Voting Underway in 5 Cobb Cities

The political season in East Cobb won't heat up again until early 2012. But the polls are open until 7 p.m. today in Smyrna, Acworth, Powder Springs, Austell and Kennesaw.

Citizens are electing city leaders in all five cities, and Smyrna, Acworth and Kennesaw are deciding whether their municipalities will become the first jurisdictions in Cobb to allow Sunday retail alcohol sales.

The most contentious races , where veteran Mayor Max Bacon has two opponents. Four of the seven city council seats also are being contested.

teacher and coach is vying for a Smyrna council seat against incumbent Melleny Pritchett.

The mayor's race has been especially heated. Challengers Alex Backry and Donna Short Woodham of Bacon, who has been mayor since 1985. 

At an Oct. 18 public forum sponsored by the Smyrna Business Association, Bacon showed at the event (along with 14 candidates for city council), but his opponents did not.

Backy explained prior to the meeting that he didn’t think he would get a “fair shake’’ at the forum. “That’s the downtown business group running that and it will be very slanted,’’ Backry said. “I don’t feel comfortable going up against (Bacon’s) group.’’

Bacon did not appear at an Oct. televised debate organized by League of Women Voters Marietta-Cobb because of a family conflict. An attempt to schedule a final debate last week fell through. 

In the Ward 7 council race, candidate Vic Yankouski complained that some of his campaign signs . Later, he claimed that a man assaulted his wife after she spotted him .

If the Sunday alcohol sales measure passes, it will go into effect on Jan. 1. Sales would be permitted between 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m on Sundays. 

In Acworth, incumbent Post 3 alderman Bob Weatherford by Brett North. 

will decide on a mayor and two City Council members. Mayor Mark Mathews is being opposed by Leonard Church. Post 1 council member Cris-Eaton Welsh faces Kim Gollahan, and Post 3 council member Tim Killingsworth faces Jimmy Dickens.

for mayor and two council members as well. Former Police Chief L. Rick Richardson and Paul Moore are challenging Mayor Pat Vaughn. At-large council members Rosalyn Neal and Tom Bevirt face challengers Rick Perry and Chris Wizner, respectively.

Three City Council members and the mayor , although only two races are contested: incumbent Randy Green vs. Suzanne Thomason for an at-large seat and incumbent Virginia Reagan vs. Lance Lamberton for the Ward 4 seat.

Smyrna-Vinings Patch Editor Hunt Archbold contributed to this report.