettadapur acknowledged that many voters would simply be checking the D or R boxes in those races.
Jason Shepherd, the Cobb GOP chair, said fewer voters seemed inclined to split their ballot as they have in years past.
“I think folks want to send a message,” he said. “It becomes increasingly more difficult for candidates to distance themselves from the top of the ticket.”
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