Former State Representative Erick Allen has secured the Democratic nomination for the District 2 seat on the Cobb County Board of Commissioners after winning a runoff election on Tuesday. Allen representative defeated Jaha V. Howard with approximately 56.7% of the vote, according to preliminary results.
With the runoff now decided, Allen will compete against Republican Alicia Adams in a special election scheduled for April 29th. That election will also determine the outcome of the District 4 seat.
The need for a special election arose from a legal battle over commission district boundaries. The dispute began when Georgia legislators approved a redistricting plan in 2022 that shifted incumbent Jerica Richardson’s residence outside of District 2. In response, county officials attempted to use a different electoral map, arguing that home rule provisions in the state constitution gave them that authority. However, a Cobb County judge later ruled that the county-drawn map was unconstitutional, requiring a redo of last year’s election under the state-approved district lines.
The total cost of the special election cycle is projected to exceed $1.5 million, according to Cobb Elections Director Tate Fall.
Meanwhile, in District 4, Commissioner Monique Sheffield won last month’s Democratic primary and will compete against Republican nominee Matthew Hardwick, the winner of the Republican Primary.
Both commission races will be decided when voters head to the polls on April 29th.
