Most independent and third party friendly states

[bgwah]

I compiled a list of third party, indepenedent, and write-in candidates who got at least 5% of the vote since 1990. There were 106 candidates from 38 states fitting this profile. A majority were independents. (Updated to include 2011-2012)



Most frequent states
13 - Maine
10 - Alaska
8 - Minnesota
7 - Vermont
5 - Arizona
5 - Oklahoma
5 - Rhode Island
5 - Virginia
4 - Connecticut
4 - Massachusetts
3 - Hawaii
3 - Indiana
3 - Kansas
3 - New York
3 - Wyoming
2 - Idaho
2 - Kentucky
2 - Louisiana
2 - New Mexico
2 - Ohio
2 - Oregon
2 - Pennsylvania
2 - Texas
2 - Utah
1 - Arkansas
1 - California
1 - Colorado
1 - Florida
1 - Illinois
1 - Maryland
1 - Mississippi
1 - Missouri
1 - Montana
1 - Nebraska
1 - New Hampshire
1 - New Jersey
1 - South Carolina
1 - South Dakota
1 - Wisconsin
1 - West Virginia

Most frequent parties
64 - Independent
15 - Green
12 - Libertarian
6 - MN Independence
5 - Constitution
5 - Reform
4 - Write-in
2 - A Connecticut Party
2 - AK Independence
2 - NY Independence
1 - Best Party HI
1 - Cool Moose (RI)
1 - CT For Lieberman
1 - Moderate Republican (AK)
1 - Moderate (RI)
1 - NY Conservative
1 - Other Party (LA)
1 - VT Progressive



Here is the master list copied from Excel (it's not as pretty now, I know). Winners in bold, and candidates who didn't face a member of at least one of the major parties are colored purple.

