The Sun-Herald newspaper of southwest Florida has this January 28 story about the fact that Florida has 30 qualified parties. A party can be ballot-qualified in Florida just by writing a letter to the Secretary of State, listing its state officers.
The reason Florida doesn’t have a crowded general election ballot for president is that a party can’t automatically qualify a presidential nominee for the November ballot unless it is on the ballot in at least one other state, and unless it produces a list of 27 presidential elector candidates who are registered members of the party. Although this requirement isn’t that difficult, most of the qualified parties of Florida are so insubstantial, they can’t even do that.
The reason Florida doesn’t have a crowded general election ballot for office other than president is that it charges non-presidential candidates a very high filing fee (6% of the office’s annual salary, which means approximately $9,000 for Congress).
News Media support of Third Parties.
The Constitution Party still needs money for its ballot qualification in all 50 States.
Hmmmmmmmmm.
The Reform Party of FLorida, whom has run major, serious candidates for major offices, and whom has a ‘fair number’ of elected officers on minor/ local levels, is constantly ribbing other states on their lack of ballot access.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
“The reason Florida doesn’t have a crowded general election ballot for office other than president is that it charges non-presidential candidates a very high filing fee (6% of the office’s annual salary, which means approximately $9,000 for Congress).”
Can’t candidates in Florida gather petition signatures instead of paying the filing fee if they chose to do so?
Andy is right.
Richard,
After a party writes the letter to the Secretary of State what does the party have to do to stay qualified?