In the entire history of government-printed ballots (which began in 1903 in Texas), no independent candidate for Governor or any other statewide state office has ever appeared on the ballot. However, this year, two prominent individuals are expected to run as independents for Governor. One is entertainer and writer Kinky Friedman; the other is Texas Comptroller Carole Strayhorn.
Texas has always had difficult requirements for independent candidates for statewide office. They have always needed a petition of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote (except that presidential independents, since 1977, have needed 1% of the last presidential vote). However, minor party ballot access in Texas was very easy before 1967. No petition was required for new or small parties before 1967, so potential independent candidates in Texas merely started their own parties and got on the ballot easily that way.
Can Strayhorn and Friedman collect signatures from the same person? In other words — could they work together to collect the 45K+ names they need? Or are they barred from soliciting from the same voters?
i was wondering the same thing. Could person x sign Friedman and Strayhorn’s petition. Or can you only sign one petition. I know if you voted in the primary then you can’t sign, if one person can’t sign both candidates petition then I have a hard time believing that both would be able to qualify.
In Texas a voter cannot sign a petition for more than one candidate in the SAME office, so unfortunately a person cannot sign for both Kinky and Strayhorn. The first petition signature is valid unless the person requests of the invalidation of their first signature. This is a bit of a quandry for me as I actually like Strayhorn and had volunteered a few weeks ago to her campaign (and I jump ship from Kinky) if she did go as an independent. But her announcement yesterday that she is still a Republican leaves me thinking. I believe Kinky would do a better job in the Governor’s bully pulpit brow beating both the Rep and Dems in the legistlature for not doing their jobs well enough.