Eric Boehm: Georgia Ballot Access Is Insane

Reporter Eric Boehm unpacks the batty requirements confronting third party candidates in a Georgia congressional race.

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Eric Boehm: Georgia Ballot Access Is Insane

You've probably heard of Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican congressional representative from Georgia's 14th district. Greene has openly dabbled in conspiracy theories, and she's often been cast as a leading example of the GOP's far-right fringe. So it's no surprise that she's inspired some challengers—and not only from the Democratic Party. 

This year, Angela Pence, a Georgia mother of eight and a local business owner, announced that she would be challenging Greene for her House seat—and she'd be doing so as a member of the Libertarian Party. Pence would face an uphill battle against Greene under any circumstance since the state's 14th congressional district is one of the most solidly Republican in the country. 

But there was a bigger, even more immediate problem: To truly challenge Greene, Pence had to get on the ballot. And Georgia has what are arguably the strictest ballot access rules of any state in the country, making any third-party candidacy a near-impossible feat.

That's the topic of this week's episode of The Reason Rundown With Peter Suderman, featuring reporter Eric Boehm.

Mentioned in this podcast:

"How Georgia's Outlandish Ballot Access Law Is Protecting Marjorie Taylor Greene (and the Two-Party System)," by Eric Boehm

"On the Pride Parade Route With the Libertarian Hoping To Challenge Marjorie Taylor Greene," by Eric Boehm

"American Steelmakers Are Still Defending Trump's Tariffs That Crushed Consumers," by Eric Boehm

Audio production and editing by Ian Keyser; produced by Hunt Beaty

Comments

[MasterThief]

Is the point of this to argue in favor of ballot access for third parties or to malign MTG? It seems like a good amount of this is focused on the latter when the former is a principle I support. It's also worth noting that MTG's district is so strongly R and she is so popular there that realistically a primary challenge is the most feasible method of removing her from office. Let's be frank that Boehm is more concerned about getting rid of her than for any actual principle. If he cared then the article would have been written earlier or at least mention the states like Michigan who kicked off the Green party candidates to help democrats

[Moonrocks]

Is the point of this to argue in favor of ballot access for third parties or to malign MTG?

Hint: what's the feature of the thumbnail?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

I thought maybe it was Boehm's fluid alter-gender.

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[MasterThief]

I assumed the photo is MTG, but didn't actually know because I read and listen to news. It's really getting old with Reason that they claim to be nonpartisan or Libertarian then spend all their time attacking the right (especially those sharing libertarian sensibilities.) Outside of the attention grabbing stuff MTG does, there's actually several things she says and does that Reason should be highlighting and supporting. I get that she's too conservative for many in this space, but there is more overlap in principles than constrast.

[SRG]

Being a bigoted fuckwit is not a position that overlaps with Reason's principles.

[Nardz]

Says the dimwitted faggot who calls people smarter than it "peasants"

[Ted]

So the, why are you a bigoted fuckwit?

[A Thinking Mind]

And the libertarian candidate for Senate in Georgia is pushing this woman really hard instead of trying to get more libertarians on the ballot elsewhere. The reason is that MTG is, for some reason, very controversial, so getting proximity to her is a way to gain a lot of attention.

I've said this before: I'm in the district adjacent to MTG. There's no libertarian lobbying to get on the ballot in my district, even though it's a similar situation: Democrats can't win it, it's been Republican controlled for something like 30 years, and Republican candidates often run un-opposed. Why isn't there a libertarian candidate running in Georgia's 9th district? Maybe it's because nobody has heard of (or gives a fuck about) Andrew Clyde.

Parading against MTG is begging for attention instead of seriously advocating for policies.

[Nardz]

MTG must be good for liberty, because Reason is obsessed with trying to sabotage her.
Same bullshit with DeSantis.

[gaoxiaen]

Just write an article. I don't have half an hour for five minutes worth of info.

[Ted]

This article is just Boehm virtue signaling to his democrat masters that he has his mind right when it come to MTG. Boehm is ‘good one’ on the democrat plantation
.

[In Canis Credimus]

It's both MGT is a piece of shit and it should be pointed out wherever possible.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

Clearly something is wrong in Georgia — it's the state that cheated strong beautiful Black woman Stacey Abrams out of the governorship.

#ElectionsAreOnlyLegitimateWhenDemocratsWin

[Religion and Politics, my life]

But if you are not a resident of Georgia, where is your stake in the matter. You remind me of a friend who doesn't really like music but felt he had to argue with me that the Beatles are far better than the Stones.

