Third party and independent candidates for the 2020 United States presidential election

Third party and independent candidates for the 2020 United States presidential election

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This article lists third-party and independent candidates, also jointly known as minor candidates, associated with the 2020 United States presidential election.

"Third party" is a term commonly used in the United States in reference to political parties other than the Democratic and Republican parties. An independent candidate is one not affiliated with any political party.

The list of candidates whose names were printed on the ballot or who were accepted as write-in candidates varied by state. More than a hundred candidates were on the ballot or formally registered as write-in candidates in at least one state.

All minor candidates combined received less than 2% of the national votes.

Summary

Show/hide: [presidential candidates] [vice presidential candidates] [parties] [ballot access]

2020 United States presidential election results
Presidential candidate Joe Biden Donald Trump Jo Jorgensen Howie Hawkins Rocky De La Fuente Gloria La Riva Kanye West
Don Blankenship Brock Pierce Brian Carroll
Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris Mike Pence Spike Cohen Angela Walker Darcy Richardson
Sunil Freeman
Michelle Tidball William Mohr Karla Ballard Amar Patel
Party or label Democratic
Republican
Libertarian Green Alliance
PSL Birthday Constitution
Independent
American Solidarity
EV access Ballot 538 538 538 381 183 195 84 165 115 66
Total 538 538 538 511 289 401 243 305 285 463
State/DC EV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Others Total votes
Alabama 9 849,624 1,441,170 25,176 7,312 2,323,282
Alaska 3 153,778 189,951 8,897 318 1,127 825 4,634 359,530
Arizona 11 1,672,143 1,661,686 51,465 1,557 190 285 3,387,326
Arkansas 6 423,932 760,647 13,133 2,980 1,321 1,336 4,099 2,108 2,141 1,713 5,659 1,219,069
California 55 11,110,639 6,006,518 187,910 81,032 60,162 51,038 185 2,605 1,291 17,501,380
Colorado 9 1,804,352 1,364,607 52,460 8,986 636 1,035 8,089 5,061 572 2,515 8,667 3,256,980
Connecticut 7 1,080,831 714,717 20,230 7,538 13 255 219 54 1,823,857
Delaware 3 296,268 200,603 5,000 2,139 14 169 5 87 61 504,346
D. of Columbia 3 317,323 18,586 2,036 1,726 855 693 3,137 344,356
Florida 29 5,297,045 5,668,731 70,324 14,721 5,966 5,712 3,902 854 201 11,067,456
Georgia 16 2,473,633 2,461,854 62,229 1,013 159 61 701 310 4,999,960
Hawaii 4 366,130 196,864 5,539 3,822 931 1,183 574,469
Idaho 4 287,021 554,119 16,404 407 1,491 49 3,632 1,806 2,808 163 34 867,934
Illinois 20 3,471,915 2,446,891 66,544 30,494 8,046 18 9,548 288 6,033,744
