Hey, Cobb: Here are your candidates for every 2017 city election
Who is going to hear you out about that pothole on your street? Who is your advocate around town? Who makes the rules around here?
The qualifying period for candidates to be on the Nov. 7 ballot has ended for cities in Cobb County. These are the people who could represent your interests at the level of government closest to you for years.
Every city will have new faces except Smyrna, where city clerk Terri Graham said all of its elected officials are still within their terms — that changes in November 2019.
The county elections office has a list of candidates who've qualified for the other five cities in Cobb.
Acworth
- Mayor: This would be the fourth unopposed election for Tommy Allegood, who has been mayor since 2002.
- Alderman, Post 4: Tim Richardson, is currently serving his fifth term and has lived in the city since 1980.
- Alderman, Post 5: Tim Houston, the Acworth native and incumbent works for Cobb Energy.
Austell
- Council, At large, Post 1: Ollie B. Clemons, Jr., the incumbent retiree named mayor pro tem in 2014, will face Melanie Maria Elder, who is listed as a "supervisor" on her paperwork.
- Council, Ward 1: Two new candidates will vye for the position. Ikaika Anderson and Marlin Lamar are listed as manager and engineering superintendent, respectively.
- Council, Ward 3: Incumbent councilman Randy Green, who is self-employed, will face Trudie Causey, who is listed as "housewife" on her qualifying form.
Kennesaw
- Council, At large, Post 3: Manager Pat Ferris, small business owner Antonio "Tony" Jones and brewer Jeffrey Oparnica — none incumbents — are set to run for the position.
- Council, At large, Post 4: Incumbent Jimmy Dickens, a barber who became Kennesaw's first black council member in 2015, will face two opponents: senior research engineer Chris Henderson and Jim Sebastian, who is the current Ward 5 councilman.
- Council, At large, Post 5: Buyer David Blinkhorn will run unopposed for Sebastian's spot.
Marietta
- Mayor: Steve "Thunder" Tumlin will run for his third term unopposed.
- Council, Ward 1: Greg Bieger, who works in public affairs, retiree Jay Davis and attorney Cheryl Richarson — none incumbents — are all running for the seat.
- Council, Ward 5: Incumbent Ruben J. Sands, who is in resource management, will face therapist/counselor Reggie Copeland and manager Ben Lyman.
Powder Springs
- Council, Ward 1: Alison Feliciano, who is listed as a "speaker," and Henry L. Lust, listed as a "business owner," will compete for the post.
- Council, Ward 3: Both are retirees with the same first name running for the position, but Nancy J. Hudson is the incumbent, while Nancy Farmer is the challenger.
In other Cobb news:
About the Author
Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.
