On March 28, the Georgia legislature passed an election law bill that has varied topics, including a provision added only eight days earlier that eases ballot access for minor parties for President (but no other office).
SB 189 was introduced over a year ago, and only related to how electronic vote-counting machines count votes. It sat dormant until January 25, 2024, when it began to move through the Senate. It passed the Senate on Febraury 6, 2024. Then, on March 20, in the House, it was amended to include the ballot access provision. The Senate accepted that change and both houses passed it on the evening of March 28. Then the legislature adjourned. Here is the text.
The provision says if a political party or political body is on the ballot for president in at least 20 other states, then it is automatically on for president in Georgia. However, it does not cover independent presidential candidates. Assuming it is signed into law, it will help the No Labels, Green, and Constitution Parties. It won’t help Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., because he expects to be an independent candidate in almost all states, not a minor party nominee. At the most his “We the People Party” will only be on in six states.
The Libertarian Party is already on the ballot for president and other statewide offices. It is not clear if the 2012 court order requiring the state to let presidential candidates on the ballot with at least 7,500 signatures is still in effect. Logically, because the legislature didn’t change the law regarding independent candidates, it should still be in effect for independent presidential candidates.
Do any other states base ballot access on ballot access in other states?
North Carolina is the only one I know of.
There are a few states in which a presidential primary candidate is automatically on the ballot if he or she is already on in a certain number of other states.
Between 1913 and 1924, Oklahoma said a party is automatically on the ballot if it polled at least 10% of the vote in any three other states. The law didn’t say what office in those three states. It was used to put the Progressive Party on the ballot for the 1914 election.
Thank you. General election?
OTHER STATES STUFF = PERVERSION OF 1-10-3 AGREEMENT OR COMPACT
AND INDEPENDENT / SEPARATE STATUS OF EACH STATE– 4-4 AND OTHER SECTIONS – INCL 2-1-2 STATE PREZ ELECTORS
Currently, I mean. North Carolina is correct? Any others?
MICH HAS JUNK MENTION IN MEDIA STUFF FOR MICH PREZ PRIMARY BALLOT ACCESS.
NOT SURE HOW MANY OTHER MORON STATES HAVE SUCH JUNK.
Yes, MaxZim, you are right about North Carolina. The North Carolina law puts a party on the ballot if its presidential nominee was on in 35 states. The North Carolina law is better than the Georgia idea. In Georgia the party must be on in 20 states, not the presidential nominee, so in Georgia, if a party uses the independent procedure in some states, that doesn’t help them toward the 20. On the other hand, 20 is more lenient than 35.
I thought that Florida had a rule or something similar with regard to a new or minor party getting ballot access if it could demonstrate that it had organized itself in a minimum number of other states.
I do not see a rational basis for having reasonable ballot access for presidential elections, but then having crazy batshi# ballog access rules for say, Congress.
I don’t think that rule is in effect anymore?