%   Candidate   Party   State   Year   Rank   Race
71.04%   Sanders   Independent   VT   2012   1st   Sen   *No D
65.41%   Sanders   Independent   VT   2006   1st   Sen   *No D
58.61%   King   Independent   ME   1998   1st   Gov   
52.89%   King   Independent   ME   2012   1st   Sen
49.71%   Lieberman   CT for Lieberman   CT   2006   1st   Sen   
48.00%  Walker   Independent   AK   2014   1st   Gov   *No D
42.50%   Orman   Independent   KS   2014   2nd   Sen   *No D
40.36%   Weicker   A Connecticut Party   CT   1990   1st   Gov   
39.49%   Murkowski   Write-in   AK   2010   1st   Sen   
38.88%   Hickell   AK Independence   AK   1990   1st   Gov   
36.99%   Ventura   Reform   MN   1998   1st   Gov   
36.43%   Tancredo   Constitution   CO   2010   2nd   Gov   
36.36%   Cutler   Independent   ME   2010   2nd   Gov   
36.10%   Chafee   Independent   RI   2010   1st   Gov   
35.37%   King   Independent   ME   1994   1st   Gov   
33.58%   Cook   Independent   UT   1992   2nd   Gov   
30.67%   Fasi   Best Party HI   HI   1994   2nd   Gov   
29.71%   Crist   Independent   FL   2010   2nd   Sen   
23.45%   Watkins   Independent   OK   1994   3rd   Gov   
22.10%   Raimondo Independent   RI   2014   3rd   Gov   
21.87%   Polina   Independent   VT   2008   2nd   Gov   
21.55%   Merrill   Independent   ME   2006   3rd   Gov   
20.47%   Kennedy   Green   AR   2008   2nd   Sen   *No R
20.40%   London   NY Conservative   NY   1990   3rd   Gov   
18.88%   Groark   A Connecticut Party   CT   1994   3rd   Gov   
18.43%   Cloud   Libertarian   MA   2002   2nd   Sen   *No R
18.26%   Taylor   Write-in   AK   1998   2nd   Gov   
18.16%   Spannaus   Independent   VA   1990   2nd   Sen   *No D
18.13%   Strayhorn   Independent   TX   2006   3rd   Gov   
17.00%   Pressler   Independent   SD   2014   3rd   Sen
16.37%   Sobhani   Independent   MD   2012   3rd   Sen
16.18%   Penny   MN Independence   MN   2002   3rd   Gov   
15.42%   O'Hara   Reform   MS   2002   2nd   Sen   *No D
15.33%   Galbraith   Reform   KY   1999   3rd   Gov   
15.15%   Barkley   MN Independence   MN   2008   3rd   Sen   
14.79%   Georges   Independent   LA   2007   3rd   Gov   
14.28%   Golisano   NY Independence   NY   2002   3rd   Gov   
14.12%   Richardson   Independent   OK   2002   3rd   Gov   
13.73%   Martin   Green   HI   1992   3rd   Sen   
13.04%   Coghill   AK Independence   AK   1994   3rd   Gov   
12.95%   Mobley   Independent   OR   1992   3rd   Gov   
12.84%   Luksik   Constitution   PA   1994   3rd   Gov   
12.59%   Osborn   Libertarian   IN   2008   2nd   Sen   *No D
12.52%   Whittaker   Green   AK   1996   2nd   Sen   
12.43%   Friedman   Independent   TX   2006   4th   Gov   
11.94%   Horner   MN Independence   MN   2010   3rd   Gov   
11.90%   Hanneman   Independent   HI   2014   3rd   Gov   
11.88%   Howell   Libertarian   MA   2000   3rd   Sen   
11.44%   Coleman   Independent   VA   1994   3rd   Sen   
11.34%   Scott   Independent   CT   1994   4th   Gov   
10.45%   Thompson   Libertarian   WI   2002   3rd   Gov   
10.44%   Luksik   Constitution   PA   1998   3rd   Gov   
10.36%   Whitney   Green   IL   2006   3rd   Gov   
10.26%   Mondragon   Green   NM   1994   3rd   Gov   
9.93%   Ledgerwood   Independent   OK   1990   3rd   Gov   
9.74%   Spannaus   Independent   VA   2002   2nd   Sen   *No D
9.71%   Hogan   Independent   VT   2002   3rd   Gov   
9.58%   Polina   VT Progressive   VT   2000   3rd   Gov   
9.56%   LaMarche   Green   ME   2006   4th   Gov   
9.46%   Halcro   Independent   AK   2006   3rd   Gov   
9.28%   Carter   Green   ME   2002   3rd   Gov   
9.26%   Adam   Independent   ME   1990   3rd   Gov   
9.21%   Clements   Green   SC   2010   3rd   Sen   
9.10%   Rosile   Libertarian   KS   2002   2nd   Sen   *No D
9.08%   Healey   Independent   RI   1994   3rd   Gov   
8.99%   Galbraith   Independent   KY   2011   3rd   Gov
8.87%   Khachuturian   Other Party   LA   1992   3rd   Sen   
8.82%   Campbell-Cline   Independent   NE   1990   3rd   Gov   
8.37%   Cook   Reform   KS   2002   3rd   Sen   *No D
8.40%   Cutler  Independent ME   2014 3rd   Sen   
8.35%   Jordan   Green   AK   1992   3rd   Sen   
8.03%   Cahill   Independent   MA   2010   3rd   Gov   
8.03%   Pritt   Write-in   WV   1992   3rd   Gov   
7.82%   Toel   Independent   AZ   2000   2nd   Sen   *No D
7.80%   Hansen   Green   AZ   2000   3rd   Sen   *No D
8.00%   Gotshall   Independent   WY   2014   3rd   Sen   
7.69%   Golisano   NY Independence   NY   1998   3rd   Gov   
7.33%   Slovenec   Independent   OH   1994   3rd   Sen   
7.32%   Haynes   Write-in   WY   2010   3rd   Gov   
7.24%   Sykes   Green   AK   2002   3rd   Sen   
7.12%   Hornberger, Jr.   Independent   VA   2002   3rd   Sen   *No D
7.07%   Morse   Independent   VT   1994   3rd   Gov   
6.98%   Barkley   Reform   MN   1996   3rd   Sen   
6.97%   Mihos   Independent   MA   2006   3rd   Gov   
6.93%   Mahoney   Independent   AZ   2002   3rd   Gov   
6.89%   Grevatt   Independent   OH   1992   3rd   Sen   
6.82%   LaMarche   Green   ME   1998   4th   Gov   
6.75%   Grainger   Libertarian   AZ   1994   3rd   Sen   
6.56%   Cox   Libertarian   MT   2012   3rd   Sen
6.52%   Sarvis   Libertarian   VA   2013   3rd   Gov   
6.47%   Block   Moderate   RI   2010   4th   Gov   
6.43%   Hutchison   MN Independence   MN   2006   3rd   Gov   
6.39%   Germalic   Independent   OK   2002   3rd   Sen   
6.39%   Carter   Green   ME   1994   4th   Gov   
6.36%   Brown   Independent   NH   2000   3rd   Gov   
6.28%   Healey   Cool Moose   RI   1998   3rd   Gov   
6.15%   Metcalfe   Moderate Republican   AK   1998   4th   Gov   
6.10%   Willis Independent   WY   2014   3rd   Gov   
6.07%   Dine   Libertarian   MO   2012   3rd   Sen
5.99%   Bilyeu   Independent   OK   2004   3rd   Sen   
5.89%   Mills   Independent   VT   1994   3rd   Sen   
5.89%   Kemp   Independent   ID   2010   3rd   Gov   
5.81%   Gibson   MN Independence   MN   2000   3rd   Sen   
5.76%   Daggett   Independent   NJ   2009   3rd   Gov   
5.67%   Bradley   Constitution   UT   2010   3rd   Sen   
5.67%   Horning   Libertarian   IN   2012   3rd   Sen
5.47%   Bacon   Green   ME   2002   3rd   Gov   
5.38%   Barkley   MN Independence   MN   1994   3rd   Sen   
5.37%   Slavick   Independent   ME   2006   3rd   Sen   
5.35%   Rammell   Independent   ID   2008   3rd   Sen   
5.26%   Camejo   Green   CA   2002   3rd   Gov   
5.24%   Brownlow   Constitution   OR   2008   3rd   Sen   
5.21%   Sink-Burris   Libertarian   IN   2010   3rd   Sen   
5.06%   Hess, II   Libertarian   AZ   2000   4th   Sen   *No D
5.02%   Moody   Independent   ME   2010   4th   Gov   

