Cobb County voters face three state constitutional questions

Cobb County residents will vote on three state constitutional amendments on Nov. 3. The questions address agricultural tax incentives, the selection of probate court judges, and funding for modern emergency communications systems.

The first item on the ballot concerns the Conservation Use Valuation Act, or CUVA. This program offers landowners a 10-year property tax reduction to protect farmland, timber, and green spaces from development. The amendment would raise the maximum qualifying acreage for the tax break from 2,000 to 4,000 acres. A vote in favor doubles the limit, while a vote against maintains the current threshold.

The second measure changes how probate court judges are elected. These judges handle cases involving wills, marriage licenses, and gun permits. If approved, party labels would be removed from ballots for these races. A yes vote makes the elections nonpartisan, while a no vote keeps the current system where candidates are listed with their party affiliation.

The third question involves the creation of a protected Georgia Next Generation 911 Fund. The fund would dedicate existing fees to upgrade the state's emergency communications infrastructure. The goal is to replace the landline-era system with technology that supports cellphone location tracking, text messages, and video calls. Lawmakers approved the overhaul in the last legislative session. Voting yes creates the fund, while voting no leaves the current funding structure unchanged.

Georgia Farm Bureau data indicates the CUVA program helps landowners resist development pressure. The proposed change specifically targets larger holdings that currently exceed the 2,000-acre cap. Probate courts operate in every county, including Cobb, handling routine civil matters. The 911 upgrade aims to provide faster response times for mobile callers across the state.

Voters in Cobb County will mark their ballots for these three measures alongside other state and local races. The results will determine whether the state adopts the higher farm tax break cap, removes party labels from judge elections, or establishes a dedicated fund for 911 modernization. The amendments take effect if a majority of Georgia voters approve them.