Georgia HB 369 will make certain local elections nonpartisan in five metro Atlanta counties beginning in 2028. As lawsuits challenge the law, Christians can consider what Scripture teaches about justice, truth and public leadership.
Georgia HB 369 will make certain local elections nonpartisan in five metro Atlanta counties beginning in 2028. As lawsuits challenge the law, Christians can consider what Scripture teaches about justice, truth and public leadership.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson has filed a lawsuit challenging a new Georgia law that will remove political party labels from ballots for district attorney and certain other county offices in five metro Atlanta counties beginning in 2028.
House Bill 369, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp in May 2026, changes certain local elections in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties from partisan to nonpartisan contests. The law covers district attorneys and several other county offices.
Austin-Gatson filed her lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court on August 21, making her the second affected metro Atlanta district attorney to challenge the legislation. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston filed a separate lawsuit against HB 369 in June.
Austin-Gatson argues that the legislation unfairly targets the five metro Atlanta counties and reduces information available to voters by removing party affiliations from the ballot. She has also described the legislation as unjust and racially discriminatory. Those are allegations made in the legal challenge and have not been established by a court.
Supporters of HB 369 argue that certain local government offices should operate independently of political parties. The law remains in effect unless it is blocked or overturned through the legal process.
For Christians, the dispute offers an opportunity to consider what Scripture says about justice, truth, humility and public responsibility.
Isaiah 1:17 instructs God’s people to “learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
The biblical call to justice does not depend on which political side is making an argument.
It requires believers to pursue what is right while carefully examining the facts.
HB 369 changes the way certain local offices will appear on ballots in five metro Atlanta counties.
The affected counties are Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett. The law provides for nonpartisan elections for district attorneys and other specified county offices beginning in 2028.
Under a nonpartisan election system, candidates’ political party affiliations are not displayed next to their names on the ballot.
That distinction matters because voters often use party affiliation as one piece of information when evaluating candidates.
The law’s supporters contend that removing party labels can encourage voters to focus more directly on candidates and their qualifications rather than party identification.
Opponents argue that removing those labels can deprive voters of useful information and that the legislation’s limited application to five counties raises constitutional concerns.
Those competing arguments will now be considered through the courts.
Austin-Gatson says HB 369 unfairly singles out the five affected counties.
According to reporting on her lawsuit, she argues that voters deserve more information about candidates and contends that the legislation is unjust and racially discriminatory. She has pointed to the fact that she is the first African American district attorney in Gwinnett County’s history.
Her claims remain part of an ongoing legal dispute.
Christians should be careful not to treat allegations made in a lawsuit as though they were already judicial findings.
At the same time, believers should not dismiss serious allegations simply because they arise in a politically charged environment.
That tension is where biblical discernment becomes important.
Proverbs 18:17 warns:
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”
The principle encourages believers to listen carefully to competing claims.
A person may present a compelling case from his or her own perspective while important facts remain disputed or incomplete.
Christian wisdom requires patience.
Austin-Gatson’s lawsuit is not the first challenge to HB 369.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston filed a lawsuit in June challenging the constitutionality of the law. Boston argues that changing election rules only in the five metro Atlanta counties violates provisions of the Georgia Constitution.
Other affected district attorneys have publicly supported the legal challenge.
The cases now give Georgia courts an opportunity to examine the legislation and the constitutional arguments surrounding it.
That process matters.
Christians may have strong opinions about legislation, political parties or the people bringing a lawsuit, but the legal system exists in part to provide a structured process for resolving disputes.
Believers can disagree with a legal argument while still respecting the rule of law and the responsibility of courts to examine the claims before them.
The controversy should not be presented as though only one side has a legitimate argument.
Supporters of HB 369 say the measure is intended to remove partisan politics from certain local government offices.
The legislation itself establishes nonpartisan elections for specified offices in the five counties beginning in 2028.
That means supporters can argue that voters should evaluate candidates for district attorney and other county offices based on qualifications, experience and character rather than simply relying on a party label.
Opponents take a different view.
They argue that party affiliation is meaningful information and that selectively changing election rules in only five counties raises questions about fairness and constitutionality.
Christians do not have to pretend these arguments do not exist.
Truth-seeking requires hearing the strongest reasonable arguments on both sides before reaching conclusions.
The dispute also raises a broader question for Christians.
What happens when political loyalty becomes more important than truth?
Scripture does not call believers to defend a political party at all costs.
It calls them to pursue righteousness.
Isaiah 1:17 points God’s people toward justice and care for those who are vulnerable.
Micah 6:8 gives an equally direct standard:
“What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
That command applies when Christians agree with political leaders.
It also applies when they disagree.
A believer should be willing to recognize truth even when it comes from someone on the opposite side of a political debate.