Indiana 11 1,242,498 1,729,857 58,901 989 895 70 3,033,210
Iowa 6 759,061 897,672 19,637 3,075 1,082 3,210 1,707 544 4,883 1,690,871
Kansas 6 570,323 771,406 30,574 669 332 4 579 99 1,373,986
Kentucky 8 772,474 1,326,646 26,234 716 98 6,483 3,599 408 110 2,136,768
Louisiana 8 856,034 1,255,776 21,645 987 4,897 860 749 2,497 4,617 2,148,062
Maine 4 435,072 360,737 14,152 8,230 1,183 87 819,461
Maryland 10 1,985,023 976,414 33,488 15,799 26 125 1,117 16 795 24,227 3,037,030
Massachusetts 11 2,382,202 1,167,202 47,013 18,658 164 16,327 3,631,402
Michigan 16 2,804,040 2,649,852 60,381 13,718 2,986 7,235 963 127 5,539,302
Minnesota 10 1,717,077 1,484,065 34,976 10,033 5,611 1,210 7,940 75 5,651 1,037 9,496 3,277,171
Mississippi 6 539,398 756,764 8,026 1,498 3,657 1,279 659 1,161 1,317 1,313,759
Missouri 10 1,253,014 1,718,736 41,205 8,283 64 3,919 664 77 3,025,962
Montana 3 244,786 343,602 15,252 34 603,674
Nebraska 5 374,583 556,846 20,283 4,671 956,383
Nevada 6 703,486 669,890 14,783 3,138 14,079 1,405,376
New Hampshire 4 424,937 365,660 13,236 217 82 2,073 806,205
New Jersey 14 2,608,400 1,883,313 31,677 14,202 2,728 2,928 909 2,954 27 330 3,255 4,549,457
New Mexico 5 501,614 401,894 12,585 4,426 1,640 1,806 923,965
New York 29 5,244,886 3,251,997 60,383 32,832 25 437 2,219 55 22,656 999 372 8,616,861
North Carolina 15 2,684,292 2,758,775 48,678 12,195 7,549 13,315 5,524,804
North Dakota 3 115,042 235,751 9,371 1,860 362,024
Ohio 18 2,679,165 3,154,834 67,569 18,812 1,450 372 5,922,202
Oklahoma 7 503,890 1,020,280 24,731 5,597 2,547 3,654 1,560,699
Oregon 7 1,340,383 958,448 41,582 11,831 22,077 2,374,321
Pennsylvania 20 3,458,229 3,377,674 79,380 1,282 362 20,049 6,936,976
Rhode Island 4 307,486 199,922 5,053 923 847 767 2,759 517,757
South Carolina 9 1,091,541 1,385,103 27,916 6,907 1,862 2,513,329
South Dakota 3 150,471 261,043 11,095 422,609
Tennessee 11 1,143,711 1,852,475 29,877 4,545 1,860 2,301 10,279 5,365 762 2,676 3,053,851
Texas 38 5,259,126 5,890,347 126,243 33,396 350 2,785 2,809 11,315,056
Utah 6 560,282 865,140 38,447 5,053 1,139 7,213 5,551 2,623 368 2,473 1,488,289
Vermont 3 242,820 112,704 3,608 1,310 48 166 1,269 208 100 209 4,986 367,428
Virginia 13 2,413,568 1,962,430 64,761 19,765 4,460,524
Washington 12 2,369,612 1,584,651 80,500 18,289 4,840 29,739 4,087,631
West Virginia 5 235,984 545,382 10,687 2,599 0 9 25 5 40 794,731
Wisconsin 10 1,630,866 1,610,184 38,491 1,089 110 411 5,146 5,259 6,485 3,298,041
Wyoming 3 73,491 193,559 5,768 2,208 1,739 276,765
Total 538 81,283,501 74,223,975 1,865,535 407,068 88,241 85,685 70,950 60,080 49,773 40,365 254,458 158,429,631
Legend
Listed on ballot
Registered as write-in candidate
Write-in candidates allowed without registration
Not a candidate in the state/DC

