In Georgia, leaders of the two major parties decide who will be listed on their presidential primary ballots. Candidates need not file. Those not chosen have no recourse, except to ask the major party figures in the state to reconsider their omission.
The Democratic Party, not surprisingly, chose to list only President Obama. The Georgia Republican Party leaders chose Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum.
The only other state with similar presidential primary ballot access is Florida. In Florida, the Republicans chose the same names as those in the Georgia race, except that Florida Republicans excluded Buddy Roemer.
Given how restrictive the Georgia ballot is, and given that the powers that be believe that deregulating the ballot will cause voter confusion, why aren’t primaries in Georgia just restricted to three names, like how the general elections are. Are primary voters generally less confused than general election voters? Otherwise, it is clear to me that Georgia actively suppresses and oppresses alternative politics.