Rep. Rusty Kidd Plans to Introduce Ballot Access Reform Again
State Rep. Rusty Kidd, Georgia’s only independent state legislator, told Atlanta Progressive News that he plans to introduce ballot access reform legislation again this Session, probably in early February 2011.
He said he expects that the legislature will not move forward on any ballot access reforms until the Elections Advisory Council created by Secretary of State Brian Kemp formalizes its recommendations.
As previously reported by APN, Rep. Kidd as well as a KSU Political Science professor, are two ballot access advocates appointed to the Council.
Kidd said that he hoped the Council would be an avenue to address ballot access reform, and that this was one of the reasons it was created.
Kidd noted that he was one state legislator last year who was able to successfully complete the five percent petition to get on the ballot as an independent. The first time he ran was a Special Election, and he did not have to gather signatures at that time. This, his second time running, was the first time trying to gather signatures, albeit as a sitting incumbent.
Kidd said he had to collect around 1,500 signatures.