The Libertarian Party had candidates for the office at the top of the ballot in 35 states, plus D.C., last month. The 36 candidates appear to have polled approximately 1,475,000 votes. The exact number can’t be known until December 15, when New York releases its official election returns. By comparison, in 2010 the Libertarian Party top-of-the ballot nominees polled 1,015,009. The increase in the Libertarian vote was 44.8%.
The Republican Party vote decreased for the top-of-the-ballot offices from 43,507,666 to 40,851,521, a decrease of 6.1%.
The Democratic vote decreased from 41,043,721 to 36,759,972, a decrease of 10.4%.
The Green Party vote decreased from 508,041 to 405,621, a decrease of 20.2%. The main reason for the Green Party change was that it had a candidate for Governor of California in 2010 who polled 129,231 votes, but in 2014 no such candidacy was permitted.
The 2014 numbers will increase somewhat when New York and Ohio complete their tallies.
Slowly but surely, the Libertarian Party is building a foundation of faithful supporters. And, depending on how the GOP handles certain hot topic issues in 2016, we might see these numbers double – if not quadtriple in 2018.
Careful, that’s what the Socialist Party was thinking a century ago and it was all downhill from there.
That is the original Socialist Party. Not the Democrat and sometime Republican Parties.
Michael:
Do you not recall studying in American History that Socialist leader Norman Thomas kept accusing the Democratic Party of stealing its platform?
He wasn’t blowing hot air!
No mention of the CP?
Communists took over the Donkeys in 1930-1932.
Who needs mere leftwing socialists ???
Any showdown will be between the LP and the tyrant control freak STATISTS – i.e. such Donkey communists and Elephant fascists.
—
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
The Constitution Party’s 2010 showing was the best in its history because of Colorado, so naturally their 2014 figure is much lower.
The Constitution Party 2014 figure for top-of-the-ticket offices is 180,420 if Oregon is included, or 164,491 if it isn’t included.
Richard:
Two questions about the recent voting for the Constitution, Green & Libertarian Parties.
One: What was the percentage of the National vote and number of states that each party contested in 2010 & 2014?
Two: Which were the top 4 states each party had in 2010 & 2014?
The Green Party tally would have been much lower were it not for Howie Hawkins’ fairly impressive showing in New York. Now if only we’d managed to get our candidate for governor on the ballot here in Illinois, we might have still gotten close to the 500,000 votes mark. But at least we kept qualified party status in the Illinois 5th and 12th Congressional districts.
Actually, if I’ve read the original post right the total doesn’t include NY yet. Looks like we’ll smash right through the 500k mark.
Then the latter number is the accurate one, and the Oregon CP totals should be included with their national affiliate’s totals in Utah (IAP).
However in comparison with the other third parties, it is truly sad, and further shows a party in serious decline.
No, the original post includes the tentative New York vote for Hawkins of 176,269.