Georgia’s largest counties face ballot overhaul

Does a "D" or an "R" next to a candidate's name influence your vote, or would you prefer to judge local officials solely on their records? That question is now at the heart of a major legal and political battle in Georgia after Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 369 into law on Tuesday, May 12. The legislation mandates that several key local offices in five of Georgia’s most populous counties—Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton—will become nonpartisan starting in 2028. Governor Brian Kemp has officially signed a record-breaking $36.6 billion state budget for the 2027 fiscal year. While the spending plan represents the largest in Georgia's history, the Governor paired the signature with a stark warning about the nation's financial trajectory. Citing "national economic uncertainty" and the ongoing war in Iran, Kemp emphasized that Georgia must remain "fiscally resilient" even as it invests heavily in its workforce.