A bill moving through the Georgia Senate would strip party labels from certain county elections, but only in counties that appoint a medical examiner instead of electing a coroner.
What’s Happening: Senate Bill 573 would require candidates for most elected county offices, and some district attorney races, to run without a party label in those counties.
What’s Important: In a partisan election, candidates run under a party label, such as Republican or Democrat, and voters choose between party nominees. In a nonpartisan election, no party label appears on the ballot. Candidates run as individuals, and all voters can participate regardless of their party.
Most local offices across the United States, including city councils, school boards, and judgeships, are nonpartisan. The reasoning is that local government work, such as fixing roads, managing budgets, and enforcing local laws, does not require party loyalty to perform. Georgia already uses nonpartisan elections for judges and many local school board members.
The Counties: Five Georgia counties appoint medical examiners instead of electing coroners. They are Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Clayton Counties.
What’s Excluded: Three offices would remain partisan even in qualifying counties: the county sheriff, local school board offices, and county governing authorities established under a local constitutional amendment.
The Path Forward: If passed, the bill takes effect January 1, 2027. Any existing local laws that currently require partisan elections for county offices in qualifying counties would be repealed.
