So you want to run for office as a Libertarian in Georgia, but you don’t know where to start. Rest Assured, we’ve got your back in navigating the sometimes complicated process of getting onto the ballot. First things first though. Let us know you are interested in running!
State requirements to run for office in georgia
Does Your Race Require Petitioning?
The Libertarian Party of Georgia is not considered a “Political Party” as per the state code. Instead, we are classified as a “Political Body,” which means we have different requirements for getting on the ballots. One key distinction for this is petitioning. The Libertarian Party of Georgia has no petitioning requirement for statewide candidates.
These offices are as follows:
- President
- Senate
- Governor
- Lt. Governor
- Secretary of State
- Attorney General
- Labor Commissioner
- State School Superintendent
- Agriculture Commissioner
- Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner
- Public Service Commissioner(5)
The other exception is non-partisan offices. These are usually at the municipal level, but you will need to do a little research on your specific race to see if it’s partisan or not.
All other offices in the state of Georgia have a petitioning requirement, meaning you must collect signatures in order to get your name on the ballot. The number of signatures required is equal to 5% of the number of registered, active voters at the time of the last election. You should be able to get this information from the Secretary of State or your county elections office.
Campaign Finance Filing Requirements
Before you raise or spend a dime on a campaign, you must file a series of documents with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. All forms can be found here.
Initial forms include:
- Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions
- Registration Form for a Campaign Committee for a Candidate
- Choosing Option of Separate Accounting(COOSA)(Optional)
Filing
Federal and Statewide Candidates
Filing happens in a single week in Georgia that is annouced by the Secretary of State. Most data can be found on their Information for Candidates page. Make sure to bring:
- Photo ID
- Filing Fees – Check or Money Order made payable to the Georgia Secretary of State
- Notice of Candidacy and Affidavit
- Signed and notarized copy of LP Georgia convention minutes
Libertarian Party requirements to run for office in georgia
Whereas “political parties” in Georgia use the publicly funded primary system to choose their candidates, “political bodies” like the Libertarian Party of Georgia choose their candidates during convention. This is mandated in the Georgia Code. If you are running for a non-partisan race, it is unnecessary to seek the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Georgia, but an endorsement can still be received through a vote at the annual convention or from the LPGa Executive Committee.
The requirements are as follows:
- To be nominated at convention, you must be a current member of the Libertarian Party of Georgia. If not, you can join here. The Executive Committee may suspend this rule for well-qualified candidates by a 3/4 vote. Getting the nomination at convention requires a 2/3 vote of delegates at convention.
- Candidates must sign the following declaration before receiving an endrosement from the Libertarian Party of Georgia:
I join the founders of this nation in declaring to the world the following: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness – that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
- A candidate must meet all requirements set forth by the Georgia Code for the office in which they are seeking an endorsement.