If Gary Johnson polls 4% of the vote in every state on November 8, 2016, and if in certain states other statewide Libertarians also poll 4%, the Libertarian Party will be ballot-qualified in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut (for President and U.S. Senate), Delaware, D.C., Florida, Georgia (for statewide office), Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
With a 5% showing, Illinois (for statewide office), Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington would also be on the list, for a total of 43 (counting D.C. as a state). The Maine law on how a party remains on the ballot is in transition, and Maine might also belong on the list.
After November 1996, the Reform Party was ballot-qualified in 32 states. Perot polled over 5% in every state, but unfortunately for the Reform Party, Ross Perot had qualified as an independent, instead of the Reform Party nominee, in Alabama, Delaware, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.
No party, other than the Republican and Democratic Parties, has been ballot-qualified in at least 40 states at any time since the 1910’s decade. After the 2012 election, the Libertarian was on in 31 states. After the 2000 election, the Green Party was on in 22 states.
I remember in the 1996 and 2000 elections when the LP was “ballot-qualified” in ALL 50 states! This is the ONLY political party that appears to go BACKWARDS in each succeeding election. Its a wonder it is still around!
The LP got their candidate on every ballot in 96 and 2000, just as they will this year. The post discusses what the situation will be AFTER the Nov. 8th election.
Take note that only John Anderson, Lenora Fulani, and Ross Perot(twice) have gotten on the ballot in all 50 states plus DC, except for the Libertarian Party who has done that FIVE times.
Mr. McCread7 – the “BACKWARDS” movement of states for which it is ballot-qualified for whcih you castigate the LP is not an indication of the LP moving backward but rather due to Democratic and/or Republican state legislatures in many states making retention of ballot access (and then gaining it anew) much more difficult.
John, there is a difference between being an unqualified party that has its nominees on the ballot, and a ballot-qualified party. Being a qualified party means for the next election, there is no need for a petition for any party nominee (although someone seeking the nomination might need a primary candidate petition).
Adding to what Richard said, being ballot qualified in 41 states plus DC would mean that the LP would only have to expend funds for petitioning in nine (9) states for full access in 2020. That means a WHOLE LOT OF MONEY that can go to party and candidate promotion activities. No, I still don’t support them, but I certainly appreciate how they and the Greens are leading by example and showing that anti-establishment party success IS possible, despite the often Draconian election laws. It makes winning under difficult circumstances all that more meaningful.
This would be impressive. Any idea how the Greens compare on this?
By contrast, the American Delta Party has a shot at being ballot qualified in 5 states.
If Jill Stein got 4% in every state in which she is on the ballot, on the day after the November 2016 election the Green Party would be qualified in Alaska (president only), Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut (for president and three statewide state offices, and some district offices), Delaware, DC, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (this assume the party’s gubernatorial candidate in West Virginia gets over 1%, which she certainly will). 27 states (counting DC as a state) would be the Green Party’s high point for qualified status immediately after an election.
Thank you, Richard!
Richard:
How many states would the Libertarian, Green and Constitution Party be ballot qualified on if they only received just 2 or 1% for President in November?
I presume (and I hope I’m not being presumptious when I presume) that Richard will have a table on this in BAN either next month, November, or both.
My guess, partly based on the polls on Real Clear Politics (which should be taken with a grain of salt given some of the inconsistencies, ie, land-line phones, few independents polled, etc) and partly based on the sheer and continuing discontent with Trump and Hillary, that Gary Johnson will get over 5% and Jill Stein will get 3-5%. This will be especially true if voters in the 18-30ish age group turn out in huge numbers, as they are Jill and Gary’s most favorable group. The Constitution Party’s Darrel Castle probably won’t break 1% due to their relatively limited ballot access and lack of media coverage.
I know the Greens need 5% to remain ballot-qualified in Texas.
The Green Party remains ballot qualified in Texas if gets 5% for any statewide office.
Joshua H.—based on their past record if the Constitution Party gets one percent of the national vote, it would be fantastic for them. In any one state they have only gotten above one percent for president twice, once in Idaho and once in South Dakota.
Voting for some specific robot party HACK candidate does NOT mean support for the *party* involved.
See the many 5-15 percent vote switches for Donkey/Elephant Prez party hack candidates since 1864.
NO primaries, caucuses and conventions.
—-
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Can’t they get qualified in Virginia if they get 10 percent of the vote for president? I thought 10 percent for any statewide office was sufficient for the next two state-wide elections. It’s a higher threshold than the other states, but it’s possible.
Yes.
The newest Washington Post 50 state poll shows Gary Johnson with a “national average” of 13% and he breaks 20% in Utah and New Mexico and 15% in many states like Colorado, the Dakotas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, etc. Excellent!!
Just read that poll. In a few states, Johnson is closer to the second candidate than the second candidate is to the leader.
It also shows that the leading “major” party candidate is below 50% in the four way poll (Stein was included as well) in virtually every state. Trump breaks 50% only in Alabama, Kentucky, North Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Clinton is above 50% only in Hawaii, Maryland, and New York.
Any other states where they can potentially be eligible after this year? You mentioned Virginia with the 10 percent – do any other states have similarly high, but attainable thresholds for Libertarian candidates on the ballot as such? I know they’re on as independents in Ohio and thus can’t qualify, and I know New York only governor matters and that’s not up this year.
What about the other four? Is it possible there and how much do they need? And what states are those?
Just to be clear. In Connecticut, Minor Party Status is granted per office. The requirement is to get 1% or more in the previous election, for said office. So, if Johnson gets, say 3%, and Rich Lion (our US Senate candidate) gets .85%, the next Presidential election we would have Minor Party Status for that office, and will not have to petition. But, for US Senate, we would.
Major Party Status is granted if a party gets 20% or more of the vote for Governor. Or, if 20% or more of the electorate on the voter roles is registered in said party.
What is interesting is that technically we could have something like 8 Major Parties in the state, while a Minor Party could hold almost all the seats in the state. The exceptions would be Governor, and town counsels that are compelled to have minority representation, therefore not more than 2/3 of the counsel members can be from the same party on a town counsel or board of education.
To add to what Andy said, the minor party status for Senate carries over to the next regular Senate election, not the next one for that seat. So if somehow Richard wins the election, but in 2018 the candidate gets under 1 percent, Richard would have to petition in 2022 as an incumbent.