Three Independent Candidates Qualify for Georgia Ballot

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Claudia De la Cruz have successfully gathered the required signatures to qualify for the state's presidential ballot, with Kennedy leading at 11,336 signatures. However, legal challenges from Georgia Democrats are ongoing, aimed at preventing these candidates and Green Party nominee Jill Stein from appearing on the ballot, as they are considered potential vote-splitters against Vice President Kamala Harris. Hearings regarding these challenges are set to start soon, with a final ruling expected before military and overseas ballots are mailed on September 17. Notably, Georgia has not seen more than four candidates on the ballot since 1948. In a related development, Kennedy was recently disqualified from the New York ballot due to a judge's ruling regarding his residence address, deemed a 'sham' for maintaining voter registration. The outcome of these legal challenges could significantly impact the presidential race in Georgia.