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

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 certain local races; opponents contend that restricting the change to five counties is selective, undermines local control and could invite legal challenges. The chairwoman and others said the late-stage changes and lack of public hearings reflect poor process, not sound policy.

Eric Allen, vice chair of the Cobb Board of Commissioners and commissioner for District 2, echoed those objections, saying the measure creates “two sets of rules” for Georgia and likening the approach to earlier systems that diluted the power of populous, diverse counties. “If nonpartisan races are right for 5 counties, why aren't they right for all 159?” Allen asked.

Cobb County Solicitor General Mackie Metzger, who identified herself as the county’s solicitor, called HB 369 unconstitutional and said the bill amounted to “political redlining.” “It is insulting. It is rude, and it is racist,” Metzger said, urging the governor to “act with integrity to protect the voters and the voters' decisions.”

Civil-rights and equity groups also pressed for a veto. John Moy, senior director for policy at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta, said HB 369 “obscures information from voters, weakens local control, and invites unnecessary litigation,” and asked the governor to reject the bill on principle. Joel Alvarado, vice president for strategy and engagement with Partnership with Southern Equity, urged the governor to veto the measure and said his organization would continue to fight what it described as a national trend eroding voting rights.

Speakers repeatedly noted the measure’s origination: several said the bill began as food-truck legislation and was amended late in the session to adopt the nonpartisan language that now targets five counties. They also highlighted the numerical scope cited in the meeting — five counties affected versus the state’s 159 total counties — and argued that such a selective change raises fairness and constitutional questions.

There were no formal votes recorded during the remarks; speakers framed their comments as appeals to the governor. Several speakers stressed that if Gov. Kemp does not veto HB 369, it would become law automatically. The county officials and advocacy leaders said they are watching the governor’s decision and pledged continued advocacy if the bill becomes law.