By Mark Woolsey

A runoff appears in the cards in one of several races in the special primary election for Cobb County Commission Districts 2 and 4 held on Tuesday.

As of the count at 3 a.m., in the race for the Democratic nomination in District 2, former state representative  Erick Allen captured 1,669 votes, or 45.49 percent of the vote and former school board member Jaha Howard finished with 1,568 votes or 42.74 percent. Third-place finisher Tracy Stevenson snared 432 votes, for 11.7 percent of the turnout.

Since no candidate has finished more than 50% of the total, Allen and Howard will square off in a March runoff.

On social media, Allen thanked voters who turned out for him and looked ahead to next month, saying he and his team will work hard to not only bring supporters back to the polls but also to capture new ground, including among those who didn’t cast ballots on Tuesday.

“Everyone wins when we have strong turnout in our elections, and few elections are as crucial as ours; District 2’s next commissioner will represent nearly 200,000 Cobb residents, “ he said.

Allen has emphasized balancing growth with intentional planning, investing in people, technology and infrastructure to boost  public safety, affordable housing, and environmental safety.

Howard’s website places weight on helping business owners and residents navigate challenges in county government, strong economic development and helping first responders by providing additional resources.

On the Republican side, Alicia Adams ran unopposed, receiving 484 votes. She now moves ahead to the late April general primary election.

In the race for the Republican nomination for District 4 Commissioner, Matthew Hardwick received 463  votes, or 70.69 percent of the total, easily beating Julien Grhas, who lagged far behind with 29.31 percent of the total, translating to 192 votes.

In the lopsided Democratic District 4 Commission race, incumbent Monique Sheffield rolled up a 2,927 vote total, scoring 72.11 percent with Yashica Marshall trailing with 1,132 votes, stacking up with 27.89 percent of the total.

In a Courier survey, Hardwick wrote that his two priorities were to break what he called the stranglehold that the 3-2 Democratic majority had on the Board of Commissioners and to reduce the tax burden on Cobb citizens. He wrote, “For the past 4 years, our current chair has enjoyed virtually unbridled control over the quality of life of all of us in the county.  The chair has accomplished this by having two of the district chairs, serve at the chair’s pleasure, rather than serving the will of their constituents.”

In that survey, Sheffield wrote that she would focus her next term on health, sustainability and well-being. She wrote that, “My goal is to build a future where every resident has access to green spaces, job opportunities, and quality healthcare, ensuring stronger, healthier and more vibrant communities.”

Sheffield and Hardwick will square off in April.

The District 2 race drew considerable attention after former commissioner Jerica Richardson was drawn out of her district by state lawmakers. Commissioners responded with a “home rule” map in an attempt to preserve her seat. Richardson was removed recently following a protracted court battle. A judge had ordered the special election because district boundaries had changed.

The vote totals recorded Tuesday are unofficial. The Board of Elections and Registration is scheduled to certify the election in a Feb. 17 meeting.

The primary runoff pitting Allen against Howard is scheduled for March 11. The general special election is set for April 29.