Two Years of Turmoil ends as Cupid finally accepts that her Home Rule Map was illegal and costly to Cobb Citizens

During Tuesday night’s meeting, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners officially abandoned its “home rule” map but voted against vacating Commissioner Jerica Richardson’s seat. In a 3-2 vote, with Democratic Commissioners Richardson and Monique Sheffield opposed, the commission accepted Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill’s recent ruling, which struck down the home rule map as unconstitutional. Hill’s ruling also ordered new special primary and general elections for Districts 2 and 4, which will not be held until next year. With this vote, the county officially reverted to the map passed by the Georgia General Assembly and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022 for conducting all county business. By Wednesday, the county had removed all images of the home rule map from its website and replaced them with the map Kemp signed into law.

While some applaud the quick removal of all vestiges of the illegal map, others argue that Chair Lisa Cupid, her attorney, and her communications director cannot erase the memory of what many view as a reckless and costly endeavor. Critics claim that this pursuit wasted millions of taxpayer dollars that could have been better utilized for the benefit of Cobb citizens. Instead, they assert, those funds were spent to further the interests of one person—Chair Lisa Cupid—who they accuse of being power-hungry and fiscally irresponsible.

During the meeting, Cupid remarked, “This happened to us. This happened to Cobb County. And somehow what happened to us is now turning us against us. And that is the great misfortune of it all.” Commissioner Gambrill, however, rejected Cupid’s attempt to distance herself from the controversy, stating, “We need to stop pointing fingers and placing blame on actions taken almost two years ago. This board had options; it chose the path we are on, and it’s time to accept the consequences of the actions the majority agreed to pursue.” Commissioner Burrell echoed this sentiment, describing the past two years as “hell” and demanding assurance that the county would not appeal Hill’s ruling, calling for an end to the home rule controversy once and for all.

The debate over Richardson’s seat continues, with some arguing that she should vacate it immediately, while others believe she can serve until a successor is elected, even though she no longer resides in District 2. There are growing calls for the resignation of Cupid, her county attorney, and her communications director, as they are seen as responsible for steering the county on what many view as a “rudderless boat ride to nowhere.” Critics argue that Cupid’s leadership over the past two years has been marked by fiscal irresponsibility and a lack of control.

Cobb County citizens will have the opportunity to decide Cupid’s fate in November, unless Attorney General Chris Carr intervenes beforehand.