Data last updated for 2014
Map last updated for 2012

[Miles]

Good job.

I always knew Mainers were truly independent people!

[jimrtex]

39.49%   Murkowski   Write-in   AK   2010   1st   Sen   

Write-in candidates in Alaska can have party affiliation.

In the 2010 senate race there were 79 non-affiliated write-in candidates, 72 Republicans, 4 Democrats, 3 Libertarian, and 2 Alaskan Indepedence.

[bgwah]

I compiled a list of third party, indepenedent, and write-in candidates who got at least 5% of the vote since 1990

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Maine and Alaska for sure.

[Meeker]

Pretty much what one should've expected, especially the top four.

[bgwah]

For Washington, you  have to go back to 1982 for Senate and 1972 for Governor. It's highly unlikely a third party candidate or independent would make it to the general election for a major race under our current top-two system, though if something like that did happen they would probably do quite well in the general.

[CultureKing]

For Washington, you  have to go back to 1982 for Senate and 1972 for Governor. It's highly unlikely a third party candidate or independent would make it to the general election for a major race under our current top-two system, though if something like that did happen they would probably do quite well in the general.

Hmm... I always thought that while our system does limit third party access to general elections and thus political prime time that overall the open/top-two system is more or less moot when it comes to actually effecting whether or not third party candidates get elected (obviously should a third party candidate get into the general election they would likely get at least 35-40% of the vote).

Maybe a Cascadian Independence Party should arise...

[bgwah]

For Washington, you  have to go back to 1982 for Senate and 1972 for Governor. It's highly unlikely a third party candidate or independent would make it to the general election for a major race under our current top-two system, though if something like that did happen they would probably do quite well in the general.

Hmm... I always thought that while our system does limit third party access to general elections and thus political prime time that overall the open/top-two system is more or less moot when it comes to actually effecting whether or not third party candidates get elected (obviously should a third party candidate get into the general election they would likely get at least 35-40% of the vote).

Maybe a Cascadian Independence Party should arise...

Any election involving Brad Owen vs. a Republican is proof that we need third parties on the general election ballot...

And sorry, that party name is too long! "Cascadian Ind." Party would work. Personally, I like "Free Cascadia" Party.

[Free Palestine]

It should also be noted that Ed Clark, the Libertarian candidate for president in 1980, got 11% of the vote in Alaska.  Nader broke ten percent there as well.

[bgwah]

^ I forgot to note that I excluded Presidential elections and only used those for Senate and Governor. Perot got >5% in all 50 states, IIRC.

[BigSkyBob]

Washington, Louisiana and California. Open primary states grant third parties and independents the same right to compete as members of political parties. Those are the "third-party friendly" states. Which electorates vote the most for third-party candidates is a completely separate issue.

[Miles]

Umm...no. Maine, Minnesota and Alaska.

