Georgia limits the petitioning period for independent candidates, and the nominees of unqualified parties, to the six months between mid-January and mid-July. The petitioning period started on January 13, 2022. Yet the Secretary of State still can’t tell potential candidates for district office how many signatures they need. The petitions are 5% of the number of registered voters as of the preceding general election. It is complicated for the state to calculate these numbers after redistricting.

Furthermore, some of the plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the new boundaries are requesting that the 2022 primary be delayed, in case the judges invalidate any of the districts and new districts must be drawn. This uncertainty makes it illogical for any independent or minor party candidate to begin petitioning now.

In 2002, when the new boundaries were not definitely known until March, a U.S. District Court ordered that the number of signatures be reduced, in proportion to the amount of time that petitioning could not rationally be carried on. That case was Parker v Barnes, n.d., 1:02cv-1883.