What will a third party candidate have to do to even get on the ballot?

Question

The big two parties have made it nearly impossible to get on the ballot by the laws and rules that they have written. What would it take? Besides a billion dollars.

Detail
The presidential ballot

Answer 1

That is it, It's the simple stipulation of money. It never matters that Libertarians or Green Party Candidates have similar values. it doesn't matter if everyone knows about the 3rd party. it's simply that noone but the big 2 can get their stances on issues out to the public. Jay leno made a comment last presidential election that Kerry spent millions of dollars on campaign comercials while Ralph Nader has Spent a bottle of spray paint for his car to advertise. this gives me the notion that we all know he's out there but we aren't going to vote for him because he is a wasted vote to everyone.
I think though that there are enough people out there that if they acted on their convictions they would make a 3rd party a force to be reckoned with. but then again look at the success of Bernie Sanders, a liberty union member and a senator of Vermont, he was formerly of the House and now he is in the senate elected this year.
but on the other hand I knew there was a 3rd party Senator but that was all i ad to search for his name, state, and hailing party. so in conclusion the dough is the true deciding factor but not the only

Answer 2

Elections are dealt with by technique of state, subsequently the reasoning in the back of some states having early balloting, some using butterfly ballots and others using automatic ballots. If a candidate isn't able to get 5,000 signatures in a state they do no longer look with the objective to be on the poll. yet once you do desire some election reform vote for Barack Obama, he will do the smart element and push to make the two November 4th a nationwide trip or push to have election day on a Saturday or Sunday.

Answer 3

There are 50 States and the District of Columbia (DC).
Each State has different laws and rules for getting on the ballot. For example in Indiana it is very difficult because Indiana requires thousands of signatures from each congressional district (there are nine districts in Indiana). You must get a certain number of signatures from each congressional district (no exceptions-for example if you fail in even one of the congressional districts to get the required amount of signatures then you have failed period).
The Libertarians in Indiana do have ballot status because the LP in Indiana has successfully obtained 2% of the vote in the Indiana Secretary of State race every 4 years when the election for Secretary of State of Indiana happens. That means that whoever the Libertarian Party nominates for President of the US will automatically be on the ballot in Indiana (no signatures required). The same obviously goes for the Republicans and Democrats.
Note: This is Indiana only. There are 49 other states with 49 different sets of laws/rules, regulations and requirements.
I hope that helps.

Oh yeah,I should mention that to get on as a "write-in candidate" is easier BUT getting people to write in a candidate instead of just voting for someone on the ballot would certainly be a monumental challenge as it is difficult enough just to motivate people to show up to vote on election day,let alone getting them to follow additional instructions to vote for a write in candidate.

Answer 4

In most years I'd agree with you, however at least in the case of the presidential race we have an honest person running. Really. It's Ron Paul. Here's why:

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.
He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.

This is once in a lifetime luck. Jump on it. Support this guy.

Answer 5

You are right.
3rd party no chance
Wasted vote Happend so many times.

Answer 6

Um, God as the 3rd party organizer?