Today, Wednesday, January 18, the three-day qualification period will begin for the March 21, 2023 election, forming the newly incorporated City of Mableton’s first governing body.
Each day the hours for qualification will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Cobb County Elections and Registration office, 995 Roswell Street in Marietta.
Since the terms for the six city council seats are staggered, the Mayor and council member in districts 1, 3, and 5 will serve 4-year terms during this first government, and the council members for districts 2, 4 and 6 will serve 2-year terms. In future elections all elected officials will serve 4-year terms, each member coming up for election on a staggered schedule, similar to other municipal governments in Cobb.
The following table gives the salaries and qualifying fees for the positions.
| Office | Initial Term | Salary | Qualifying Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | 4-Years | $30,000 | $900.00 |
| Council, District 1 | 4-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
| Council, District 2 | 2-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
| Council, District 3 | 4-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
| Council, District 4 | 2-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
| Council, District 5 | 4-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
| Council, District 6 | 2-Years | $20,000 | $600.00 |
The following table gives the expiration dates for each term:
| Office | Incumbent | Current Term |
|---|---|---|
| Mayor | None | New Term – 12/31/27 |
| Council, District 1 | None | New Term – 12/31/27 |
| Council, District 2 | None | New Term – 12/31/25 |
| Council, District 3 | None | New Term – 12/31/27 |
| Council, District 4 | None | New Term – 12/31/25 |
| Council, District 5 | None | New Term – 12/31/27 |
| Council, District 6 | None | New Term – 12/31/25 |
Background information
Here is background information excerpted from an earlier article we wrote:
How many residents does the new city have?
First, by Cobb County standards this is a big city, the largest in the county. While the Census-designated Place (CDP) only has around 40,000 people, the boundaries of the new city will be much larger than the CDP, with an estimated 77,000 people.
By comparison, the City of Marietta has an estimated 61,497 citizens, and Smyrna 55, 685 residents.
What governmental structure will the city have?
The city will be governed by a mayor and six council members. Each of those officials will serve four-year terms.
Under the state’s legislation for the new city:
“No person shall be eligible to serve as mayor or councilmember unless that person is at least 21 years of age or older on the date of qualification, and shall have been a resident of the area encompassed by the corporate boundaries of the city for at least 12 months immediately prior to the date of his or her election.
“Additionally, no person shall be eligible to serve as councilmember unless that person shall have been a resident of the district for which he or she seeks election for a period of at least 12 months immediately prior to his or her election.”
Both city council members and the mayor are term-limited to three consecutive terms.
How much do the mayor and city council member make?
The salary for the mayor will be $30,000, and for city council members will be $20,000. But the city council has the power to change that later.
What other city positions will there be?
The legislation provides for the appointment of a city manager to handle day-to-day operations of the city, a municipal court and its judge, a city attorney, and a city clerk.
The city council and mayor will have broad powers to hire other city staff as needed.
When will regular elections be held?
The first election will be held on the third Tuesday in March, 2023, which will be March 21. Regular elections for the Mayor and council districts will be staggered after that, with the first term for the mayor and districts 1, 3, and 5 expiring in 2027, and for districts 2, 4 and 6 in 2025. After that it continues at 4-year intervals on a staggered basis much like other Cobb cities.
When will their terms start?
The elected officials will take office the Monday after their election is certified.
Do political parties play a role in the elections?
No. The races for mayor and city council in the City of Mableton will be nonpartisan.
Will taxes go up?
The legislation under which the city is being formed grants the right of the city council to set a millage rate on property values. Whether they do it or not depends on the council itself.
What are the district boundaries within the city?
Here is a screenshot of the district maps from the Cobb County website (follow this link to see the original):
