Third-party candidates fighting challenge for spot on Georgia presidential ballot
Presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation Claudia De la Cruz speaks during a town hall at ZAO MKE Church on July 13, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - The Democratic Party of Georgia will be in court on Monday for a hearing over whether third-party presidential candidates will have their names on the ballot in November.
The Office of State Administrative Hearings is expected to review the Democrats' attempt to remove Claudia De la Cruz of the Party for Socialism and Liberation's name - part of a nationwide effort to block candidates who could siphon votes from Vice President Kamala Harris.
Until this year, the only road to getting on the ballot in Georgia was by collecting signatures from 7,500 registered voters statewide. But Georgia’s Republican-majority legislature passed a law directing the secretary of state to also place on the ballot candidates of any party that makes ballots in at least 20 other states. That move was widely interpreted as trying to make trouble for Biden, although former President Donald Trump’s Republican campaign has also regarded the Kennedy campaign with suspicion.
Last week, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that 11,336 signatures were accepted for Kennedy after county election officials reviewed petitions, while 8,075 were accepted for Cornel West and 7,682 were accepted for De la Cruz. Those numbers, if not lowered by legal challenges, would put all three candidates on November's ballot.
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In their challenge, Democratic Party of Georgia Executive Director Tolulope Kevin Olasanoye argued that Cruz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein "have not faithfully observed the state of Georgia’s election laws."
A spokesperson for Cruz's campaign said that they'll do everything they can to "defend the validity of our signatures and our right to be on the ballot."
While some other states routinely put minor-party and independent candidates on ballots, Georgia voters haven’t had more than four options since 1948. The last time there were any candidates besides a Republican, Democrat and Libertarian was in 2000, when independent Pat Buchanan qualified.
After an administrative law judge makes a recommendation, Raffensperger will issue a final ruling. A decision must be made in time for Georgia to mail military and overseas ballots beginning Sept. 17.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.