ATLANTA — Brian Kemp has signed a Republican-backed bill making most local elections nonpartisan in five metro Atlanta counties.
The law impacts Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties and will take effect during the 2028 election cycle.
Positions excluded from the change include sheriff and coroner.
Supporters of the measure said it removes politics from local races, but some local leaders and prosecutors are criticizing the law and questioning its legality.
Lisa Cupid said local leaders’ concerns are focused on legal and constitutional issues.
“Our concerns though are not political, they are legal, they are procedural, and they are rooted in our constitution,” Cupid said.
Cupid also questioned why the law only applies to the five metro Atlanta counties.
“Which brings up some questions about whether or not this bill was intended to improve democracy,” Cupid said.
“At its issue, it’s truly about fairness, local control, and protecting the integrity of our constitutional process,” she added.
The district attorneys for Fulton and DeKalb counties said they plan to pursue legal action against the law, calling it unconstitutional.
Before the bill was signed, some Republicans joined Democrats in urging Kemp to veto the measure.
Separately Tuesday, Kemp announced revisions to the state’s $36 billion budget using his line-item veto authority.
Kemp said he removed $300 million in new state spending to address revenue shortfalls connected to the new state income tax cut.
“Let me be clear, we’re talking about new spending. We aren’t making any cuts to or rolling back any parts of current programs,” Kemp said.
Kemp said the revised budget still fully funds education and includes investments in public safety and community health.
“As we know, down turns and tough times will come, reserves can be erased, future budget decisions may even be more painful,” Kemp said.
WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.