WASHINGTON -- With the crowded presidential field, which features 22 Democratic and Republican candidates, not a great deal of attention has been paid to the 585 individuals officially registered on the FEC website as 2016 hopefuls.
Among them is "Deez Nuts," who, according to the campaign's FEC form, lives in Iowa and is running as an independent. According to Public Policy Polling, Nuts is putting up decent numbers in North Carolina and Minnesota.
COURTESY OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
The number of presidential candidates -- real or fictitious -- is the result of the relatively simple process of declaring one's candidacy for the office. All that is required is filling out FEC Form 2, the official Statement of Candidacy. The form is one page long and requires basic information, like name and address, and a place to register an official campaign committee.The FEC does not screen the forms or verify any candidate's identity, and treats each submitted form equally. So long as the information is completed and submitted by mail or online, the forms are placed on the FEC's candidate website.
The race also features at least one cat, named "Limberbutt McCubbins," who was the 192nd entrant filed. McCubbins was registered by Isaac Weiss of Louisville, Ky., and is a declared "Demo-cat" and carries the slogan, "Together, we cat."
Weiss, who serves as McCubbins' campaign manager, says that McCubbins believes in environmental preservation and the legalization of catnip. McCubbins would also have opposed the invasion of Iraq because the "climate is not favorable for a house cat."
While anyone can submit the form, the FEC does not officially consider someone a candidate until he or she raises or spends at least $5,000.
Honorable mentions for the 585 candidates also include Sydneys Voluptuous Buttocks of New York and Mr. Crawfish B. Crawfish of Louisiana.