Cobb voters head to the polls

Oct. 17—MARIETTA — Cobb voters Monday had their first chance to cast a ballot in a host of federal, statewide and local elections with the start of early voting.

At stake are all the top statewide offices in Georgia from governor on down, as well as the seat of Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, facing a challenge from Republican Herschel Walker. The race, which pits pastor Warnock against Georgia football legend Walker, could determine control of the chamber.

The elections also feature local contests, with school board, county commission and state legislature seats up for election, along with a cityhood referendum in Mableton.

Voters who spoke to the MDJ outside the Cobb main elections office in Marietta were most tuned in to the marquee matchups — those which will determine Georgia's governor and U.S. senator.

Cathy Carlson, a recent transplant from southern California, is a Democrat who voted for gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Warnock on Monday.

For Carlson, this election is about "my rights as a woman."

Also of importance to Carlson is protecting Social Security benefits.

"My husband passed away last year. So I really rely on the survivors' benefits that I get. And they're (Democrats) the only ones that seem to be coming up with solutions," she said.

President Joe Biden, she added, has been busy undoing the work of former President Donald Trump.

"It's like you can't get any work done, because you're so busy fixing what the past president did," Carlson said.

Matthew and Christiana King, siblings from Marietta, voted for Republicans Monday. Both students, the King siblings wanted to get voting out of the way before returning to their busy college lives.

Christiana, 22, first voted in 2018, when she supported Gov. Brian Kemp, who is up for reelection this year.

"The most important thing to me is abortion policy. And that is enough for me to keep voting for him," she said.

Her brother Matthew, 18, is voting in his first general election. He learned Monday that wearing a campaign T-shirt to the polls is not allowed, and had to turn his Herschel Walker shirt inside-out.

"I like him, obviously, because he went to the University of Georgia, he played football there, he's a great football player. But also senators, what they do is vote. So I know that he would vote for the right policies and the right things in the Senate," Matthew King said. "Compared to — I disagree with the things that Raphael Warnock has been voting for, increasing taxes and things like that."

Cynthia Cox was most motivated to vote in the governor's race.

"It's very important, because the governor makes a lot of decisions," said Cox, who pulled the lever for Abrams.

Of the Democratic nominee, Cox said, "I believe that she's a people person, she wants to make sure everything is done right as a governor."

For Marietta resident Shirley Harris, economic concerns are top of mind. She voted Republican down the ticket.

"I'm tired of gas prices, and food, being on a limited income. ... And the crime. And it's not as bad here as everywhere else, but I don't want it to get bad," Harris said.