Three independent and third-party candidates inched closer to appearing on Georgia's presidential ballot after Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed they met the signature requirements. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Claudia De la Cruz secured the necessary 7,500 signatures, with Kennedy garnering 11,336, West 8,075, and De la Cruz 7,682. Despite these achievements, legal challenges from Georgia Democrats continue.
Georgia's ballot placements are typically guaranteed for Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians, but other candidates must qualify by petition. The Democrats' efforts are part of a broader strategy to block candidates who might draw from Vice President Kamala Harris' votes. Hearings on these challenges will start Monday, with an administrative law judge making recommendations to Raffensperger, who must decide before overseas ballots are sent out on September 17.
Georgia voters have rarely seen more than four options on their ballots, and the last significant inclusion of independents was in 2000. Notably, Kennedy's campaign faces scrutiny after he was removed from New York's ballot due to residency issues, a matter that may arise in Georgia. A rep for Kennedy pushed back, saying, "Because they can't challenge the signatures, they've made allegations which are simply not correct at all." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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