Georgia Supreme Court Rules Presidential Candidates’ Ballots Invalid

ATLANTA – In a recent ruling, the Georgia Supreme Court declared that presidential candidates Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz are not qualified to be on Georgia’s ballots, and therefore votes for them should not count. This decision came after it was found that the candidates failed to meet the necessary requirements for ballot access.

According to reports, West and De la Cruz did not each submit a separate petition with the required 7,500 signatures needed to access Georgia’s ballots. This resulted in their disqualification, as per Georgia’s electoral regulations.

The ruling to invalidate their ballots was made following a challenge from Democrats who were concerned about potential vote-splitting that could affect Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign in the state. West and De la Cruz had qualified as independents in Georgia, with De la Cruz representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Despite attempts to reach out to both campaigns for comment, there has been no response so far.

While the names of the candidates will remain on the ballots, votes cast for them will not be counted, as confirmed by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s spokesperson, Robert Sinners. Due to logistical constraints, it is not feasible to reprint the ballots at this stage.

As a result, Georgia voters will now have a choice of four presidential candidates in the upcoming election – Harris for the Democrats, Donald Trump for the Republicans, Chase Oliver for the Libertarians, and Jill Stein for the Green Party. This will mark the most significant number of candidates on the ballot in Georgia since 2000.

The ruling was based on the fact that neither West’s nor De la Cruz’s electors filed the required nomination petitions, thus making their candidacy invalid. This decision was affirmed by Justice Sarah Warren, who wrote for a unanimous court.

While there may be legal challenges ahead, Georgia’s electoral landscape has been closely watched due to the state’s historical significance in recent national elections. With ongoing disputes over ballot access and candidate qualifications, the upcoming election in Georgia promises to be closely contested.

For more information, visit AP News.