Welcome

There are eleven days until Election Day in Georgia, and the early voting lines are already moving. Whether you have voted before or are voting for the first time, this primary will shape who represents Cobb in key local and state offices well into the future.

In this issue, you will find a three-day Cobb tradition celebrating its 36th year, a spotlight on a Cobb organization giving a voice to children in foster care, a deep look at what every Cobb voter needs to know about the May 19 primary, including the polling place changes that affect several District 3 precincts, and a recap of the most recent Board of Commissioners meeting.

Thank you for reading and for showing up for Cobb!

What’s Happening in the District 

Marietta Greek Festival!

If you have not been before, the Marietta Greek Festival is one of those Cobb events you put on the calendar every year. The 36th annual festival takes place at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church (3431 Trickum Road, Marietta) the weekend after Mother's Day. Hours are Friday, May 15, from 4:00 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, May 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, and children under 12 are free.

The food alone is worth the trip. The menu includes chicken oreganato, souvlaki, keftedes, dolmades, spanakopita, gyro wraps, smoked lamb sandwiches, and combo platters for those who want to try a little of everything. Niko's Pub serves Greek wine, beer, ouzo, and metaxa for the adults, and the bakery has the kind of baklava and loukoumades that are reason enough to show up. Live music and traditional Greek dancing run all weekend, with kids' activities, face painting, a playground, and the Agora Marketplace for imported jewelry, linens, cookbooks, and handcrafted goods.

A few things worth knowing before you go. The festival is cashless this year, so bring a card or digital wallet. There is no parking at the church itself, but free shuttle service runs from Simpson Middle School (3340 Trickum Road) and Mountain View Elementary School (3151 Sandy Plains Road), starting Friday at 5:00 p.m. The festival runs rain or shine, and a portion of the proceeds benefits local charities. For tickets, the full menu, and shuttle details, visit MariettaGreekFestival.com.

Community Spotlight 

Cobb County CASA

Cobb County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is one of the most quietly powerful programs in our community. Trained and supervised volunteers are appointed by Cobb's juvenile court to speak up for children involved in dependency cases, the kind of cases that follow allegations of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers see the child every month, gather the facts, write reports for the judge, and stay with that child until they reach a safe, permanent home. For many of these kids, the CASA is the one consistent adult in a system full of changing caseworkers and placements.

Right now in Cobb, dozens of children are waiting to be matched with a CASA volunteer. Federal law requires that an advocate be appointed in every case of abuse and neglect, but overburdened child welfare staff cannot give every child the time their situation demands. Research consistently shows that early intervention by a CASA reduces the likelihood that a child later returns to court on delinquency or criminal matters. The CASA's only job is the child.

The volunteer commitment is significant but accessible. Each CASA volunteer averages about fifteen hours per month and stays with a case for at least eighteen months. Caseloads are kept small, typically two cases at a time, so volunteers can give each child real attention. CASA staff provide thorough training, supervision, and support throughout. You do not need a legal background.

If volunteering directly is not the right fit for you, Ambassadors of Cobb CASA is the affiliated 501(c)(3) that supports the program through fundraising, community outreach, and recruitment. They welcome donations, event sponsorships, and board service from people who want to back the work without taking on a case themselves.

To learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer or supporting the program, visit Cobb County's CASA Volunteer page or call the CASA Program Coordinator at 770-528-2285. You can also reach out through the Ambassadors of Cobb CASA for ways to support the mission.

The Big Story 

Cobb's May 19 Primary: What Every Voter Needs to Know

Election Day is Tuesday, May 19, 2026, with polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is the General Primary and Nonpartisan Election, and the ballot is long. Cobb voters will weigh in on contested primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, the Public Service Commission, and every seat in the Georgia legislature. Locally, Districts 1 and 3 on the Cobb Board of Commissioners are on the ballot, along with three school board seats, county solicitor general, and several judicial races on the nonpartisan ballot.