[Longtobefree]

So the horrible condition is that to get on the ballot, everyone has to show possible support from 5% of the voters potentially involved.
What a burdensome chore.
This is most easily done by receiving 5% of the vote in a prior election. Those who have not been on the ballot before can use the obvious alternative of gathering the signatures of voters.
What other option is reasonable?

[Earth-based Human Skeptic]

Thunderdome?

[The Margrave of Azilia]

What could be more reasonable than a small stamp tax?

[Its_Not_Inevitable]

4% ?

[damikesc]

Perhaps the LP should run actually serious candidates...

[Fats of Fury]

Why run Libertarian candidates? Libertarian(Reason) positions are in effect in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Zoning? You can pitch your tent anywhere.

Open borders? You can be a six time deportee and juries will acquit you even if you shoot a young woman in broad daylight. Also free housing, food and other goodies

Drug legalization? If it's not enforced it's already legal

Defund the police? Done and Done. Don't want to pay for something, you're free to help yourself to $999.99 of free merchandise.

Butt sex? I think it's mandatory.

Plus anywhere and anytime you can take a dump in the street, for freedom of course.

[In Canis Credimus]

Ah a MAGA trying to spread the hate. You don't know jack about libertarians if you think they are all or nothing voters like republicans. lol just because you're mad about immigrants and drugs doesn't mean you should mouth off on a libertarian comments section lmfao

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

Again Eric bitches about this and is silent on the dnc removing green part from battle ground states in 2020.
This is why I say Eric is sub human trash left shill

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Couldn't they cover ballot-access questions without focusing on one particular eccentric politician? And her Republican opponent?

For example, these signature requirements bypass the secret ballot. I know, you don't have to support a third party to sign their ballot-access position, you may just support ballot-access in principle. But a large portion of the signatories may actually support the third party's principles. And now that's all in the public record. Why not wait until you get to the privacy of the ballot box before recording your candidate preferences?

As far as I can see, a key use of the petition requirements for the duopoly parties is so duopolist operatives can harass the signatories, even visit them at home, to pressure them into un-signing the petition. And I doubt it will end there. Sign a petition for an unpopular party and you'll face employment problems and so forth.

Ballot access is basically advertising - "these candidates from X party (or not party) want your vote." So pay a fee solely to cover the expenses of putting the names on the ballot, and then let the voters choose. Maybe also form a campaign committee with a treasurer.

[Roberta]

But for the same offices, the major party candidates need signatures too. They had to get the nomination. Those too are a public record.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Also a bad idea. The state shouldn't subsidize or run the party nomination process. Have conventions like a normal party.

[Iwanna Newname]

I'm assuming Libertarian Party supporters know how to write, as in write-in-ballots?

[The Margrave of Azilia]

What about Democrats? Print only the names of Republican candidates and have Democrats who choose to do so write in the names of their candidates.

And vice-versa.

[Ted]

There shouldn’t be a democrat party anymore. It’s just a domestic terror organization that is actively destroying America.

[In Canis Credimus]

That's not the issue. They are pointing out shitty Georgia election tactics to keep republicans in power at all costs, including 3rd parties.

[AaronBonn]

Here's an idea: how about the Libertarians in this district run one of their own in the Democratic primary, and essentially try to invade and colonize that apparatus? If they succeeded in getting their candidate nominated, then voters in that district would have a small l libertarian option to vote for. If they didn't succeed, but did well enough to disrupt the Democratic primary, Georgia Democrats might get a lot more interested in reforming their ballot access laws to make it easier for libertarians to run as Libertarians.

[Roberta]

You think it's easier to get the required signatures as a Democrat?

[The Margrave of Azilia]

The state running the primaries is based on the same mindset as restricting ballot access - making the government into the personal fiefdom of the duopolists. Of course the duopolists want the taxpayers to subsidize their parties - if they held private conventions it would be more difficult (though not impossible) to reach their hands into the treasury.

If the duopoly parties operated on their own dime, they could choose candidates by reading entrails if they want. They'd be private organizations with no connection to the government.

[Ted]

Sure, when you can get signatures from area graveyards, nursing homes that specialize in dementia patients, foreign nationals residing here illegally, cartoon characters, etc.. that really streamlines the process.

[sofadaiphu]

I don't see this issue at all.

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