By Dan Diorio
The news that Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, may launch a run for president as an independent has added yet another wrinkle to an already atypical presidential race. Armed with a possible $1 billion of his own money, the former mayor could have a big impact on the race—if he can get on the ballot.
As the August issue of NCSL’s elections newsletter presented, presidential ballot access is 50 different shades of law.
Each state has its own petition signatures requirements that range from the low end of Tennessee (275) to New York (15,000 with at least 100 from half the state’s congressional districts) and Illinois (25,000).
Throw in deadlines for getting those signatures (some as soon as April) and getting on all 50 is no small feat. It requires a ton of advance work. Bloomberg’s advisers have pegged March as the deadline for making the decision, but it may not be soon enough even with $1 billion.
Even if Mayor Bloomberg makes it onto the ballot in all 50 states, it remains to be seen whether or not an independent could truly be a threat to the two-party system
Only a few individuals have successfully climbed the mountain of running as a third party candidate or independent for president: Teddy Roosevelt (1912), billionaire Ross Perot (1992 and 1996), John Anderson (1980), and George Wallace (1968) come to mind. Let’s also not forget the Electoral College, which holds the key to victory. Perot received the largest number of popular votes of that group, but still failed to win any electoral votes in 1992, while Roosevelt (88 electoral votes) and Wallace (46 electoral votes) likely played spoiler for a major party candidate in their elections.
As someone who grew up in the heyday of the show about a family from Springfield, I have the image of Ross Perot punching his hat as two aliens attempting to take over the planet scoff at the suggestion of voting for a third party candidate.
For now it’s fun to speculate on how someone like Mayor Bloomberg could make this wild presidential race even more interesting.
For more information on third party and independent qualifications, be sure to visit Richard Winger's Ballot Access News.
Dan Diorio is a policy specialist in NCSL's elections program.
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