September 15, 2015

How America has suppressed third parties

Ballot Access News: The Green Party and the Constitution Party are preparing for a trial in their Georgia ballot access case, which charges that presidential ballot access is too difficult in Georgia for minor parties and independent candidates. On September 11 evidence was filed showing that there have been 401 instances in U.S. history when a state prepared a government-printed ballot in a presidential election, and required more than 5,000 signatures. The evidence shows that in all 401 instances, that state did not ever have more than six candidates meeting that requirement.

Furthermore, in the only four instances when six petitions succeeded, all those instances were in Illinois, a state that assumes any petition is valid (even if it has only one signature on it) unless that petition is challenged. When the Illinois instances are taken out, there is no instance when more than five petitions succeeded.

Georgia requires approximately 50,000 signatures for an independent presidential candidate, or the nominee of an unqualified party, to get on the ballot. Each petition sheet must be notarized. No Georgia presidential petition has succeeded in 15 years.

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