Advance voting is already underway and runs through Friday, May 15. Cobb Elections has thirteen early voting locations open across the county, and during early voting, you can vote at any of them regardless of where you live. Weekday hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday voting is noon to 5:00 p.m. at five select locations: the Cobb Elections Main Office (995 Roswell Street NE, Marietta), North Cobb Senior Center (3900 South Main Street, Acworth), East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta), South Cobb Community Center (620 Lions Club Drive, Mableton), and Boots Ward Recreation Center (4845 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs).

The full list of early voting sites, plus current wait times, is available at CobbCounty.gov/elections/voting/advance-voting.

A few weeks ago in this newsletter, we covered Cobb's effort to identify new polling places after several long-time host facilities became unavailable. That effort has now produced confirmed changes for the May 19 election. On April 28, the Cobb County Elections & Registration Office announced polling location updates for 14 precincts, several of which sit in or near District 3.

• Voters in BELLS FERRY 02 will now report to the Kulture Event Center at 2932 Canton Road, Suite 290, Marietta.

• EASTSIDE 02 voters will go to Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center at 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta.

• ELIZABETH 02 voters will go to Crossview Baptist Church at 1100 Piedmont Road NE, Marietta.

• PALMER 01 voters will report to Shiloh Hills Baptist Church at 75 Hawkins Store Road NW, Kennesaw.

• ROSWELL 01 voters will go to the Catholic Church of St. Ann at 4905 Roswell Road NE, Marietta.

• MARS HILL 01 voters will report to Durham Middle School at 2891 Mars Hill Road, Acworth. 

• Other precincts with changes include CLARKDALE 02, FAIR OAKS 04, KEMP 02, MARIETTA 4B, NORTH COBB 01, OAKDALE 01, and SMYRNA 7A.

• Remember, on Election Day itself, you must vote at your assigned precinct, not just any open location.

The single most important thing to do before May 19 is to confirm where you vote. Visit the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page to check your registration status, see your customized sample ballot, and confirm your assigned Election Day polling place. Even if you have voted at the same location for years, do not assume that nothing has changed. Take thirty seconds and look it up. If you are voting absentee, the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot was May 8, and completed ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

For additional information, including sample ballots and the full list of polling place changes, visit the Cobb County Elections page or call Cobb Elections & Registration at 770-528-2581. If you have already voted, thank you. If you have not, make a plan now.

BOC Meeting Recap 

At the April 28th evening meeting of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, the centerpiece of the agenda was the final approval of the 2028 SPLOST project list. After months of community input sessions and revisions, the Board voted four to one to send a $794.5 million project package to the November ballot, with Commissioner Keli Gambrill in opposition. The list includes a new $174 million state court building, an $18.5 million recreation center in District 4, two new fire stations at $15.4 million each, a new $60 million infirmary at the county jail, and the long-discussed $8.2 million expansion of the Tim Lee Senior Center. Pedestrian improvements countywide were funded at $18 million, with another $500,000 for pedestrian crossing upgrades.

The discussion was not without friction. Chairwoman Lisa Cupid moved $5 million from countywide roadway resurfacing to help fund construction of an indoor competitive track facility in District 4, a project she has long supported. Gambrill objected to both the timing of the change and the level of funding, arguing that the project was significantly underfunded relative to its projected total cost and that diverting funds from resurfacing weakened a critical infrastructure line. Commissioner JoAnn Birrell raised similar concerns about the resurfacing shift but voted to advance the package to voters. Birrell also secured a separate revision that redirected $5 million from the planned $25 million East Cobb library replacement, sending $3 million to drainage improvements along Columns Drive and the Sope Creek watershed and $2 million to upgrades at existing District 3 parks and recreation facilities.

The meeting also drew sustained public comment on pedestrian and bicyclist safety, much of it tied to A Better Cobb and other community advocates who urged commissioners to fund safer streets at a level that matches the public demand reflected in the SPLOST survey. Chairowoman Cupid acknowledged the gap and called for a careful review of every SPLOST-funded road project to ensure sidewalks and pedestrian safety measures are included where appropriate. The same residents continued their comments during a separate public hearing on the county's 2050 Comprehensive Plan, which is scheduled for adoption in summer 2027. Intergovernmental agreements tied to the SPLOST renewal are expected at the May 12 meeting, with a final resolution to place the package on the November ballot scheduled for June.