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Cobb officials and advocacy groups urge Gov. Kemp to veto HB 369 targeting five counties

Cobb Board of Commissioners · May 12, 2026
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Summary

Cobb County leaders, the county solicitor and local civil-rights groups told the Cobb Board of Commissioners they oppose House Bill 369 — which would force nonpartisan local elections only in five counties — calling it unfair, opaque and possibly unconstitutional and urging Gov. Brian Kemp to veto it.

The chairwoman of the meeting on Thursday urged Gov. Brian Kemp to veto House Bill 369, saying the measure “was not a product of careful deliberation or community input” and that applying nonpartisan rules to only five counties — Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton and Cobb County — treats those voters differently from the rest of the state.

“The bill was gutted and replaced with entirely new language in the final days of the legislative session,” the chairwoman said, adding that it passed “without a single public hearing on its actual provisions.” She argued the state constitution provides a pathway for such electoral changes and that lawmakers should not bypass voters or local leaders.

Why it matters: Supporters of the bill say it removes party labels from…

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