5000

In addition to these thoughts, let me mention something else that is assinine about the number of signatures that an independent candidate must get on a petition for ballot access.

 

According to Secretary of State, independent candidates must submit a petition with about 37,000 signatures if they want ballot access in 2008 for any office that runs statewide except for president (for example, U.S. Senate,  supreme court justice, state court of appeals). However, if an independent candidates is running for president of the United States in Alabama, he or she needs only 5,000 signatures for ballot access.

 

I've talked with some people and cannot figure any legitimate reason why an independent running for U.S. Senate needs nearly eight (8) times as many signatures to get on the ballot than someone running for U.S. President.  Candidates for both offices run statewide. Both offices are in the federal government.

 

Applying Occam's Razor, I can only guess that Alabama's legislature makes it easier for indy candidates for president so that Alabama does not stifle a viable, national independent candidacy for the country's highest office. (Okay, I'm snickering as I write that.)

 

I suppose I can also guess this: Alabama's legislature figures that an independent candidate for president is less a threat to the major parties than an independent candidate for statewide office.  Indy candidates for president must be able to mount a strong enough national campaign to collect half of the electoral college votes. Indy candidates for, say, U.S. Senate, need to mount only a strong statewide campaign and get a plurality of the votes cast (assuming only three candidates:  Dem, Repub, and Indy).

 

With a 5,000 signature petition requirement for president, the Alabama Legislature is conceding to a point that this number of signatures is sufficient for ensuring that a candidate has a "modicum of support" in our state.  It also suggests that the Legislature readily concedes that this lower number is sufficient for preventing ballot clutter and voter confusion.