Likewise, Christians should be willing to question claims made by people they normally support.
That is not political disloyalty.
It is an expression of biblical integrity.
The dispute over election rules also reminds voters that political labels are not the only consideration when selecting public officials.
District attorneys exercise significant authority within their communities.
They make decisions affecting criminal prosecutions, public safety and the administration of justice.
Whether an election is partisan or nonpartisan, voters should therefore consider a candidate’s character, qualifications, experience and approach to the responsibilities of public office.
Proverbs 29:2 declares:
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
That does not mean Christians should assume that any candidate or political system perfectly reflects biblical righteousness.
Every human institution is limited.
But Scripture does remind believers that character matters when people are entrusted with authority.
Political controversies can make careful thinking difficult.
Headlines may encourage people to choose a side before they understand the underlying issue.
Social media can turn complicated legal questions into simple political slogans.
And partisan loyalty can make people unwilling to acknowledge facts that challenge their preferred position.
Christians are called to something better.
Proverbs 18:17 provides an important principle: hear a claim, but allow it to be examined.
That means believers can ask:
What does the law actually say?
What are the plaintiffs arguing?
What do supporters of the law say?
What constitutional questions are before the court?
What facts have been established, and what remains disputed?
Those questions may not produce an immediate political answer.
But they can produce a more responsible Christian response.
The legal challenge will now proceed through the courts, where the competing arguments surrounding HB 369 can be examined under Georgia law and the state and federal constitutional questions raised by the plaintiffs.
Christians can respect that process while praying for everyone involved.
First Timothy 2:1-2 instructs believers to pray “for kings, and for all that are in authority.”
That principle extends naturally to lawmakers, attorneys, judges, elected officials and others entrusted with public responsibility.
Christians can pray for wisdom for the judges who will hear the case.
They can pray for attorneys to represent their clients honestly.
They can pray for lawmakers to exercise their authority responsibly.
They can pray for voters to seek truth rather than simply follow political pressure.
And they can pray that justice will prevail regardless of which side ultimately receives the ruling it wants.
Political disagreements can tempt people toward certainty before all the facts are known.
The Christian response should be different.
Micah 6:8 calls believers to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Notice the combination.
Justice matters.
Mercy matters.
Humility matters.
A Christian who pursues justice without mercy can become harsh.
A Christian who emphasizes mercy without justice can overlook wrongdoing.
And a Christian who seeks both without humility can begin to assume that his or her own judgment is infallible.
Biblical public engagement requires all three.
HB 369 represents a significant change to local election procedures in five Georgia counties.
The lawsuits challenging the law represent a significant constitutional dispute.
But neither side’s position should be treated as a final legal conclusion while the cases remain unresolved.
The courts will determine whether the challenges succeed.
Until then, Christians can remain informed without pretending to know the final outcome.
That posture reflects both civic responsibility and biblical humility.
Proverbs 14:34 declares:
“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
The verse points beyond election procedures and political parties.
It reminds believers that the moral condition of a society matters.
The controversy surrounding Georgia’s election law is ultimately another reminder that political systems are temporary.
Laws can change.
Political parties can gain or lose power.
Candidates can win or lose elections.
Court decisions can alter the direction of public policy.
But God’s standards of truth, justice and righteousness do not change.
Christians should therefore remain engaged without becoming consumed.
They can read the law.
They can understand the arguments.
They can vote responsibly.
They can speak about injustice when they believe it exists.
They can listen when others challenge their assumptions.
And they can pray.
Psalm 146:3 reminds believers:
“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”
Government and elections have an important role in society.
But they cannot provide the ultimate foundation of Christian hope.
The Christian calling is to pursue truth without abandoning grace, pursue justice without abandoning humility and participate in public life without placing ultimate trust in political power.
As the legal challenges to HB 369 continue, Christians can pray for lawmakers, attorneys, judges, candidates and voters while remaining committed to truth, mercy and righteousness.
Political systems may change, but God’s standard of justice remains.
HB 369 changes certain county elections in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties from partisan to nonpartisan elections beginning in 2028. It applies to district attorneys and several other specified county offices.
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson argues that the law unfairly targets the five metro Atlanta counties and reduces information available to voters. She has also alleged that the legislation is unjust and racially discriminatory. Those claims remain unresolved in court.
Yes. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston filed a separate lawsuit challenging HB 369 in June 2026.
The law provides for the affected nonpartisan elections beginning in 2028.
Christians can examine the facts carefully, listen to competing arguments, pursue justice, show mercy, pray for those in authority and avoid placing ultimate confidence in political parties or human leaders.
Walking through faith and culture together. At Faith Focus Journal, we explore law, politics and public life through the lens of Scripture. Christians can pursue justice and truth while walking with humility before God. Reach out through our contact page We would love to hear from you.
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