ATLANTA, GA – For the past few months, Ryan Graham has been focused on his campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Meanwhile, Angela Pence was looking to take on controversial Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in the 14th Congressional District.
Unfortunately, only one of these names will appear on Georgia ballots this November. Pence will not be on the ballot for Northwest Georgians in the 14th District this fall thanks to a state ballot access law dating back to 1943. Georgia has the most arduous ballot access laws in the country with the original intent of the law being to keep Communist Party members off of the ballot. The law dictates a third-party or independent candidate wanting to be on the General Election ballot would need to acquire petition signatures from 5% of their district—in some places, you are looking at over 20,000 signatures. “It’s unbelievably frustrating that I get to be on the ballot and Angela does not,” says Graham. “Angela worked tirelessly since January when petitioning legally began, traveling, meeting people, paying her $5,220 filing fee just to be denied. The system is rigged.”
Graham also admires Pence’s hard work and dedication in trying to gain ballot access as she is a mother to eight children with another on the way. “I give Angela and the other nominated candidates who went out there and gave it their all my respect and admiration for seeing it through,” says Graham. “To deny these people of character and determination the opportunity to have their names appear on the ballot is heartbreaking, but to also deny Georgia voters the opportunity to cast their ballot for these remarkable people is voter disenfranchisement to the core. ”To learn more about Ryan Graham and his campaign for Lieutenant Governor, please visit Graham4GA.com. Inquiries can be sent directly to Mr. Graham by email.
By Bob
I think the laws are great! Why would you want someone on the ballot, wasting voters time and money to represent an area that doesn’t want them? Seems to me that she did not do any planning and just wanted to throw her name in the ring. I would not want anyone to be on the ballot that at least didn’t perform some type of due diligence to determine how to get on the ballot.
By Ryan Graham
To your point the Republican and Democratic candidates should also have to collect signatures then. They have no requirement to do so and no requirement for any type of “due diligence” to get on the ballot.