Third-party and independent candidates for the 2008 United States presidential election

This article contains lists of official third party or independent candidates associated with the 2008 United States presidential election.

Third party is a term commonly used in the United States to refer to political parties other than the two major parties, the Democratic Party and Republican Party. The term is used as innumerate shorthand for all such parties, or sometimes only the largest of them.

An independent candidate is one who runs for office with no formal party affiliation.

Candidates who received, or ran for, the presidential nomination of a political party other than that of the two major parties in the 2008 presidential election, as well those who ran as independents, are listed below.

Candidates who qualified for minimum 270 electoral votes

The following nominees appeared on enough state ballots to theoretically obtain the minimum 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Constitution Party

Ticket Presidential nominee Chuck BaldwinRunning mate Darrell Castle Pastor, conservative political activist, and Constitution Party 2004 Vice Presidential nominee. Nominated by the Constitution Party at its 2008 National Convention on April 26, 2008, with 383.8 delegates. On Election Day, Baldwin received 199,314 votes, about 0.2% of the total popular vote.National Vice-Chair of the Constitution Party. Attorney, political activist and former Marine Corps Lieutenant from Tennessee.

Candidates CandidateImageBackgroundDelegatesAlan Keyes Political activist, former U.S. diplomat. Republican candidate for president in 1996, 2000 and 2008, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992, and 2004.125.7Max "The Swashbuckler" Riekse Former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel.Gunn, Steve 'Mad Max' not the life of the Constitution Party , MLive.com. April 28, 2008 4.5Susan Gail Ducey Stay at home mom and registered nurse from Kansas. Started out 2008 presidential campaign running as a Republican then switched to independent prior to seeking the Constitution Party nomination. She was also a 1996 Republican presidential candidate and made a brief run for the United States Congress in 2000 as a Republican in Oklahoma."Presidency 2008" , www.politics1.com.Duceyforpresident.com 1Daniel Imperato Businessman from Florida and Libertarian Party presidential candidate.1

Green Party

Ticket Presidential nominee Cynthia McKinneyRunning mate Rosa Clemente Former Congresswoman from Georgia (1993–2003, 2005–2007). McKinney clinched the Green Party nomination on July 12, 2008, at its 2008 National Convention in Chicago, IL with 324 delegates. McKinney also received the endorsement of the Workers World Party in July.World Workers Party formally endorses McKinney, Independent Political Report, July 17, 2008. McKinney received 161,603 votes for 0.1% of the vote. Commentator, political activist, community organizer and independent reporter from New York.

Candidates CandidateImageBackgroundDelegates Kat Swift State Party Co-Chair, progressive activist and newspaper credit manager from Texas. 38.5 Kent Mesplay Inspector at the air pollution control district of San Diego County (2001–2015) from California. 35 Jesse Johnson Filmmaker, and 2006 Senate candidate and 2004 gubernatorial candidate for the Mountain Party from West Virginia. 32.5 Elaine Brown Former Chairwoman of the Black Panther Party from California 9 Jared Ball College professor, journalist from Maryland. (endorsed McKinney) 8 Howie Hawkins Co-Founder of the Green Party and Activist from New York8

Libertarian Party

Ticket Presidential nominee Bob Barr Running mate Wayne Allyn Root Former Congressman and U.S. Attorney from Georgia. Barr won the nomination of the Libertarian Party on May 25, 2008, at its 2008 National Convention, in Denver, Colorado with 324 votes on the sixth ballot. Barr received 523,686 votes, 0.4% of the national vote. Sports handicapper, businessman, author, and TV show host from Nevada.

Candidates Candidate ImageBackgroundDelegates (1st Ballot)Mary Ruwart Author of Healing Our World, research scientist, activist, candidate for the Libertarian 1984 presidential nomination and 1992 vice-presidential nomination.152Wayne Allyn RootSports handicapper, businessman, author, and TV show host from Nevada.123Mike GravelFormer U.S. Senator from Alaska. Previously a candidate for the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nomination.71George Phillies Professor of Physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute,Faculty Directory – George Phillies 2002 candidate for chair of the Libertarian National Committee, and 1998 Congressional candidate from Massachusetts. 49Steve Kubby Businessman, marijuana legalization activist, and 1998 Gubernatorial candidate from California. 41 Mike Jingozian Software company founder from Oregon.Mike Jingozian for President FEC disclosure report , FEC.govCandidate profile:Mike Jingozian, at Project Vote Smart.23 Christine Smith Humanitarian activist, and writer from Colorado.Christine Smith for President FEC disclosure report , FEC.gov.Candidate profile:Christine Smith at Project Vote Smart.6Daniel Imperato Businessman from Florida. 1 Robert Milnes Activist from Camden, New Jersey.Libertarian Party of PA/NJ Presidential Debate (video)0

Independent For independent candidates that did not achieve ballot access in enough states to win 270 electoral votes, see Independents section. Presidential candidate Ralph NaderRunning mate Matt Gonzalez Consumer advocate, Write-in candidate in 1992, Green Party presidential nominee in 1996 and 2000, and 2004 independent candidate. Announced candidacy February 24, 2008, on Meet the Press. Nader received 738,475 votes, the third highest total in the popular vote count. Prominent lawyer and activist in San Francisco, California politics. In 2003 while a city supervisor was elected by peers on the Board of Supervisors to the presidency of the board representing a city of nearly a million people. He was a close second in a mayoral bid that won him 47% of the vote despite being outspent 6.5 to 1.

