A poll commissioned by the Detroit Free Press shows that 54% of Michigan voters consider it “likely” or “very likely” that they would consider supporting an independent gubernatorial candidate in 2010. Only 12% said it is “unlikely” that they would consider that idea. See this story.

Also, when voters are asked which major party they intend to support in 2010 legislative races, 25% say Democratic, and 24% say Republican, with the remainder saying they don’t know or “someone else”.

The article mentions that Michigan has never had an independent candidate for Governor on the ballot. This is true. Michigan did not have statutory procedures for independent candidates to get on the ballot until 1988. Courts had been telling Michigan that the state must have such procedures since 1976, but the legislature appeared so frightened of the idea, it refused to pass a bill on the subject for twelve years. Independent candidates would be disadvantaged in Michigan because the state has a straight-ticket device for political parties. Also Michigan puts independent candidates in the far-right column, or at the bottom of the list of candidates, depending on which ballot format is used in any particular county.

Other states that have never had an independent gubernatorial candidate on the ballot are Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Delaware and New Mexico are similar to Michigan. Neither state had procedures for independent candidates to get on the ballot until courts in 1976 and 1977 said they must have such procedures.