Georgia GOP Pushes to Eliminate Party Labels in Atlanta-Area Elections

Georgia Republicans have passed legislation requiring nonpartisan elections for local offices in metro Atlanta's five largest counties, where Democrats have been winning consistently. The measure targets positions like district attorneys and county commissioners, with critics saying it's designed to help Republicans win by hiding their party affiliation.

ATLANTA (AP) — Following a string of electoral defeats in Atlanta’s core counties, Georgia Republicans are pursuing a different strategy: eliminating party identification for most local races.

The GOP-controlled Georgia House approved legislation Friday mandating nonpartisan contests in metro Atlanta’s five largest counties. The new rules would affect positions including Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who has become a Republican target due to her criminal case against former President Donald Trump related to his attempts to reverse Joe Biden’s 2020 Georgia victory.

Republican State Senator John Albers from Roswell, who championed the legislation, argued the change would enhance public safety, though sheriffs would continue running with party designations when the law takes effect in 2028.

“This is a bill that makes perfect sense,” Albers stated during Thursday’s Senate discussion. “If you’re playing politics, you’ll be against this. If you want to keep Georgians safe, you’ll be for it.”

The legislation mandates nonpartisan races for district attorneys, solicitors general, county commissioners, court clerks and tax commissioners.

The affected areas include Fulton County, home to most of Atlanta, plus Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. While Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton represent Georgia’s strongest Democratic strongholds, Cobb and Gwinnett have shifted from Republican bastions to increasingly Democratic territory since 2016.

Democratic lawmakers condemned the proposal as an attempt to manipulate elections by allowing Republicans to conceal their party ties.

“The reason we’re putting this bill forward is because there’s a certain side that’s losing elections in these counties, so they want to hide behind a nonpartisan badge in order to win them,” stated Democratic Representative Gabriel Sanchez from Smyrna.

Governor Brian Kemp’s office remained silent Friday on whether he would approve the measure, with spokesperson Carter Chapman declining comment.

Though the bill’s main supporters claim it doesn’t specifically target Willis, other Republicans suggested otherwise.

“By passing this legislation, we’re giving voters the opportunity to rid themselves of district attorneys who are more concerned with playing partisan games than prosecuting and delivering justice,” said Representative Trey Kelley, a Republican from Cedartown.

This represents the latest in a series of Republican-backed measures aimed at district attorneys, particularly Willis. The district attorneys’ association contends the law cannot alter their partisan status since they serve as state judicial officers rather than county positions.

The organization maintains that only a constitutional amendment could make such changes. However, Democrats possess sufficient votes to prevent the two-thirds majority required to advance such an amendment to voters.

Two of 99 Republicans opposed the measure, including Jordan Ridley, whose district encompasses part of Cobb County.

“If it’s good policy, then it should be statewide,” Ridley explained to reporters following the vote.