Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 369 into law on Tuesday, a controversial new bill that makes some local elections in major counties near the Atlanta metroplex nonpartisan. The law, which goes into effect in 2028, singles out Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton Counties respectively.
Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton are widely considered Democratic strongholds in the state, whereas Gwinnett and Cobb have leaned toward Democratic candidates in recent election cycles. The races immediately affected include those of district attorneys, county commissioners, tax commissioners and other local offices.
Democratic leadership in the state has continuously voiced its displeasure with the bill, citing its limited scope to predominantly Black areas.
“If the intent is truly fairness and election integrity, why are only five counties singled out instead of all 159 in Georgia?” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said in an interview with CBS News.
Supporters of the bill argue that it promotes voting based on a candidate’s performance rather than the political party they are affiliated with. Still, the bill’s critics, including three district attorneys, have questioned its merit, with Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin Gatson calling it “a deliberate act of voter disenfranchisement.”
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston issued a joint statement on Tuesday opposing the bill and threatening legal action along with Gatson to have the bill overturned.
“House Bill 369 is clearly unconstitutional, and we are appalled at Governor Brian Kemp’s decision to sign it into law,” the statement read. “This is a blatant attempt by Republicans to give their candidates an edge in Democratic counties by hiding their party affiliation from voters.”
It continued: “Worse, they make clear their bad faith and unconstitutional motives by applying this legislation to only 5 of the 159 counties in Georgia: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett. Those five counties have elected African American Democratic women to serve as their District Attorney. We are committed to defending the rights of our constituents and upholding the Constitution, so we will be taking legal action to have this illegal bill overturned. Sadly, thanks to the irresponsible actions of the Republican majorities in the legislature and Governor Kemp, taxpayers will be the ones footing the bill to defend it in court.”
