Green Party’s Jill Stein, HD 151’s Zachary Qualify for November Election

The deadline for third party and independent candidates to submit signatures to the Secretary of State’s office came and went on Tuesday, and at least two candidates were successful. After visiting Atlanta and Athens last month, Green Party candidate Jill Stein will be on the November ballot statewide, according to the Athens Banner Herald. Stein’s candidacy will focus on education, including Governor Nathan Deal’s Opportunity School District, according to Green Party activist Gerald Dixon:

We’re going to be doubling down on reaching out to parents of public school children, as well as their teachers and retired teachers. We know that retired educators might have a lot of opinions on things like this amendment and the Common Core that they weren’t able to share while employed.

In south Georgia, Rev. Kenneth Zachary has apparently collected enough signatures to run as an independent in House District 151, held by incumbent Gerald Greene. The Albany Herald reports Zachary needed 1487 signatures, and had collected over twice that many, according to the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. Greene said he would not challenge the candidacy. Zachary was recruited to run as an independent after Democrat James Williams was disqualified due to an error by the Dougherty County elections office that placed him in the wrong district.

One candidate who failed to gather enough signatures to run as an independent is Gwinnett County’s Leonard Ware, a Democrat who had hoped to run against Republican Jody Hice in the 10th District. Ware, bless his heart, will run as a write in candidate in the heavily Republican district.