Candidates who received more than 2,000 votes

The candidates below are listed in order of national vote totals.

Jo Jorgensen, Libertarian Party

Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen was the only minor candidate to breach a million votes nationwide, getting more than 1 % of the national votes and more than the margin between the two major candidates, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, in several battleground states. She was also the only minor candidate who was on the ballot in every state.

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
2020 Libertarian Party ticket
Jo Jorgensen Spike Cohen
for President for Vice President
Clemson University lecturer from South Carolina Podcaster and businessman from South Carolina
Campaign
Jorgensen Cohen 2020 Campaign Logo.svg
Other candidates for the Libertarian Party nomination
Jacob Hornberger Vermin Supreme John Monds Jim Gray Adam Kokesh Dan Behrman
Jacob Hornberger by Gage Skidmore (cropped) (3).jpg
Vermin Supreme August 2019 (cropped).jpg
Jim Gray (cropped).jpg
Kokesh2013 (cropped).jpg
Dan-taxation-is-theft-behrman (cropped) (2).jpg
Founder and President of the Future of Freedom Foundation Performance artist, activist, and political satirist Former President of the Grady County, Georgia NAACP Former presiding judge for the Superior Court of Orange County, California Libertarian and anti-war political activist Software engineer and podcaster
Jacob Hornberger 2020 campaign logo.png Vermin Supreme 2020 - Free Ponies For All - Campaign Logo.jpg Dan Behrman 2020 campaign logo.png
Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign
W: May 23, 2020
8,986 votes (20.55%)
236 first round delegates
W: May 23, 2020
4,288 votes (9.81%)
171 first round delegates
W: May 23, 2020
1 vote (<0.01%)
147 first round delegates
W: May 23, 2020
42 votes (0.10%)
98 first round delegates
W: May 23, 2020
2,728 votes (6.24%)
77 first round delegates
W: May 23, 2020
2,337 votes (5.34%)
0 first round delegates
Sam Robb Justin Amash Ken Armstrong Lincoln Chafee Max Abramson Kim Ruff
Sam Robb Campaign Photo for 2020 Election (cropped).jpg
Justin Amash official photo (cropped).jpg
Ken Armstrong POTUS46 Headshot (cropped).jpg
Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee - 140526-N-PX557-166 (14290233225) (cropped).jpg
Max suit small (cropped).jpg
Kim Ruff (50280804772) (cropped).jpg
Software engineer and author
Former naval officer
U.S. representative from MI-03 (2011–present) U.S. Coast Guard
commissioned officer
(1977–1994)
Governor of Rhode Island (2011–2015) and U.S. Senator from Rhode Island (1999–2007) New Hampshire State Representative (2014–2016; 2018–present) Vice chair of the LPRadical Caucus
Sam Robb Campaign Logo for 2020 candidacy.png Max Abramson 2020 logo.png RuffPhillips 2020 campaign logo.png
Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign Campaign
W: May 23, 2020
1,943 votes (5.06%)
0 first round delegates
W: May 17, 2020
3 votes (0.01%)
17 first round delegates
W: April 29, 2020
3,509 votes (8.03%)
0 first round delegates
W: April 5, 2020
294 votes (0.67%)
1 (write-in) first round delegate
W: March 3, 2020
2,052 votes (5.34%)
0 first round delegates
W: January 11, 2020
3,045 votes (7.93%)
0 first round delegates

Howie Hawkins, Green Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Green Party ticket
Howie Hawkins Angela Walker
for President for Vice President
Co-founder of the Green Party from New York ATU Local 998 Legislative Director (2011–2013) from South Carolina
Campaign
Hawkins Walker logo wide.png
Additional party nominations: Legal Marijuana Now
Socialist Alternative
Socialist Party USA
Other candidates for the Green Party nomination
Dario Hunter
Officially recognized
Sedinam
Moyowasifza-Curry
Dennis Lambert Jesse Ventura David Rolde
Officially recognized
Dario Hunter headshot.jpg
SKCM Curry 2 (cropped).png
Dennis Lambert (1).jpg
JesseVentura1.jpg
David Rolde (Green Party US) (1).jpg
Member of the Youngstown Board of Education (2016–2020) Activist Documentary filmmaker Governor of Minnesota (1999–2003) Co-chair of the Greater Boston Chapter of the Green-Rainbow Party
Dario Hunter 2020 (1).png Sedinam 2020 Logo.png
Campaign
89.5 delegates (20.1%)
3,087 votes
10.5 delegates (3.0%)
2,229 votes
9 delegates (2.6%)
2,029 votes
8 delegates (1.7%)
49 votes
5.5 delegates (1.6%)
960 votes
No candidacy

Rocky De La Fuente, Alliance Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Alliance Party ticket
Rocky De La Fuente Darcy Richardson
for President for Vice President
Rocky De La Fuente1 (2) (cropped).jpg LG PICs 2 002.JPG
Businessman and perennial candidate from California Author, historian and political activist from Florida
Campaign
Rocky De La Fuente 2020 presidential campaign logo.png
Additional party nominations: Reform Party
Natural Law Party of Michigan
American Independent Party
Other candidates for the Reform Party nomination
Max Abramson Johannon Ben Zion Phil Collins Souraya Faas
Max suit small.jpg
New Hampshire State Representative from the 20th Rockingham district Former 2020 presidential nominee of the Transhumanist Party from Arizona Former Libertyville Township Trustee and 2020 presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party from Nevada Former member of the Miami-Dade County Republican executive committee from Florida
Campaign Campaign
4 votes 1 vote 0 votes Withdrew before convention
(endorsed De La Fuente)

Gloria La Riva, Party for Socialism and Liberation

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Party for Socialism and Liberation ticket
Gloria La Riva Sunil Freeman
for President for Vice President
Gloria La Riva at Trump inauguration protest SF Jan 20 2017.jpg Sunil freeman 0593.JPG
Activist and writer from California Author and activist from the District of Columbia
Gloria La Riva logo.png
Additional party nominations: Liberty Union Party
Peace and Freedom Party

