[This opinion article was submitted by JP Popham, 1st Vice Chair, Cobb County Democratic Committee]

Drivers headed towards downtown Smyrna on Wednesday likely saw a group of locals waving signs at the edge of Taylor-Brawner Park around noon. 

With the Special Primary Election for Cobb County Commission Districts 2 and 4 next Tuesday, local democrats are on a mission to raise awareness. The group talked with people taking advantage of the mild weather and let them know they could vote early at the Smyrna Community Center up the road. 

“We have a lot of cars coming through here too at this time of day which is another reason we picked this spot,” said organizer Janet Rau. 

Smyrna lies among the boundaries of both districts up for grabs this spring, with the majority of the city now in District 2. The change is due to the republican controlled state legislature who voted to approve a map drawn by two GOP senators and ignoring the map proposed by the Cobb County Legislative Delegation. 

The action drew former District 2 Commissioner Jerica Richardson out of her seat completely and set off a legal battle that was settled by Cobb Superior Court Judge Ann Harris last year.

However, aside from completely drawing a duly elected official out of office shortly after she is sworn in, the new map remade District 2 remarkably. For example, the areas around Johnson Ferry Road, Lower Roswell Road, and most of Canton Road are now a part of District 3. 

Meanwhile, the new District 2 stretches through the middle of the county to include parts of Smyrna, East Marietta, and as far north as the apartment complexes near Kennesaw State University. 

Needless to say, this dramatic change has led local democrats to vigorously engage voters to not only make them aware of the special election this year, but to educate them on their new district. 

“People need to get out and get involved,” said volunteer Patty Farthing. “There’s actions that everyone can do. Get involved, join organizations, visit your senators,”

Another component of Wednesday’s event was to protest the treatment of immigrants- both documented and undocumented- by the Trump administration. The Cobb Democrats asked those passing by to go beyond the ballot box and hold elected officials accountable for their actions. 

“Your representatives are not celebrities,” said Page Rast, another volunteer who showed up to the park on Wednesday. “They work for you. Call them, email them, message them on social media, visit their offices, and do not let up.”

Dr. Parin Chheda, a Marietta palliative care physician, carried a sign made by his wife in 2020 when protesting the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. 

Chheda said he was on the corner of the park this week to protest the rampant abuse of power in Washington D.C. and the country’s shift towards authoritarianism. 

“These are hard truths that everyone needs to realize, and it’s not going to be comfortable to sit with,” he said. “Donald Trump tried to blatantly tear up the Constitution by ending birthright citizenship. Elon Musk, under the direction of the President, has gained access to the Department of Treasury systems with reports that they have embedded AI software into the system.”

The Marietta doctor has been encouraging people to become involved with the Cobb County Democrats, whose grassroots initiatives include educating voters local issues, supporting the work of community leaders, and encouraging a new generation of elected representatives. 

To learn more about the Cobb County Democrats and their candidates in the upcoming primary, visit cobbdemocrats.org. To find out if you have been affected by the recent commission map change, please use the Georgia Secretary of State’s website: mvp.sos.ga.gov

The special primary election for Districts 2 and 4 are next Tuesday, Feb. 11 and the last day of early voting is Friday Feb. 7. If any runoffs are needed after the primary election they will be held on March 11. The general election will be held on April 29.