The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this article about the effort to collect 44,089 valid signatures to get Brad Bryant on the Georgia ballot as a candidate for State School Superintendent.  If he succeeds, he will be the first independent candidate in Georgia history to qualify for statewide office by petition, except for certain independent presidential candidates.

Georgia has required independents to collect signatures starting in 1943.  Between 1943 and 1979, the statewide independent requirement was 5% of the number of registered voters.  Between 1979 and 1986, it was 2.5% of registered voters.  Since 1986 it has been 1%.  Even at the 1% level, no independent statewide petition has succeeded for any office other than President.  Georgia has severe requirements for getting petitions circulated.  Each sheet must be notarized.  Signers must not only sign their names, print their names, print their addresses, but must enter the county and the date of signing.  If any notary public submits any signatures in his or her capacity as a circulator, then all of that notary public’s work in the capacity as a notary is invalid.

Independent presidential candidates who complied with the 1% petition requirement, in the years that requirement was set at 1%, are Ross Perot in 1992, and Pat Buchanan in 2000.  Georgia is one of four states in which Ralph Nader never appeared on the ballot (the others are Indiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma).  Thanks to Faye Coffield for the link.