House Bill 369 is a measure that recently passed the Georgia House along party lines, clearing a key hurdle. The bill would make several county‑level elections in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton counties nonpartisan beginning in 2028. If enacted, the legislation would shift races for district attorneys, county commissioners, tax commissioners, and other local offices to nonpartisan contests.
Critics argue the bill is politically motivated and note that it targets five counties where the district attorneys are all Democratic African American women. They contend the measure is rooted in both race and sexism.
Republican House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration defended the bill, describing the affected jurisdictions as “consolidated law enforcement counties.” He said legislative counsel advised him that the measure is constitutional and simply classifies certain local offices as nonpartisan — similar to how local judgeships are structured — to minimize partisan influence over basic government services.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston strongly disagrees. She told “Closer Look” host Rose Scott she disagrees with Efstration and that the legislation is problematic on many levels.
Boston emphasized that while lawmakers can debate such a significant change, there is a required process. Amendments to the Georgia Constitution must pass both chambers of the legislature with a two‑thirds vote before being placed on the ballot. Voters must then approve the amendment by a simple majority plus one. In this process, the governor’s signature is not required to send a constitutional amendment to voters.
