HD 39 early count lists only Cummings; write-in votes for Yashica Marshall not shown

The early election-night count for Georgia House District 39 has only one name on it: state Rep. Terry Cummings. It shows no line for write-in votes, so it gives no count for her certified write-in opponent, Yashica Marshall.

The Secretary of State's results page for Cobb County is marked "UNOFFICIAL (not certified; counts can still change)." As of 11:03 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, it listed "Terry Cummings (I) (Dem): 19,709 votes (100.0%)" in the District 39 race, and no other candidate. The 100% is a share of the votes on that page only. It is not Cummings' final share, and it does not mean she ran unopposed.

Why the count may be incomplete

The Secretary of State's final list of certified write-in candidates for the Nov. 3 general election was published Sept. 15, 2026. It names Yashica Marshall under "State Representative, District 39." The list states that, "Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 21-2-494, Write-In votes will be counted only for the candidates whose names appear on this list." That means write-in votes for Marshall can be counted. The unofficial summary does not show any.

For past general elections, including 2022 and 2024, the Secretary of State posted certified write-in vote totals as separate reports on its election results page.

What Marshall's total could show

The Mableton Common reported on an Oct. 5 candidate forum for the district, which it says covers most of Mableton. According to its recap, Marshall's main legislative goal was a referendum "that would allow residents to re-vote on whether Mableton should remain an incorporated city." She argued that the 2022 cityhood vote was sold as a "city light" model, with Cobb County continuing to handle police.

The same recap reports that Cummings said she did not personally vote for cityhood in 2022. She said that once the measure passed, she saw her job as representing all constituents. Her priorities include tax relief for seniors and low-income homeowners facing city taxes.

Marshall's total won't be an exact measure of support for a cityhood re-vote, because people may have written her in for other reasons. But it will show how many District 39 voters backed a candidate who ran on one.

What comes next

Counties must certify results by 5 p.m. on the Monday after the election, according to a guide to Georgia certification law from the Brennan Center and partner groups, updated Oct. 13. This year that deadline is Nov. 9. The sources reviewed for this story do not say when write-in totals will be posted.

What we don't know

We don't know how many write-in votes Marshall got, or when the state or Cobb County will publish them. We also can't tell how much of the vote the page reflects. For District 39's 14 precincts, it lists "0 fully reported, 0 partially reported, 0 not reported."

Hello Mableton will update this story once write-in totals are certified.