Gary Johnson Is Officially on the Ballot in Ohio

image
Published: 24 Aug, 2016
2 min read

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted verified Wednesday that Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson will appear on the presidential ballot in November. Johnson supporters had to file Johnson as an independent because the Libertarian Party currently is not recognized as a minor party since it did not field a candidate for governor in 2014.

Well, the party did, but Libertarian candidate Charlie Earl was disqualified from appearing on the ballot by Husted. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio Republican Party spent over half a million dollars to keep Earl off the ballot.

Libertarians originally filed with Earl listed as their presidential candidate, but when Johnson was named the Libertarian nominee at the national party's convention in May, local Libertarian leaders asked to substitute Johnson's name. Husted approved the switch.

In order to gain access to the November ballot, Johnson supporters needed to collect 5,000 valid signatures. According to Husted, they filed 7,619.

This is major news for the Johnson campaign, which has already reported a successful month. During its #15for15 money bomb, the Johnson campaign reports raising $1.77 million on August 15 and over $3 million for the entire month of August, more money than he raised throughout his entire 2012 presidential campaign.

Johnson is also doing fairly well in the polls, though the time is running out to qualify for the first presidential debate. According to the Johnson-Weld website, in the 5 polls the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) will use to determine debate inclusion, Johnson is averaging at 10.2 percent. CPD rules require Johnson to be at a 15 percent average, though commission co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf has suggested that the CPD would consider "giving an inch" to a minor party candidate who was close to the 15 percent mark.

The first presidential debate will take place on Monday, September 26, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. Reports suggest that the debate location is preparing to have a third candidate in the debate in the event that Johnson reaches the polling threshold.

You Might Also Like

“Cartoon illustration of Americans facing the U.S. Capitol as light pierces through red and blue partisan cracks, representing independent voters and hope for political reform.”
New Poll: Voters Want New Leadership – and They’re Turning to Independents
A new poll from the Independent Center highlights a clear message from the public: Americans are fed up with the current political leadership, and they’re ready for change....
12 Nov, 2025
-
2 min read
Massachusetts voters.
Ranked Choice Voting Momentum Surges in Massachusetts as Cities Push for Local Control
Ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to see a surge in momentum across the U.S. However, the state that has seen the largest reform growth in the last 5 years -- Massachusetts -- has received little attention. This is because the 10 cities that have approved RCV have not been able to implement it due to state law....
14 Nov, 2025
-
5 min read
Caution tape with US Capitol building in the background.
Did the Republicans or Democrats Start the Gerrymandering Fight?
The 2026 midterm election cycle is quickly approaching. However, there is a lingering question mark over what congressional maps will look like when voters start to cast their ballots, especially as Republicans and Democrats fight to obtain any electoral advantage possible. ...
11 Nov, 2025
-
8 min read