In 2016 and 2018, Texas required 47,086 signatures for a new party, or for a non-presidential statewide independent. But for 2020 and 2022, the requirement will be more than 83,075 signatures. The formula is 1% of the gubernatorial vote, and although the final gubernatorial vote for 2018 is not known, on election night, the number of votes cast would translate into 83,075.
The 2020 independent presidential petition will be 89,693 signatures, 1% of the 2016 presidential vote.
In other words, for Greens like me, the road got a lot tougher.
If Texas were to adopt Top 2 and used a qualification of 0.1%,
a candidate would need 8302 supporters to run for statewide office, and an average of 231 for US Representative, 268 for senator, and 56 for representative.
If Texas were to adopt Top One there would be no petition requirement. Extremely efficient and tested in many places like Cuba, North Korea, USSR and PRC.
If Texas were to adopt Top ZERO/below ZERO, then CO would take office NOW.
This means that unless a really well funded candidate emerges, no currently unqualified party or statewide independent candidate is likely to qualify for tge ballot in Texas in 2020.