Kanye West, Birthday Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Birthday Party ticket
Kanye West Michelle Tidball
for President for Vice President
Kanye West at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival-2 (cropped).jpg
Rapper, producer and fashion designer from Wyoming Preacher from Wyoming
Campaign
Kanye 2020 Logo.svg

Don Blankenship, Constitution Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Constitution Party ticket
Don Blankenship William Mohr
for President for Vice President
Former CEO of Massey Energy from West Virginia Chairman of the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan from Michigan
Campaign
Don Blankenship 2020 presidential campaign logo.jpg
Candidates for the Constitution Party nomination
Don Blankenship Charles Kraut Don Grundman Samm Tittle Daniel Clyde Cummings J. R. Myers
Former CEO of Massey Energy from West Virginia Author from Virginia Chairman of the Constitution Party of California 2012 and 2016 independent presidential candidate from Texas Physician from Utah Former Alaska Constitution Party Chairman
Convention
139.5 votes (1st ballot)
177 votes (2nd ballot)
Popular Vote
639 votes
Convention
77.8 votes (1st ballot)
86.75 votes (2nd ballot)
Popular Vote
186 votes
Convention
25.25 votes (1st ballot)
24 votes (2nd ballot)
Popular Vote
256 votes
Convention
46.35 votes (1st ballot)
21.25 votes (2nd ballot)
Popular Vote
195 votes
Convention
13.1 votes (1st ballot)
Popular Vote
133 votes
Popular Vote
116 votes

Brock Pierce, independent

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
Independent
Brock Pierce Karla Ballard
for President for Vice President
Brock Pierce at the SingularityU The Netherlands Summit 2016 (29033319263) (cropped) (cropped).jpg
Director of the Bitcoin Foundation and former actor from Puerto Rico Entrepreneur from Pennsylvania
Campaign
Brock Pierce Campaign Logo.png
Additional party nominations and ballot labels: American Shopping Party
Independence Party of New York
Freedom and Prosperity

Brian Carroll, American Solidarity Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 American Solidarity Party ticket
Brian T. Carroll Amar Patel
for President for Vice President
Brian T. Carroll - head shot .75 aspect ratio.png Amar Right Clean.jpg
Teacher from California Chairman of the American Solidarity Party from Illinois
Campaign
Carroll Patel 2020 Logo.svg
Other candidates for the American Solidarity Party nomination
Joe Schriner Joshua Perkins
Brian Carroll and Joe Schriner at the 2019 ASP Midwestern Regional Meeting (cropped).jpg
Plumber and activist from Ohio Programmer from Texas
Campaign

Jade Simmons, independent

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
Independent
Jade Simmons Claudeliah J. Roze
for President for Vice President
Jade Simmons on campaign trail (cropped).jpg
Classical concert pianist from Texas Defense contractor from Texas
Additional ballot label: Becoming One Nation

Alyson Kennedy, Socialist Workers Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Socialist Workers Party ticket
Alyson Kennedy Malcolm Jarrett
for President for Vice President
Mineworker and 2016 nominee from Texas Cook from Pennsylvania

Bill Hammons, Unity Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Unity Party ticket
Bill Hammons Eric Bodenstab
for President for Vice President
Bill Hammons.jpg
Founder of the Unity Party from Texas Chairman of the Colorado Unity Party from Colorado
Campaign

Jerome Segal, Bread and Roses

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Bread and Roses ticket
Jerome Segal John de Graaf
for President for Vice President
Jerome Segal(Cropped).jpg
Philosopher from Maryland Documentary filmmaker and author from Washington
Campaign

Dario Hunter, Progressive Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
Dario Hunter
2020 Progressive Party ticket
Dario Hunter Dawn Neptune Adams
for President for Vice President
Dario Hunter headshot.jpg Dawn Neptune Adams 402BDE5A.jpg
Youngstown Board of Education member (2016–2020) and 2020 Green candidate for President from Ohio Activist from Maine
Dario Hunter 2020 (1).png
Additional party nominations: Oregon Progressive Party

Phil Collins, Prohibition Party

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Prohibition Party ticket
Phil Collins Billy Joe Parker
for President for Vice President
Former Libertyville Township Trustee from Nevada Former Marine from Georgia
Campaign
Previous nominees of the Prohibition Party
First nominees
Bill Bayes C. L. Gammon
for President for Vice President
2016 Vice Presidential nominee
from Mississippi
Historian from Tennessee
Bayes withdrew on March 21, 2019
Second nominees
C. L. Gammon Phil Collins
for President for Vice President
Historian from Tennessee Former Libertyville Township Trustee from Nevada
Gammon withdrew on August 2, 2019

