Questions are being asked in the wake of this past weekend’s Kansas City announcement by former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia that he has set up an exploratory committee to consider a run for the White House as a Libertarian. One of those questions regards the qualifications for getting on the November ballot.
Ryan Hobart with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office says the candidate chosen by the Libertarian Party as its presidential candidate will have the same automatic access to the ballot that is enjoyed by the Democratic and Republican winners. That, he says, results from the Libertarians’ winning at least 2 percent of the votes cast in at least one statewide election in 2006. The Libertarians actually met the 2 percent threshold in two statewide races in 2006 – U.S. Senate and State Auditor.
The Libertarians must have their presidential candidate’s name presented to the Secretary of State’s Office by August 28th. Democrats and Republicans have until later in the summer because their national conventions are later. Independent candidates must collect 10,000 valid signatures and must present those to the Secretary of State’s Office by July 28th.
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