In every battleground state this year, there is at least one third-party or independent candidate on the ballot. The Democrats have been more openly concerned than Republicans.
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Who is on the ballot in the battleground states
| Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | Jill Stein (Green Party) | Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party) | Cornel West | |
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| Arizona |
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| Georgia |
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| Michigan |
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| Nevada |
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| North Carolina |
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| Pennsylvania |
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| Wisconsin |
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By Leanne Abraham
By Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Taylor Robinson
Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Taylor Robinson have been tracking the state-by-state ballot status of third-party and independent candidates since March.
Oct. 14, 2024, 5:03 a.m. ET
With a month to go before what is widely expected to be an extraordinarily close election, an extra element of unpredictability looms: In every battleground state, there is at least one third-party or independent presidential candidate on the ballot.
None of these candidates will come anywhere close to winning the presidency. Jill Stein, the Green Party nominee, is polling at about 1 percent nationally, according to New York Times polling released last week. Same with Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party candidate.
But their presence on the ballot in just a few states could take just enough votes away from the major party candidates to tip the balance of the Electoral College and the election, in what is known as the “spoiler” effect.
To be a spoiler in the election, a third-party candidate would “either have to have a large amount of support, or the election has to be remarkably close,” said Bernard Tamas, a professor of political science at Valdosta State University who has written a book on third parties in U.S. politics.
“This may wind up being very, very close in these key swing states,” he said.
The Democratic Party and its allies have been more openly concerned than Republicans, in recent years, about the impact of third-party candidates, and this election is no exception. As they see it, every vote that is not for Vice President Kamala Harris is a vote for former President Donald J. Trump.
“The presidential race could very well come down to a few thousand votes in a handful of states,” said Rahna Epting, the executive director of MoveOn, a liberal activist group. “These third-party candidates — they still remain a big threat this cycle.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
On ballot
Not on ballot
Battleground state
Calif. Alaska La. Ala. Ark. Colo. Idaho Ill. Ind. Iowa Kan. Ky. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mont. N.M. Okla. Ore. S.D. Tenn. Vt. Wash. W.Va. Wis.
Conn.
Del.
Md.
N.J.
R.I.
Jill Stein (Green Party)
On ballot
Not on ballot
Battleground state
Calif. Alaska La. Texas Ala. Ariz. Ark. Colo. Fla. Ga. Hawaii Idaho Ky. Maine Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. N.M. N.C. Ohio Ore. Pa. S.C. Tenn. Utah Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis.
Conn.
Md.
Mass.
N.H.
N.J.
R.I.
Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party)
On ballot
Not on ballot
Battleground state
Calif. Nev. Alaska La. Texas Ala. Ariz. Ark. Colo. Fla. Ga. Hawaii Idaho Ind. Iowa Kan. Ky. Maine Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. N.M. N.C. N.D. Ohio Okla. Ore. Pa. S.C. S.D. Utah Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo.
Conn.
Del.
Md.
Mass.
N.H.
N.J.
R.I.
Cornel West
On ballot
Not on ballot
Battleground state
Alaska La. Colo. Maine Mich. Minn. Neb. N.C. Ore. S.C. Utah Vt. Va. Wash. Wis.
Note: The “not on ballot” distinction here encompasses a few different situations. In some states, a candidate did meet state deadlines and got on the ballot. But courts have since retroactively determined that they did not in fact qualify, so any votes cast for that candidate won’t be counted. In other states, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his presidential campaign in August, successfully qualified but then filed to remove his name from the ballot when he withdrew from the race.
By Leanne Abraham
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Source: nytimes.com
