Politics & Government

Few Contested Races in Cobb County

One contested race is for sheriff, but most predictors don't expect much of a contest.

Few of Cobb County’s elected officials up for election this year have challengers in today’s election. Some had to only win the primary in July to win. In other cases, there never was an opponent.

One contested race is for sheriff, but most predictors don’t expect much of a contest. Cobb County’s Sheriff Neil Warren is facing off today against Democratic challenger Gregory Gilstrap, whom he soundly defeated in 2008.

Warren was sworn-in as interim sheriff in December 2003, following the previous sheriff’s resignation. He was first elected as the county’s 42nd sheriff in November 2004.

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Unchallenged in the recent Republican primary, Warren oversees a department where duties include courthouse security, county jail operations and executing criminal warrants. In 2011, Warren said deputies served more than 24,000 criminal warrants, over 45,000 civil processes including court orders, and transported more than 200 inmates to court daily.

There is also a contested school board race between Democratic incumbent Alison Bartlett and Republican Brad Wheeler for the West Cobb member on the board.

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Bartlett is finishing up her first four-year term. Challenger Wheeler, a former teacher/coach, is vying for the post that now includes Harrison, Hillgrove and McEachern high schools.

County offices up for election with only one candidate include:

  • Tax Commissioner: Gail Downing, Republican incumbent
  • Surveyor: Donald Perryman, Republican incumbent
  • Chief Magistrate: Frank Cox, Republican incumbent
  • Clerk of State Court of Cobb County: Diane B. Webb, Republican incumbent; Angie Davis, chief deputy
  • Chairman Board of Commissioner: Tim Lee, Republican incumbent
  • Cobb County Commissioner Dist. 2: Bob Ott, Republican incumbent
  • Cobb County Commissioner Dist. 4: Lisa Cupid, Democrat
  • Cobb County School Board Dist. 1: Randy Scamihorn, Republican
  • Cobb County School Board Dist. 3: David Morgan, Democrat incumbent
  • Cobb County School Board Dist. 5: David Banks, Republican incumbent
  • District Attorney for the Cobb County Judicial Circuit: Vic Reynolds, Republican
  • Judge of the Probate Court: Kelli Wolk, Republican incumbent
  • Clerk of Superior Court: Rebecca Keaton, Republican
  • Cobb County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor: Donald Ayres, incumbent and Alice Champagne, incumbent.


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