Other candidates

The nominees of the following parties appeared on fewer state ballots than needed to qualify for the minimum 270 electoral votes required to win the electoral college. These candidates could only theoretically have been elected in the unlikely event of a successful write-in campaign, or in the event that no candidate received at least 270 electoral votes. In the latter scenario, the election of the President would be determined by the House of Representatives.

Boston Tea Party Presidential nominee Charles JayJay was selected as the nominee of the Boston Tea Party at its online Convention held June 15–16, 2008. He was the 2004 Presidential nominee of the Personal Choice Party, which also endorsed him in 2008. Jay received 2,422 votes. Vice Presidential nomineeThomas L. Knapp Blogger, political activist, of Missouri. He also ran for Congress as a Libertarian.

New American Independent Party

Presidential nomineeFrank McEnulty President & chief financial officer of Our Castle Homes from California. McEnulty won the New American Independent Party nomination in March 2008. He simultaneously ran as the vice-presidential nominee of the Reform Party in states where the NAIP was unable to obtain ballot status."Dallas Reform Party Meeting", www.ballot-access.org, July 7, 2008 McEnulty received 828 votes in Colorado, the only state he was on the ballot.

Objectivist Party Presidential nomineeTom Stevens Objectivist, educator, attorney, political activist, founder and chairman of the Objectivist Party from New York. He received 755 votes. Vice Presidential nomineeAlden Link Objectivist, entrepreneur, real estate developer and aviator. He holds residency in both New Jersey and New York.

Party for Socialism and Liberation Presidential nomineeGloria La Riva Socialist, long-time anti-war and immigrant rights activist, of California. The Party for Socialism and Liberation announced the La Riva campaign on January 17, 2008. La Riva received the nomination of the Peace & Freedom Party in gubernatorial races in 1994 and 1998. She received 6,808 votes. Vice Presidential nomineeEugene Puryear Anti-war activist, social justice organizer, and Party for Socialism and Liberation National Committee member, of Washington, D.C.

Prohibition Party Presidential nominee Gene Amondson Temperance lecturer, minister, artist, and 2004 Presidential Nominee. Nominated at the Prohibition Party National Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana, September 14, 2007. Amondson received 653 votes. Vice Presidential nomineeLeroy Pletten Temperance movement activist from Michigan.

Reform Party Presidential nomineeTed Weill Businessman, of Mississippi. Weill received the nomination of the Reform Party at its National Convention in Dallas, Texas on July 20, 2008. Weill received 481 votes. Vice Presidential nomineeFrank McEnulty Businessman, of California. McEnulty also ran as the presidential nominee of the New American Independent Party in the states where the Reform Party was unable to obtain ballot access. CandidatesDaniel Imperato Businessman from Florida who eventually joined the Libertarian Party.

Socialist Party USA Presidential nominee Brian Moore Antiwar activist, independent (Green Party endorsed) candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida in 2006. Moore received the Socialist Party USA's presidential nomination at its National Convention in St. Louis, Missouri on October 20, 2007. Moore received 6,528 votes nationally. Vice Presidential nomineeStewart Alexander Political activist and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate of California Candidates Eric Chester Author and former economics professor. 1996 Socialist Party USA vice-presidential candidate, three-time candidate for SPUSA presidential nomination (2000, 2004, 2008).

Socialist Workers Party Presidential nominee Róger Calero Socialist Workers Party candidate for President of the United States in 2004 and 2008, and for the United States Senate in New York in 2006. Calero received 5,127 votes. Because Calero was not a natural-born citizen of the United States and was ineligible for the presidency, James Harris stood in for Calero as the SWP's nominee in several states, receiving an additional 2,424 votes, giving the party a total of 7,551 votes for president. Vice Presidential nominee Alyson Kennedy Laborer and political activist from New Jersey.

Independents

CandidatesAlan Keyes Former Ambassador in the Ronald Reagan administration. Unsuccessfully sought the nominations of the Republican Party and the Constitution Party before beginning a campaign as an independent. In some of the states he appeared on the ballot for, he was listed as the candidate for America's Independent Party, a party formed by his supporters. Keyes received 47,694 votes. Brian Rohrbough of Colorado was Keyes' running mate.Joe SchrinerJournalist and author from Ohio. Independent presidential candidate in 2000 and 2004.(August 14, 2009) Dale Way of Michigan was Schriner's running mate.

Debates Several third-party debates were held in 2008. Presidential debates Third-party debates, 2008 N° Date Host Location Moderator(s) Participants Participant.    Non-invitee.     Absent invitee.   Independent SenatorBarack Obamaof Illinois SenatorJohn McCainof Arizona CongressmanBob Barrof Georgia CongresswomanCynthia McKinneyof Georgia PastorChuck Baldwinof Florida AdvocateRalph Naderof ConnecticutD1October 15, 2008 Columbia University New York City Amy Goodman of C-SPAND2October 23, 2008 Mayflower Renaissance Hotel Washington, D.C. Chris Hedges

Vice presidential debates Third-party debates, 2008 N° Date Host Location Moderator(s) Participants Participant.    Non-invitee.     Absent invitee.   Independent SenatorJoe Bidenof Delaware GovernorSarah Palinof Alaska BusinessmanWayne Allyn Rootof Nevada ActivistRosa Clementeof New York LawyerDarrell Castle SupervisorMatt Gonzalezof CaliforniaD1November 2, 2008 University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas