This is a report of my observations of Cobb County’s Elections Board Meeting held virtually on May 10, 2021. I entered the virtual board meeting a little after 4 pm. Comments from the public had already begun. I was unable to hear the names of all persons that commented. Below is the gist of each person’s comments.
Public speaker #1: (name unknown) requesting that Board open early vote sites from 7 am to 7 pm, offer more early voting sites, and make it easier for people to vote absentee and to vote early.
Public speaker #2 (Monica): commenting on family being evicted from home on May 6, and making connection between housing issues and voting.
Public speaker #3 (Lisa Campbell): Notes that Board recently stated that it lacks authority to challenge new voting law. Urges committee to stand up for what is right, publish its opinions in public places, and challenge the threat presented by voter suppression laws. Campbell asks that the committee use existing platform to challenge any further voter suppression laws, and to take steps to ensure that free and fair elections are maintained and expanded in Georgia.
Public speaker #4 (Sheila Davis): Works in the Office of Congressman David Scott in Smyrna. Invites folks to go on David Scott’s website for assistance with utilities, mortgage and to sign up for his newsletter. Offers personal contact information for anyone who might like to reach her.
Public Speaker #5: (Dr. Ben Williams, President of Cobb County Chapter of Southern Conference Leadership Council): Critical of new law, asks the committee to consider negative impact of the plan that is before them for upcoming election cycle. Reminds the committee that they can do more than the law requires, and that its within their authority.
Public Speaker #6 (Kevin Nicholas, 1st Vice Chair for Cobb County Republican Party): Commenting on SB 202, it’s clear and must be followed. Must carry out the letter of the law and ensure that every legal vote counts. Will be asking the Board for support for poll training and poll monitoring.
Public Speaker #7: (Andre Goodman): Commenting on long wait time for presidential election. He and his wife stood in line from 7 am to 12:30 pm to vote and he asks the Board to do whatever they can to prevent this from happening again. This Board should consider “our humanity” as they go about implementing the new law and crafting policies for folks in Cobb County.
End of public commentary.
Board goes on to approve board minutes of their last meeting.
The Board postpones discussion of challenges to voter qualifications of certain voters.
Discussion ensues about relocating 3 polling locations: (1) Bells Ferry, (2) Oregon 02, and (3) Oregon 04. New locations are not far from the original polling places. Committee member Jessica Brooks raises concern about moving polling locations. She asks what is the master plan? Response from Board member: we are looking for locations that can accommodate large numbers of voters with ample parking. Board approves the relocation of these polling places.
Jessica Brooks observes that we need more and better vehicles for communicating with the voters. Polling locations changes will occur on May 1st. Communications will be sent out at old and new election sites. Changes will also be posted on the Cobb County Elections’ website.
Brooks notes that sometimes the website is not updated and remarks that we can still do better to communicate changes to the public.
Janine Eveler (staff): touts the “new” newsletter as an effective communications and educational tool.
Discussion follows about cities that would like Cobb County to conduct their municipal elections. Approved by Board.
Ms. Eveler discusses results of “one-percent survey” of voters who participated in the 2020 election. There were 396,000 voters in Cobb County; surveys were mailed out to 3955 voters. Only 332 voters returned the surveys. Small sample size. Attached to this email are screen shots of the report pages summarizing the survey’s findings.
Following Eveler’s presentation of the survey’s findings, the Committee discusses administrative and procedural issues regarding upcoming special elections and the need to change the date for the next board meeting. Board meeting concludes a little after 5 p.m.
This is a report of my observations of Cobb County’s Elections Board Meeting held virtually on May 10, 2021. I entered the virtual board meeting a little after 4 pm. Comments from the public had already begun. I was unable to hear the names of all persons that commented. Below is the gist of each person’s comments.
Public speaker #1: (name unknown) requesting that Board open early vote sites from 7 am to 7 pm, offer more early voting sites, and make it easier for people to vote absentee and to vote early.
Public speaker #2 (Monica): commenting on family being evicted from home on May 6, and making connection between housing issues and voting.
Public speaker #3 (Lisa Campbell): Notes that Board recently stated that it lacks authority to challenge new voting law. Urges committee to stand up for what is right, publish its opinions in public places, and challenge the threat presented by voter suppression laws. Campbell asks that the committee use existing platform to challenge any further voter suppression laws, and to take steps to ensure that free and fair elections are maintained and expanded in Georgia.
Public speaker #4 (Sheila Davis): Works in the Office of Congressman David Scott in Smyrna. Invites folks to go on David Scott’s website for assistance with utilities, mortgage and to sign up for his newsletter. Offers personal contact information for anyone who might like to reach her.
Public Speaker #5: (Dr. Ben Williams, President of Cobb County Chapter of Southern Conference Leadership Council): Critical of new law, asks the committee to consider negative impact of the plan that is before them for upcoming election cycle. Reminds the committee that they can do more than the law requires, and that its within their authority.
Public Speaker #6 (Kevin Nicholas, 1st Vice Chair for Cobb County Republican Party): Commenting on SB 202, it’s clear and must be followed. Must carry out the letter of the law and ensure that every legal vote counts. Will be asking the Board for support for poll training and poll monitoring.
Public Speaker #7: (Andre Goodman): Commenting on long wait time for presidential election. He and his wife stood in line from 7 am to 12:30 pm to vote and he asks the Board to do whatever they can to prevent this from happening again. This Board should consider “our humanity” as they go about implementing the new law and crafting policies for folks in Cobb County.
End of public commentary.
Board goes on to approve board minutes of their last meeting.
The Board postpones discussion of challenges to voter qualifications of certain voters.
Discussion ensues about relocating 3 polling locations: (1) Bells Ferry, (2) Oregon 02, and (3) Oregon 04. New locations are not far from the original polling places. Committee member Jessica Brooks raises concern about moving polling locations. She asks what is the master plan? Response from Board member: we are looking for locations that can accommodate large numbers of voters with ample parking. Board approves the relocation of these polling places.
Jessica Brooks observes that we need more and better vehicles for communicating with the voters. Polling locations changes will occur on May 1st. Communications will be sent out at old and new election sites. Changes will also be posted on the Cobb County Elections’ website.
Brooks notes that sometimes the website is not updated and remarks that we can still do better to communicate changes to the public.
Janine Eveler (staff): touts the “new” newsletter as an effective communications and educational tool.
Discussion follows about cities that would like Cobb County to conduct their municipal elections. Approved by Board.
Ms. Eveler discusses results of “one-percent survey” of voters who participated in the 2020 election. There were 396,000 voters in Cobb County; surveys were mailed out to 3955 voters. Only 332 voters returned the surveys. Small sample size. Attached to this email are screen shots of the report pages summarizing the survey’s findings.
Following Eveler’s presentation of the survey’s findings, the Committee discusses administrative and procedural issues regarding upcoming special elections and the need to change the date for the next board meeting. Board meeting concludes a little after 5 p.m.
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These meetings are open to the public by Georgia law. Georgia Open Meetings Act.
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