North Carolina State Senator Jim Jacumin (R-Connellys Springs) has told a constituent that he will introduce a bill to ease ballot access for independent candidates next year. North Carolina ballot access for independent candidates is so severe that no independent has ever qualified for U.S. House, U.S. Senate, or Governor, in the history of government-printed ballots in that state. Ross Perot in 1992 is the only person who ever qualified as an independent candidate. District independent candidates need a petition of 4% of the number of registered voters, which is as much as 20,000 signatures in some U.S. House districts. No independent candidate for U.S. House in U.S. history has ever overcome a petition hurdle as great as 14,000 signatures.
The bill I am working with Senator Jacumin on is actually to break down more than just the requirments for Independents. It is to break down the requirements for 3rd Parties, Independents and Write-In candidates (at least at the moment). Hopefully I’ll be able to keep it that way, of course this all depends upon the Senator being willing to keep it that way.