Last updated on December 6, 2023
Today the LNC issued a statement on the Libertarian Presidential candidate’s 2024 ballot access. They offered to pay party members $3 for each collected signature. Their estimate of signature requirements (these are the minimum numbers of valid signatures; the actual number of valid signatures needs to be significantly larger.):
George,
As we approach the upcoming elections, securing ballot access is of paramount importance for the Libertarian Party. We are reaching out to provide you with a comprehensive update on the states where our ballot access initiatives are currently underway and where your support is urgently needed.
States Seeking Ballot Access in 2024:
Alabama – 5000 signatures
Washington DC – 5200 signatures
Illinois – 25,000 signatures
Massachusetts – 10,000 signatures
New Hampshire – 3000 signatures
Pennsylvania – 5000 signatures
Rhode Island – 1000 signatures
Virginia – 5000 signatures
States with 100% Self-Funded Initiatives:
Tennessee
Washington
New Jersey
States with High Financial Demands:
New York- Due to nearly 45,000 signatures in a short window for petitioners to gather them, there is significant cost associated with gaining ballot access.
States with Ongoing Ballot Access Initiatives:
Kentucky- 5000 signatures
Maine- 5000 registered voters
New Mexico- 3562 signatures
North Dakota- 7000 signatures
Ohio- 5000 signatures
Edit: For next year that is (round number) 60,0000 signatures plus New York, so allowing for safety margins and invalid signatures more like 80-90,0000 raw signatures, meaning something like $300,000-500,000 plus New York, plus anything more needed for ongoing, minus anything clever that happens.
Would it be possible for the MA and/or the NM parties to nominate the same presidential candidate that is nominated by the LPUS?
For Massachusetts, it would be legal. I would expect that the answer to your question would depend who wins at the next national convention, that is, who wins for National Committee.
However, if a Presidential candidate were on the ballot of two parties, he would need two slates of electors, and his votes would not be combined, up to litigation and acts of the state legislature.
Note that this LNC plans to petition in two states where the Libertarian Party already has ballot status (MA and NM) – because it’s not THEIR party that is ballot qualified. 13535 valid signatures means that about 20000 will need to be collected. At $3/sig (actual cost likely higher) that’s $60,000 to be pissed away qualifying a second party that likely won’t be able to call itself libertarian. What a waste of member donations.