Georgia State Schools Superintendent Runs for Reelection As Independent

From Richard Winger comes this story about the Georgia State Schools Superintendent, who was appointed to his position after the Republican primary and must, therefore, run as an Independent in the general election if he wants to be re-elected.

Georgia’s newly-appointed State Schools Superintendent, Brad Bryant, is a Republican who wishes to run in this November’s election.  Because he was not appointed to the job until after qualifying for the Republican primary had closed, he cannot run in the Republican primary on July 20.  Georgia does not permit write-ins in partisan primaries.   Instead, he will attempt to qualify as an independent candidate.  He needs 44,089 valid signatures by July 13.

The Georgia Republican Party will help him with his petition.  The Republican who was elected to this position in 2006, Kathy Cox, resigned on May 17, after she had filed for re-election in the Republican primary.  Filing for the primary closed on April 30.  Cox’s name will continue to appear on the Republican primary ballot, but signs will be posted in polling places saying votes for her will not be counted.  Two other Republicans had filed to run against her, and one of them will be the Republican nominee.  They are John D. Barge and Richard Woods.  But the Governor, and Republican Party leaders, support Bryant.  There will also be a Democrat and a Libertarian on the November ballot for this office.

No one has ever completed a statewide independent candidate petition in Georgia for any office other than President.  The petition has been required since 1943.  Between 1943 and 1979, statewide independents needed signatures equal to 5% of the number of registered voters.  From 1979 to 1985, the requirement was 2.5%.  Since 1985 it has been 1%.  For district and county office, the requirement has been 5% since 1943.

From 2003 until his appointment in 2010, Brad Bryant served as a member of the state Board of Education. He had previously served on the DeKalb County Board of Education for twelve years, including as Chair for seven years.