Republican control of the Cobb County Board of Education is on the line Tuesday when voters in Post 4 choose between incumbent David Chastain and Democratic challenger Micheal Garza.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to Cobb County Elections. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.

Post 4 is the only contested school board seat this cycle. Incumbent Democrats Becky Sayler in Post 2 and Nichelle Davis in Post 6 are running unopposed, according to Ballotpedia. That makes Post 4 the single race that determines whether Republicans hold their 4-3 majority.

Post 4 covers most of the Sprayberry, Kell and Lassiter high school attendance zones in Northeast Cobb, as East Cobb News reported in an October candidate profile.

The candidates

Chastain, the board’s vice chairman, has served since 2015 and is seeking a fourth term. A retired Lockheed Martin field sales support systems engineer, he comes from a family of educators and has campaigned on stability. In an interview with East Cobb News, Chastain said he decided to run again because “I want to make sure that we keep this stable.”

Garza, a web development business owner and Northeast Cobb resident, has been active in PTA work at Keheley Elementary School and with the East Cobb County Council of PTAs, according to an East Cobb News profile published in April. He ran twice for the Georgia House against Republican state Rep. John Carson, losing in 2022 and 2024.

The Marietta Daily Journal reported in late October that Garza continued to outraise Chastain in the race.

What’s at stake

Book removal policies have been a flashpoint. The district announced in September that it had removed Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye from school libraries, according to Ballotpedia’s coverage. Chastain defended the decision. Garza argued the removals create a chilling effect on teachers.

East Cobb News reported that Cobb school board races would become nonpartisan starting in 2028.

How to follow results

Unofficial election results will be available after polls close on Nov. 3, according to Cobb County Elections. The Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration is scheduled to certify results at its Monday, Nov. 9, meeting at 3 p.m. That meeting will be streamed on the CobbTV YouTube channel.

Voters casting a ballot in person on Nov. 3 must visit their assigned Election Day polling location. Advance voting ended Oct. 30.