[BigSkyBob]

Umm...no. Maine, Minnesota and Alaska.

Since the open primary states grant independents and third-party candidates equal and unlimited access to the ballot it is logically impossible to believe that any state could be more "friendly." That is, under the assumption the duopoly wouldn't pass laws to make it harder for their candidates to run than third-party or independent candidates.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Umm...no. Maine, Minnesota and Alaska.

Since the open primary states grant independents and third-party candidates equal and unlimited access to the ballot it is logically impossible to believe that any state could be more "friendly." That is, under the assumption the duopoly wouldn't pass laws to make it harder for their candidates to run than third-party or independent candidates.

     You could say that in terms of the law, Washington, Louisiana, & California are the most third-party friendly states, but in terms of voter attitudes, Alaska, Maine, Minnesota, & Vermont are.

[BigSkyBob]

Umm...no. Maine, Minnesota and Alaska.

Since the open primary states grant independents and third-party candidates equal and unlimited access to the ballot it is logically impossible to believe that any state could be more "friendly." That is, under the assumption the duopoly wouldn't pass laws to make it harder for their candidates to run than third-party or independent candidates.

     You could say that in terms of the law, Washington, Louisiana, & California are the most third-party friendly states, but in terms of voter attitudes, Alaska, Maine, Minnesota, & Vermont are.

Or, you could say Washington, Louisana and California are the most third-party friendly, while the electorate in Alaska, Maine and Minnesota have electorates more receptive to voting for third-party candidates. States are governments, while electorates are people.

[nclib]

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I excluded candidates in races without one of the major party candidates, those who were incumbents of a statewide office, and those had served as Governor or in Congress, and got this top 10.

36.99%   Ventura   Reform   MN   1998   1st   Gov
36.36%   Cutler   Independent   ME   2010   2nd   Gov   
35.37%   King   Independent   ME   1994   1st   Gov
33.58%   Cook   Independent   UT   1992   2nd   Gov   
30.67%   Fasi   Best Party HI   HI   1994   2nd   Gov   
21.87%   Pollina   Independent   VT   2008   2nd   Gov   
21.55%   Merrill   Independent   ME   2006   3rd   Gov   
20.40%   London   NY Conservative   NY   1990   3rd   Gov   
18.26%   Taylor   Write-in   AK   1998   2nd   Gov   
15.33%   Galbraith   Reform   KY   1999   3rd   Gov   

[bgwah]

I wonder who will join the list this year and next? Looks like Galbraith will get >5% in KY again.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Very interesting thread ! Not surprising to see ME, AK and MN ahead.

[bgwah]

Updated to include 2011-2012. The new entries are:

5.67%   Horning   Libertarian   IN   2012   3rd   Sen
16.37%   Sobhani   Independent   MD   2012   3rd   Sen
52.89%   King   Independent   ME   2012   1st   Sen
6.07%   Dine   Libertarian   MO   2012   3rd   Sen
6.56%   Cox   Libertarian   MT   2012   3rd   Sen
71.04%   Sanders   Independent   VT   2012   1st   Sen
8.99%   Galbraith   Independent   KY   2011   3rd   Gov

[barfbag]

Alaska
North Dakota
Montana
Oregon
Washington
Vermont
Rhode Island

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Chard Reid got 7.73% of the vote in the Indiana 5th district congressional race. Why isn't he on this list

[Hatman 🍁]

When did Oklahoma change their laws? Surprised to seem them at 5.

[nclib]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I excluded candidates in races without one of the major party candidates, those who were incumbents of a statewide office, and those had served as Governor or in Congress, and got this top 10.

36.99%   Ventura   Reform   MN   1998   1st   Gov
36.36%   Cutler   Independent   ME   2010   2nd   Gov   
35.37%   King   Independent   ME   1994   1st   Gov
33.58%   Cook   Independent   UT   1992   2nd   Gov   
30.67%   Fasi   Best Party HI   HI   1994   2nd   Gov   
21.87%   Pollina   Independent   VT   2008   2nd   Gov   
21.55%   Merrill   Independent   ME   2006   3rd   Gov   
20.40%   London   NY Conservative   NY   1990   3rd   Gov   
18.26%   Taylor   Write-in   AK   1998   2nd   Gov   
15.33%   Galbraith   Reform   KY   1999   3rd   Gov   

Sobhani replaces Galbraith, though interesting that all the others are Gov., rather than Sen. Perhaps since Gov. races are less partisan?

JCL, this is for statewide races.