We the People, the party formed in North Carolina to make it easier for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to get on the ballot in that state, has a nominee for State Senate and also a nominee for Rowan County office. They are Jeff Scott for State Senate 40th district; and Mark Ortiz, for Rowan County Commissioner.
If Kennedy polls as much as 2%, We the People Party will then be qualified for the 2026 and 2028 elections.
The Secret Service began protecting some presidential candidates in 1968. The first minor party or independent presidential candidates who ever received such protection were John G. Schmitz, 1972 nominee of the American/American Independent Parties, and Dr. Benjamin Spock, 1972 nominee of the Peoples Party. Eugene McCarthy received such protection in 1976. John Anderson received it in 1980.
Ross Perot did not want such protection in 1992 nor in 1996. He had his own security and did not want the federal government to constantly know where he was.
Thanks to Eric Garris, Darcy Richardson, Theresa Amato, and Clay Mulford for help with this post.
On July 16, the Oklahoma State Board of Elections had a random drawing to determine the order of parties on the November 2024 ballot. The Libertarian Party won the top spot, followed by the Republican Party and then the Democratic Party. Thanks to Chris Powell for this news.
On July 16, the North Carolina State Board of Elections approved the petition of the We the People Party (which has nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.), but denied the petition of the Justice for All Party (which supports Cornel West). See this story.
Justice for All was denied because some voters alleged that the petitioners were making inaccurate statements about the purpose of the petition. Thanks to Bobby G. for this news.
Oklahoma lets an independent presidential candidate, or the nominee of an unqualified party, on the ballot if they pay $35,000 by July 15. This year, the only two candidates who paid the fee are Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Chris Garrity. Presidential nominees of qualified parties need not pay the fee. The qualified parties are Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian.
Here is the website of Chris Garrity, who lives in New Hampshire. So far Oklahoma is the only state in which he is on the ballot. His website says he also expects to qualify in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Vermont. He is an independent. His website says political parties are “poisonous.”
