By Mark Woolsey
Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid is expressing her displeasure over HB 369, the measure which turns elections for several key offices in Cobb and four other metro Atlanta counties into nonpartisan affairs.
Cupid says that in a statement that while she’s disappointed that Governor Brian Kemp signed the measure into law earlier this week, she wants county voters to remain informed and engaged.
The chairwoman says these kinds of decisions should involve meaningful community input and be applied equally.
The bill strips partisan labels in the election of district attorneys, county commissioners, tax commissioners, superior court clerks and solicitors general in the largest counties with Black leadership. It’s set to take effect in 2028.
Proponents of the bill argued that it would reduce political games by focusing on candidate qualifications instead of party labels. They have said that removing party designations will improve public safety and effective administration.
Opponents of the plan claim the bill targets black officeholders, particularly women, and say that if it’s truly a best practice, it should be applied to all 159 of Georgia’s counties. The district attorneys of all five of the impacted counties, including Cobb, are black women.
Cupid took the same tack, saying that if such changes are meant to improve the state’s election system, they should occur on the statewide level.
At least two of the DAs have threatened legal action over the newly-signed measure.