Utah is one of 13 states in which the state income tax lists political parties, and asks taxpayers if they wish some small amount of money to be sent to any particular party. Utah taxpayers are typically sympathetic to minor parties when they fill out their income tax forms. Last year, 10.5% of the money went to one of the 4 qualified minor parties that were listed.

Tax forms for 2007 will list only the Democratic, Republican and Constitution Parties. This is because none of the other parties that were listed in the past polled enough votes to remain on (in the November 2006 election), and furthermore none of them re-qualified in time to be on next year’s forms. The Libertarian Party had been trying to collect the needed 2,000 valid signatures before July 1, and is 80% done, but did not finish in time (there is still plenty of time for the Libertarian Party, and for other parties, to qualify for the 2008 ballot).

If all the money that went to the various minor parties in 2006 goes to the Constitution Party on this year’s tax forms (which are due next April), the Constitution Party will receive more than $13,000.