The Green Party says it has collected enough signatures to have candidates on the ballot in November.
North Carolina’s election law formula requires third parties seeking ballot access this year to collect nearly 14,000 signatures from registered voters. The petition must also include 200 signatures from registered voters in three congressional districts.
On June 1, the Green Party turned in more than 16,000 signatures to the state Board of Elections. A spokesman for the board says the signatures are now going through the review process.
If the petition is certified, the Green Party says it will have a convention to nominate candidates. The party says it intends to nominate Matthew Hoh for U.S. Senate. Hoh, who is already campaigning, is a former Marine captain who served in Afghanistan.
“We are advancing a host of issues that have popular support in the United States. Like Medicare for all, student and medical debt relief, ending the war on drugs, and an annualized living wage tied to local housing costs,” Hoh said. “We are advancing ideas that if we’re not in the debate, if we’re not part of this campaign, are not going to be included.”
UNC-Charlotte political science professor Eric Herberlig says third-party candidates can influence election results even if they don’t win.
“One of the concerns of third parties from the perspective of the major parties is that the third parties are just gonna steal votes that the major party thinks is theirs so, in a close election, any shift in the vote could make a difference,” he said.
In addition to Democrat Cheryl Beasley and Republican Ted Budd, Libertarian Shannon Bray is also on the U.S. Senate ballot.