Voters in the new city of Mableton will head to the polls Tuesday in a runoff from the March 21 special election.
Why it matters: The runoff election will take place amid efforts by some residents to remove themselves from the new city, which is now the largest in Cobb County with a population of around 77,000.
Candidates on the runoff ballot include:
Catch up quick: Voters on Nov. 8 approved incorporating the city. Turnout for the March election was around 13% out of about 47,000 registered voters, according to results on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website.
- As of Friday, 2,741 residents voted early in person in the runoff, the Cobb County Elections and Voter Registration website notes.
What they’re saying: “It’s been a long journey with one phase ending while we all have exciting opportunities ahead,” William Wilson, a Mableton resident who was one of the early advocates for incorporation, told Axios. “I am extremely excited to see who will lead us moving forward as a united Mableton.”
Context: Mableton was one of four cityhood ballot initiatives voters in Cobb considered last year. It was the only one to pass. The others — East Cobb, Lost Mountain and Vinings — all failed at the ballot box.
The intrigue: Once the election is decided, the city will not only have to fine-tune its transition from an unincorporated area, but also brace for residents who want out.
- The Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 374 which provides options for residents who want to ask a city to de-annex. It has yet to be signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp.
- “We think that this bill passing is a step in the right direction for people to have control over ultimately whether they are included within the city’s boundaries or not,” Christie Lynn, a resident who opposed incorporation, told Axios.
Yes, and: Lynn, a member of the De-Annexation from Mableton group, said the organization has endorsed Carman, Auch and Davis in their bids because they “support our right to follow a path to…
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