Jacob Hornberger, one of the candidates seeking the Libertarian presidential nomination, has this op-ed about ballot access laws in the Orange County (California) Register.
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As of April 2024, these are the number of registrants in Florida qualified parties: Republican 5,239,600; Democratic 4,346,491; Independent Party 242,330; Libertarian 35,357; Conservative 19,903; Constitution 16,434; No Labels 8,355; Green 7,841; Boricua 5,974; Coalition with a Purpose 3,283; Ecology 2,919; Socialism & Liberation 1,894; Peoples 1,321; Forward 496; independent and miscellaneous 3,530,804.
Percentages are: Republican 38.92%; Democratic 32.28%; Independent Party 1.80%; Libertarian .26%; Conservative .15%; Constitution .12%; No Labels .06%; Green .06%; Boricua .02%; Coalition with a Purpose .02%; Ecology .02%; Socialism & Liberation .01%; Peoples .01%; Forward .00%; independent and miscellaneous 26.23%.
Percentages in October 2023 had been: Republican 37.82%; Democratic 33.11%; Independent Party 1.60%; Libertarian .26%; Conservative .08%; Constitution .08%; Green .06%; No Labels .04%; Boricua .02%; Ecology .02%; Coalition with a Purpose .01%; Socialism & Liberation .01%; Peoples .01%; independent and miscellaneous 26.86%.
The Natural Law Party is also a qualified party, but it had not been when this tally was prepared. Thanks to Tim Thornburn for the data.
In 1974 congress passed a law allowing public funding for presidential candidates. It said parties that poll at least 5% for president may receive public funding after the election is over. They also get an equivalent amount for the next presidential election.
In 1980, independent presidential candidate John B. Anderson got 6.7% of the popular vote. Before the election, the Federal Election Commission determined that if he got over 5%, he would qualify for public funding, even though he was an independent, not the nominee of a new or minor party. Anderson went into debt during the 1980 campaign, hoping that he would receive over 5% of the vote and then receive public funding to pay off his campaign debts. His gamble paid off.
Most polls nowadays are showing that Kennedy will get more than 5% of the November 2024 vote.
On May 9, U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson, an Obama appointee, upheld a Wisconsin law that says when someone votes absentee, the voter must find some other adult U.S. citizen to watch the voter vote, and then the witness must sign the outer envelope, give his or her address, and certify that the the witness observed the voter prepare the ballot. The witness is not supposed to watch how the voter votes, just that the witness saw the voter seal up the ballot in the envelope. Liebert v Millis, w.d., 3:23cv-672.
On May 9, the Third Circuit agreed with a U.S. District Court that Camp Hill Borough, Pennsylvania, cannot put more limits on campaign lawn signs than other types of signs. Camp Hill Borough Republican Association v Borough of Camp Hill, 23-1746. Here is the eleven-page opinion.