The bill in the Georgia legislature to reduce the number of signatures needed for district office (US House, state legislature) and county office, from 5% of the registered voters, to 2% of the last vote cast, is gaining. There are now 10 members of the House who say they will co-sponsor it next year, when the legislature reconvenes. The bill is HB 527.
The Georgia petition requirement for US House, which has existed since 1943, is easily the most onerous ballot access law in the nation, since no party has been able to comply with it, in the 62 years it has existed. It is a scandal that the federal judges in Georgia have never been willing to invalidate it.
Hope this goes through. The district I live in is solidly Republican and it is usually the only Repbulican incumbent that makes it on the ballot for congressional and the state senate & house. Maybe if this bill goes through that will change. I look forward to the chance to vote for someone else other the same old Repubilcans.
One of the pioneer activists for an open ballot in Georgia was Michael Cartwright. Today, Monday, I received the following from the Libertarian Party of Georgia. The news is about as sad as it can be.
Michael Cartwright had run for state school superintendent in 1998, which was when I met him. He brought enthusiasm and dedication to his race and garnered more votes than all but one of the Libertarian Party candidates that year. That one had spent LOTS of money — his own — and Michael spent very little.
But he threw himself into the race, traveling and speaking wherever he could.
After his wife, Debbie, became ill, Michael seemed to devote nearly his entire life to caring for her; she seemed to be the focal point for his own life.
I met her last year while working on Michael’s book, “SocialLibertarianism,” and found her to be an inspiration. Despite her terrible health problems, she was bright and cheerful and upbeat, a sweet and kind woman.
My suspicion is that after her death he didn’t care about very much, and I believe death held no fears for him, and not very many regrets.
He loved his children and grandchildren, and made much of them and over them, but Debbie was his anchor. Maybe even his entire being.
I will miss Michael Cartwright, and think the world ought to miss him. He was a kind and gentle person in all my meetings with him, although I know he was quick to react to official and officious offenses.
With my own lack of money and resulting inability to travel, I do hope some person seeing this will make a special effort to attend the funeral this Tuesday, Oct. 11. I beg anyone who is able to please attend, for me, for him, for yourself.
Michael Cartwright might not have been known to you personally, but he spent his time, his effort, his money to helping you, to fighting for your freedom.
We never have enough people like that. His death is a loss to each and all of us.
Michael Morrison
Michael Cartwright, RIP
Michael Cartwright, former chair of the LPGa, was killed in a single car accident on the morning of Thursday, Oct 6.
Michael was a ballot access pioneer for the LPGa. He co-authored legislation for the Voter Choice Act, a ballot access bill that made it to the floor of the Georgia House before being lost in the labyrinth of legislative committees. Michael was totally dedicated to increasing the political choices available to Georgia’s voters.
Michael was a lifelong teacher who taught high school Physics for many years in Georgia’s public schools. In 1998 he used that experience for the benefit of the LPGa and stood as our candidate for State School Superintendent.
His teaching experience and passion for Libertarian activism merged in the last years of his life into a book, Social Libertarianism, about Libertarian activism and principles. His ideas are memorialized at http://www.sociallibertarianism.com .
Since 2001 Michael’s activism had been limited by the need to care for his ailing wife, Debbie, who had been stricken with a serious brain aneurysm. Debbie died of medical complications from that aneurysm earlier this year.
Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, October at 11:00 am in Wages and Sons funeral home on 1040 Main St. in Stone Mountain.
I am Michaels oldest granddaughter. My name is Karly. I was googling my grandfather and found this page. When I read the comment by Michael Morrison it brought tears to my eyes. It’s been almost 11 years since my grandfathers passing. I was 13 when it happens. I miss my grandparents everyday. I just wanted to say thank you Michael for beautiful comment.