How to vote in the Mableton mayor and council elections

Hunter Riggall, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·3 min read

Mar. 8—Last November, voters in a large swath of south Cobb approved the creation of a new city of Mableton.

The result — 53% yes votes (13,191) and 46% no votes (11,694) meant the creation of Cobb's seventh and largest city.

Now, Mableton's roughly 47,200 active registered voters are tasked with choosing those who will lead the fledgling city. Election Day is March 21.

The city will be led by a mayor, elected citywide, and six City Council members, elected by the voters of their respective districts.

Per the city charter, candidates must win a majority (more than 50% of the vote) to be elected. Several races have attracted more than two candidates, creating the potential for an April 18 runoff election.

Mableton's mayor and council will govern roughly 77,500 residents.

Terms for the first council will be staggered, per the city charter, with three members (Districts 2, 4 and 6) serving from March 2023-December 2025, while the mayor and other three (Districts 1, 3 and 5) will serve from March 2023-December 2027. All members of successive councils will serve four-year terms, and no elected officials in Mableton will be permitted to serve more than three consecutive terms.

Early voting began Feb. 27 and continues through March 17. Residents can vote early at two locations: the Mable House Arts Center at 5239 Floyd Road, and the South Cobb Community Center at 620 Lions Club Drove.

Hours for both early voting locations are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting on Saturday, March 11 is also available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday was the deadline to submit an application for an absentee ballot.

Completed absentee ballots can be mailed, dropped in a drop box, or hand-delivered to the Main Elections Office at 995 Roswell Street in Marietta.

Absentee ballots can be mailed to Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration, P.O. Box 649, Marietta, GA, 30061-0649.

Drop boxes are located at the two early voting locations, and can only be accessed during voting hours.

Absentee ballots must be turned in by 7 p.m. on March 21 to be counted.

To check your voter registration and find your precinct, visit the Georgia My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.

The boundaries of the new city extend well beyond the historic core of Mableton and include households that were in unincorporated Cobb County, and historically had Austell and Smyrna postal addresses. Cobb County has created an interactive map where residents can type in their address to see if they are in the new city. To see if you live in the city of Mableton, visit cobbcounty.org/communications/info-center/mableton.

The city is roughly bordered by Douglas County to the southwest, Flint Hill Road and the city of Austell to the west, the Chattahoochee River and city of Smyrna to the east and southeast, and Hurt Road and East-West Connector to the north.

The mayor and council will not be the first elected officials to govern a city of Mableton. A previous Mableton government existed from 1912 to 1916.