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• Monday, December 31, 2007 09:04 AM

  Ballot Access Laws

  Ballot access laws can be a challenge to third party candidacies. While the Democratic and Republican parties are usually entitled to ballot access in all fifty states in every election, third parties often need to meet extra criteria for ballot access, such as registration fees or, in many states, petition requirements in which a certain number of voters must sign a petition for a third party or independent candidate to gain ballot access. In recent presidential elections, Ross Perot appeared on all 50 state ballots as an independent in 1992 and the candidate of the Reform Party in 1996. (Perot, a multimillionaire, was able to provide significant funds for his campaigns.) Patrick Buchanan appeared on all 50 state ballots in the 2000 election,[2] largely on the basis of Perot's performance as the Reform Party's candidate four years prior. The Libertarian Party has appeared on the ballot in at least 46 states in every election since 1980, except for 1984 when David Bergland gained access in only 36 states. The Green Party gained access to 44 state ballots in 2000 but only 27 in 2004. The Constitution Party appeared on 42 state ballots in 2004.[3] Ralph Nader, running as an independent in 2004, appeared on 34 state ballots.

  Like Perot, money would not be an issue for Bloomberg, but what do folks think about the petition requirements? Is Broder et al's noise machine (or Republican dissatisfaction with the current cast of boobs) sufficient to get people to sign on the dotted line?

  —Pedinska Read Pedinska's other letters
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