Three independent and third-party candidates are making strides towards appearing on Georgia’s presidential ballot, according to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Claudia De la Cruz have each gathered over 7,500 signatures to qualify. Kennedy secured 11,336 signatures, while West and De la Cruz gathered 8,075 and 7,682 signatures, respectively.
While major parties like Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians automatically earn spots on Georgia’s ballot, other candidates must qualify through petition. However, legal challenges from Georgia Democrats remain as they seek to block the participation of the three candidates and Green Party nominee Jill Stein, aiming to prevent votes from being diverted away from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Hearings regarding the challenges in Georgia are set to commence soon, with Raffensperger expected to make the final decision after an administrative law judge’s recommendation. The verdict must be reached before September 17 for Georgia to send out military and overseas ballots.
Georgia has not had more than four options on its ballot since 1948, aside from the 2000 election when independent Pat Buchanan qualified. Kennedy was recently removed from New York’s ballot due to concerns about his listed address, which a judge deemed misleading. The Kennedy campaign is expected to appeal this decision.
The issue of Kennedy’s address might surface during the Georgia hearings, where Democrats claim the petitions were not conducted correctly. However, Paul Rossi of the Kennedy campaign refuted these claims in a recent news conference, stating that the allegations were baseless.
In Georgia, candidates could previously qualify by gathering 7,500 signatures from registered voters statewide. Nevertheless, a new law passed by Georgia’s Republican-led legislature directs the secretary of state to include on the ballot candidates from parties that are listed in at least 20 other states, a move perceived by some as an attempt to complicate matters for President Joe Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign has also faced suspicion from former President Donald Trump’s Republican campaign.
The Green Party, represented by Jill Stein, is leveraging the 20-state rule to secure a spot on Georgia’s ballot as well.
