HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Former Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Pelto's name will not appear on the November ballot for governor.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill's office announced Friday that Pelto, a petitioning candidate, did not submit the required 7,500 signatures of registered voters. While Pelto originally believed about 9,000 signatures had been submitted on his behalf, election officials determined 4,318 of the signatures were valid.

Pelto was running as a candidate with the newly formed Education and Democracy Party. He's been a vocal critic of Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's education reforms.

Pelto apologized to his supporters for not making it onto the ballot. He called the process ``primitive and burdensome,'' saying it creates an unfair barrier to those seeking another choice at the polls.

Conservative petitioning candidate Joe Visconti has already qualified.