Following missteps and investigations, a new chapter begins for Cobb elections with selection of new director

After a tumultuous year marked by election-related mis-steps and challenges that kept Cobb County in the spotlight, the Elections board has made a significant decision by appointing Tate Fall as the new director. Fall currently serves as the deputy director of elections in Arlington County, Virginia. She has previously worked with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an independent agency of the U.S. government whose mission is to help election officials improve the administration of elections and help Americans participate in the voting process. Fall is set to assume her new position in December, taking over from interim director Gerry Miller, who came out of retirement to provide temporary leadership after the retirement of former elections director Janine Eveler in March.

The board’s decision to select Tate Fall was met with unanimous approval, following a national search. Her educational background includes graduating as an alumna of Auburn University, where she earned a master’s degree in public administration, complemented by a graduate certificate in election administration.

Cobb County found itself under intense scrutiny in the wake of a series of election-related issues in 2022. Notably, Cobb Elections faced criticism and legal challenges for various lapses in its election processes. One such incident involved the revelation that 18 absentee ballots went uncounted in the 2022 elections. In this unfortunate incident, five absentee ballots were omitted from the tally for the May 2022 election, while an additional 13 absentee provisional ballots were left unopened during the November 2022 general election.

In addition, Cobb County was embroiled in controversy for failing to send out over 1,000 requested absentee ballots in advance of the November 2022 election. Then-Elections Director Eveler explained that these issues were exacerbated by Georgia’s new election law, SB202, which required voters to request absentee ballots a considerable 78 days before an election. This tight timeframe created significant challenges for election officials. Eveler, who had served Cobb County for 18 years, chose to retire in January 2023. Many in the community say that her departure was influenced by the tumultuous events of the previous year.

In response to the errors and issues arising in 2022, the State Election Board initiated two investigations into Cobb County’s elections operations, further emphasizing the need for improved oversight and procedures to ensure the integrity of the electoral process in Cobb County.