The best candidates should be able to run and win.
FAIR BALLOT ACCESS
The best candidates should be able to run for office - and win.
However, a myriad of policies, conceived under the red scare, ensure that only candidates approved by party leadership have a chance at appearing on our ballots.
The Issue
Ever wonder how we get such trash candidates to choose from every year? It’s not for lack of trying. Every year, tens of thousands of bright, new candidates step up to run for office. Women, men, conservatives, progressives, independents, business owners, and community leaders. However, a system of rules - Ballot Access - to even appear on your ballot ensures that the best candidates never even have a chance to run.
A SHORT HISTORY OF BALLOT ACCESS
It used to be that if you wanted to run for office, you could. Parties would hand out ballots and encourage their members to vote for specific candidates. Bribery and corruption abounded, and party bosses emerged as kingmakers. In response, the government took over ballot printing.
This didn’t cause issues at first, and nearly any potential candidate was able to run. However, in the aftermath of World War 1, and amid fears of a rising “Communist Party,” many states tightened access to the ballot for non-preferred parties. The scare went away, but the restrictions did not, and as major party leaders realized the value of keeping other candidates off the ballot, more restrictions were added.
COMMON RESTRICTIONS
Major/Minor Party Restrictions
The most common type of ballot restriction is the major/minor party distinction. These distinctions have incredible low signature requirements and filing fees for major party candidates, but high access requirements for third parties and independent candidates.
Filing Fees
Filing fees are supposed to cover the administrative cost of filing the paperwork, but in many states they go far beyond that. Fees from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars preclude any but wealthy candidates from stepping up and running.
Signature Requirements
After exclusively requiring filing fees was deemed unconstitutional, states added a signature option. However, high signature counts required, strict gathering windows, sometimes as little as a few weeks, and strict location requirements make it even more costly for candidates to collect signatures than to pay the filing fees they are supposed to relieve.
Here are some examples of how difficult it is to even run for office:
IN GEORGIA
Candidates are required to pay $6,000 just to run for office
IN NEW YORK
Independent and third party candidates must get 15,000 signatures before running, a cost of approximately $60,000
IN ALABAMA
A candidate for office must present signatures from 40,000+ voters just to run for office
Every Candidate Should be Able to Run for Office
If we’re ever going to get better politics as a nation, better candidates must be able to run for office. Fair Ballot Access ensures that anyone - from the gas station attendant to the millionaire - can run for office, while ensuring there is still some threshold to run.
1,000 SIGNATURES
Once a candidate has 1,000 signatures - for any office - they should be able to run. If 1,000 people have said they want you to represent them - the rest of the electorate should get a chance to decide.
1% OF THE SALARY OF THE OFFICE
If a state wants to offer candidates a fee instead of signature collection, candidates should not be required to submit more than 1% of the salary of the office they seek as a filing fee.
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
Finally, we need to level the playing field in politics for third parties and independent candidates. Ballot access is available to all, and all candidates have to meet these requirements. No more blessings from party leadership ensuring you’re the only choice for voters.
YES
I believe people should decide who runs for office, not politicians. I support fair ballot access to level the playing field and ensure that independent and third party candidates can run to represent me.
