Cobb County election officials to consider polling place, early voting changes ahead of November election

Cobb County election officials are expected to consider several changes Monday that could affect where and how some voters cast their ballots in the November election.

The Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. Monday.

The agenda includes public hearings involving temporary polling locations in the Dobbins and Elizabeth areas. The board is also expected to consider an amended advance in-person voting schedule for the Nov. 3 general election, including updated absentee ballot drop box locations.

Board members are also scheduled to discuss the potential use of a third-party service to mail absentee ballots as an alternative to the U.S. Postal Service.

The meeting comes as election officials prepare for early voting and as Cobb County continues to play a significant role in statewide elections.

Zachary Peskowitz, a political science professor at Emory University who studies U.S. elections, said Cobb is one of Georgia's most populous counties and accounts for a significant number of votes in statewide races.

Peskowitz said Cobb was historically a reliably Republican suburban county but has shifted toward Democrats over the past decade. Cobb backed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and has favored Democratic presidential candidates in subsequent presidential elections.

Peskowitz said the county's growth, highly educated electorate and increasing diversity are among the factors behind that political shift.

"Cobb County is a very important county, one of the most populous counties in the state," Peskowitz said. "And it's a big part of the reason that Georgia has become a much more competitive state where both Democrats and Republicans can win statewide office."

Peskowitz said changes to polling locations or voting procedures close to an election can also create challenges for voters.

"Sometimes they do happen, but they're not that frequent," Peskowitz said. "And so particularly when you have last-minute changes, it can cause some confusion and difficulty for voters."

Georgia's general election is Nov. 3. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5, and early voting begins Oct. 13, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. Two Saturdays of advance voting are required, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24. Counties may also offer Sunday voting.

Cobb County voters can request an absentee ballot through Oct. 23. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters can use Georgia's My Voter Page to check their registration status, find Election Day and advance voting locations and view a sample ballot.