logo

WATCH: How Third Parties and Independents Get Ballot Access

image
Jake SimmsJake Simms
Published: 17 Oct, 2016
1 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65AZr335FWc

We over at Third Candidates took time this summer and fall to learn more about the process independent and third party candidates go through in order to be granted ballot access.

Like a lot of things in our system, ballot access is badly in need of simplification so political competition can be a little more free flowing. Just like getting on a debate stage, being on the ballot brings an air of viability to a candidate. Keeping that at arms length is an effective way to stifle competition.  

If an individual can't easily get ballot access, or a party can't provide it, ambitious, up-and-coming politicians are more likely to join the D or R parties.

Anyway, this one was a blast to produce. We visited Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Hudson valley area of New York. John learned to drive a tractor. I learned new tricks on how to eat lobster.

Our next episode will look into a reform that many readers of this site are probably aware of: Ranked Choice Voting.

Photo Credit: Shawn M. Griffiths / IVN.us

You Might Also Like

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
Utah state capitol.
Utah Judge Delivers a Major Blow to Gerrymandering
A Utah state judge has struck down the congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers, ruling that it violates the state’s voter-approved ban on partisan gerrymandering and ordering new district lines for the 2026 elections....
11 Nov, 2025
-
2 min read
bucking party on gerrymandering
5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering
Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....
31 Oct, 2025
-
4 min read