Community Corner

West Cobb Election Guide

The candidates, incumbents and issues that will be affecting Powder Springs and the rest of West Cobb in this year's elections.

As we look ahead to November’s elections, West Cobb Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about races around town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near.

President Barack Obama: When the president was campaigning for a first term, , where he discussed Americans losing jobs while the prices of products, tuition and health care were rising. Do you think he'll make a surprise visit to Powder Springs in this race?

Perhaps the only thing Obama has on his side from all parties is . Outside of that, though, there's a lot of contention as it pertains to gay marriage, the Middle East, bailouts and health care.

When the GOP field was still at four, Obama from Powder Springs residents then all of Republicans combined. But is that support replicative of what we'll see nationwide at the polls on Nov. 6?

GOP Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney: The former Massachusetts governor, who survived a lengthy Republican primary race to emerge as the party's presidential hopeful, appears to have a good chance at pulling off the victory—at least that's what it seems like living in the heavy red state of Georgia.

Find out what's happening in West Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Adding to his favor are those discontented by Obama's record for one reason or another. Rasmussen polls had Obama typically taking the lead through March, but since then, Romney's red line has frequently been towering over his opponent's.

Cobb School Board Member Alison Barlett: The Democrat is over Post 7, which now includes Osborne High but will transition to McEachern, and high schools under . She won't know who she'll face in the general election until after the July 31 primaries, which will feature three Republican options for Post 7.

Find out what's happening in West Cobbwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

They are Heather Ryan of Acworth, Larry Darnwell of Powder Springs, and Brad Wheeler, also of Powder Springs.

What's working for Barlett is perhaps the very thing that could go against her: . Two issues under that umbrella that immediately come to mind are , and of the West Cobb Ninth Grade Center at Harrison High.

Public Service Commission Candidate David Staples: Not many Georgians may know what the Public Service Commission does—let alone have even heard of it. But such elections are nonetheless beneficial to citizens because they attract light to positions that aren't that well known but are still paid with taxpayer dollars.

The commission oversees pricing for public utilities like electricity and natural gas.

David Staples, a 31-year-old Powder Springs man, . He's doing so as an independent against two Republicans: incumbent Stan Wise, a former Cobb County commissioner who has been on the Public Service Commission since 1995, and challenger Pam Davidson, an energy consultant from Douglasville.

Being an independent candidate, Staples is a great example that, in our typically two-party elections, some will still step up to the plate and consider themselves as serious candidates without blue or red backing.

TSPLOST: What would a Georgia election round-up be without this hotly contested issue. Members of the opposition have been the ones utilizing West Cobb Patch to get their message out, with two Powder Springs residents— and —courting "no" votes.

The 1 percent sales tax, to be collected from 10 metro Atlanta counties over 10 years, will fund a proposed $8.5 billion in transportation projects. Whether it will pass is arguably the biggest mystery out of all the elections.

What is the most important race/issue to you in this year's elections? Tell us in the comments.


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