NBC News has this story about Libertarian nominees for U.S. Senate in certain states in which the contest between the major party candidates is close.
This year, Libertarians are on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Utah. There are 34 states holding U.S. Senate elections.
“I think it’s going to be significant,” Chuck Coughlin, an Arizona Republican pollster, said of the third-party impact on key Senate races. “After all the ballots are counted, [candidates] are going to say, ‘That guy had 5% of the vote or 4% of the vote, and if I add that 4%, I win,’ because that’s how close these races are going to be.”
No one owns those votes.
Only an alternative voting system, such as run-off, approval, or ranked choice (preferable with Condorcet tabulation) can determine who has earned them.
Except they won’t actually get that high. 2% at most. I’m sure party hack Whitfield will come in for a robotic comment.
In 2020, Libertarian U.S. Senate candidates got 4.99% in Kansas, 4,00% in Kentucky, 6.37% in Nebraska, and 3.13% in North Carolina. Also in Arkansas, where there was no Democrat, the Libertarian got 33.47%.
USA Senate — one of THE most ANTI-Democracy legis bodies in Western Civilization.
Semi-permanent gerrymander State areas since 1600s colonies >> 1776 States >> others carved out of western areas.
It shows every day —
blowhard MORONS from small commie/fascist States.
One made it to the White House —- 666 J. Biden from SMALL DE
Even with just 2%, third party votes could cover the spread in any really close Senate race.
I think the FEC needs to take a page from its party threshold in presidential elections and go with something that covers House and Senate elections.
My proposal:
– major party: any party or candidate endorsed by a party that gets at least 25% of the vote
– minor party: any party or candidate endorsed by a party that gets between 5% and 25% of the vote
– political group: any party or candidate endorsed by a party that gets up to 5% of the vote
And ballot access would be based on the Fundraising threshold used for presidential elections but in congressional elections.