Indiana requires minor party and independent candidates to submit a petition of 2% of the last Secretary of State’s vote. Indiana’s official election agency has this link to November 2014 election returns. Although the totals aren’t final, it appears that the 2016 and 2018 petition for statewide candidates will be approximately 26,500 signatures. That is the lowest total since the old petition requirement was in effect. The old requirement was one-half of 1% of the Secretary of State’s vote. The legislature quadrupled the percentage in 1980, effective 1983.
The 2012-2014 requirement was 34,195 signatures; 2008-2010 was 32,742; 2004-2006 was 29,553; 2000-2002 was 30,717; 1996-1998 was 29,822; 1992-1994 was 29,909; 1988-1990 was 31,077; 1984-1986 was 35,040. No statewide petition in Indiana has succeeded since 2000, when Pat Buchanan petitioned for president. Indiana is one of four states in which Ralph Nader never appeared on the ballot.
I remember going to Indiana in 1980 to try and get the Socialist Party on the ballot and it only took 2000 or so signatures. Unfortunately there were just two of us trying to do it.
Well, in 1980 it wasn’t that easy; it was 6,982, for president and other statewide office. But the Socialist Workers Party did it that year.
Thanks. I stand corrected. I know that compared to Illinois it seemed like a small amount.
If I remember right in Illinois 1980, it was 25K, plus no more than 13K from Cook County.
Indiana increased the vote requirements because the American Party got on the ballot in 1978. The Libertarian Party was also building their own place on the ballot.