The Moderate Party, currently working to get 23,589 valid signatures so as to qualify as a “political party” in Rhode Island, says it has now collected 10,000. This is the largest number of signatures any minor party in any particular state has collected this year. At that rate, the party should be qualified in perhaps three more months.

Currently, Rhode Island has no ballot-qualified parties other than the Democratic and Republican Parties. The Rhode Island Green Party lost its “party” status in November 2004.