Georgia residents given chance to voice opinion on nation’s most restrictive ballot access law

In one week, the Georgia Elections Advisory Council will hold its first public meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to let Georgia residents express themselves about problems with Georgia’s election laws. The first meeting is Wednesday, April 27, at 10 a.m., in room 341 of the Georgia state Capitol.

Anyone can speak about any topic for three minutes. It is possible to pre-register to speak, although this is not a requirement. To pre-register, go to www.sos.ga.gov/GAEAC. Members of the public are free to hand out written material to the members of the Council. The Council includes one Libertarian, and also includes the state’s only independent state legislator, Rusty Kidd, so there will be at least a few sympathetic ears on the Council to anyone who raises ballot access.

Georgia has the nation’s worst ballot access law: specifically, the Georgia law on ballot access for minor party and independent candidates for U.S. House. The law was stiffened in 1964 and ever since then, it has never been used successfully. There is no other ballot access law in the nation that approaches that level of disuse. The founding fathers expected U.S. House elections to be the most democratic aspect of the federal government. The original Constitution provided that the only branch of the federal government chosen directly by the voters was the U.S. House of Representatives. But Georgia has turned that concept upside down, and has a law that, in effect, prohibits anyone from being on the ballot for that office unless the person is the nominee of the Democratic or Republican Parties. The law requires a huge number of signatures, up to 20,000; and requires that the candidate pay a filing fee of approximately $5,000 before the petition is due and before the candidate can know if the petition is valid; the law requires each petition sheet to be notarized, which is also expensive; and the law disqualifies the work of any notary public who himself or herself circulates even one sheet. The petition cannot be circulated during an odd year and is due in early July. Thanks to Garland Favorito for the reminder about the hearing, and the details about the time limit for speakers, and the option to pre-register.