Roswell seeks own polling plan

Officials, residents worry about planning timeframe

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council has unanimously agreed to push forward on plans to have the city conduct its own municipal elections.

At a special called meeting Jan. 30, the council drew from discussions raised at a Jan. 23 work session and Jan. 24 committee meeting to avoid skyrocketing election costs from Fulton County, which has run municipal elections for years. In 2019 and 2021, Fulton County charged cities $2.96 per registered voter to manage their elections. In December 2022, the county proposed a new fee, $11.48 per voter.

The Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections pushed back against the price hike and negotiated the county charge down to $9.38 per registered voter for this fall’s elections.

The number is still too high for Roswell elected officials.

Roswell is one of several North Fulton County cities pushing to split from the county-run arrangement.

Milton set things in motion in December when its City Council voted to

Roswell residents listen as members of the City Council discuss proposals for the city to conduct its own municipal elections during a Jan. 23 work session. See

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Staff presented breakdowns of their department’s mid-year operating requests for the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Based on information presented by Finance Director Tom Harris, legal expenses are expected to rise from current budgeted rates now and in the coming years.

Nearly eight months following the death of longtime City Attorney Sam Thomas in 2021, the city appointed Cumming-based Jarrard & Davis to serve as city attorneys to handle an array of issues, including rightof-way... acquisitions and legal guidance.

Harris said legal services will require an additional $750,000 this year, doubling its original budget for the 2023 fiscal year.

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