Brian Kemp has signed controversial legislation that will make several local elections in five major metro Atlanta counties nonpartisan beginning in 2028.
The new law affects races in:
• Fulton County
• DeKalb County
• Gwinnett County
• Cobb County
• Clayton County
What the Law Changes
House Bill 369 removes party labels from ballots for several local offices, including:
• District attorneys
• County commissioners
• Tax commissioners
• Court clerks
Sheriff and coroner races are reportedly excluded from the law.
Under the new system, candidates would appear on ballots without “Democrat” or “Republican” labels attached to their names.
Major Political Backlash
The bill has sparked intense criticism from Democratic leaders and voting rights advocates, who argue the legislation unfairly targets heavily Democratic metro Atlanta counties.
Opponents say:
• The law creates a two-tier election system
• It could confuse voters by removing party identification
• The measure selectively targets counties where Republicans have recently struggled electorally
In a joint statement, Fani Willis and Sherry Boston reportedly called the law “clearly unconstitutional” and signaled plans for legal challenges.
Bottom Line
By signing House Bill 369 into law, Brian Kemp has reshaped how several key local elections will be conducted across metro Atlanta — a move supporters call a push for nonpartisan governance and critics call a politically targeted power shift.