Jesse Ventura, Green Party of Alaska

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
2020 Green Party of Alaska ticket
Jesse Ventura Cynthia McKinney
for President for Vice President
JesseVentura1.jpg
Cynthia McKinney.jpg
Governor of Minnesota (1999–2003) U.S. Representative from Georgia (1993–2003)

Mark Charles, independent

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
Independent
Mark Charles Adrian Wallace
for President for Vice President
Mark Charles 2019.jpg
Activist from the District of Columbia Community organizer and activist from Kentucky
Mark Charles campaign logo.png

Joe McHugh, independent

Ballot access by state
 On ballot
 Write-in
Independent
Joe McHugh Elizabeth Storm
for President for Vice President
Marine veteran and entrepreneur from Michigan Attorney from Michigan

Other votes

A few states counted write-in votes for anyone, including people who did not declare themselves candidates and even non-human entities. In Vermont, write-in preferences included well-regarded politicians (including misspellings), celebrities, fictional characters, deities and a type of cheese.

In Nevada, the ballots included the option "none of these candidates", which received 14,079 votes.

Debates

Primaries

Early on March 4, 2020, the Free & Equal Elections Foundation held a debate at the Hilton Chicago Hotel. Various third-party candidates, as well as minor candidates affiliated with the Democratic and Republican parties attended. Some, but not all, of the participants would go on to be their parties nominees.

2020 Free & Equal debates
No. Date & Time Location Moderators Invited participants
 P  Participant. Democratic Libertarian Green Constitution American Solidarity Life and Liberty Transhumanist
Businessman
Mark Stewart
of Connecticut
Activist
Dan Berhman
of Texas
Carpenter
Erik Gerhardt
of Pennsylvania
LNC Vice Chair
Arvin Vohra
of Maryland
Activist
Sedinam Moyowasifza-Curry
of California
Financial Advisor
Charles Kraut
of Virginia
Educator
Brian Carroll
of California
Activist
J.R. Myers
of Alaska
Activist
Ben Zion
of Arizona
1a March 4, 2020
2:00 pm CST
Chicago, Illinois Christina Tobin P P P P P P P P P
 P  Participant. Republican Democratic Libertarian Green /
Socialist
PSL Independent
Futurist
Zoltan Istvan
of California
Attorney
Mosie Boyd
of Arkansas
Lieutenant
Ken Armstrong
of Hawaii
Lecturer
Jo Jorgensen
of South Carolina
Corporal
Adam Kokesh
of Indiana
Activist
Vermin Supreme
of Massachusetts
Tradesman
Howie Hawkins
of New York
Activist
Gloria La Riva
of California
Activist
Mark Charles
of the District of Columbia
1b March 4, 2020
6:30 pm CST
Chicago, Illinois Christina Tobin P P P P P P P P P

General election

Two debates were held prior to the general election. The first was on October 8, 2020, in Denver, Colorado, with participation limited to candidates on the ballot in at least eight states. A second debate with the same candidates occurred on October 24, 2020, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

2020 Free & Equal debates
No. Date & Time Location Moderators Invited participants
 P  Participant.
 A  Absent Invitee.
Republican Democratic Libertarian Green /
Socialist
PSL Alliance /
Reform
Constitution American Solidarity Independent
President
Donald Trump
of Florida
Former Vice President
Joe Biden
of Delaware
Lecturer
Jo Jorgensen
of South Carolina
Tradesman
Howie Hawkins
of New York
Activist
Gloria La Riva
of California
Businessman
Rocky De La Fuente
of California
Businessman
Don Blankenship
of West Virginia
Educator
Brian Carroll
of California
Entrepreneur
Brock Pierce
of Puerto Rico
Producer
Kanye West
of Wyoming
2 October 8, 2020
6:00 pm MDT
Denver, Colorado Christina Tobin A A A P P A P P P A
3 October 24, 2020
6:00 pm MDT
Cheyenne, Wyoming Christina Tobin A A A P P A A P P A


Withdrawn candidates

Declined

Individuals in this section were the subject of speculation that they might run for president as an independent or minor party candidate for the 2020 election but later said that they would not.

See also


This page was last updated at 2023-04-03 02:04 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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