Third-party and independent candidates for the 2012 United States presidential election


This article contains lists of official third party and independent candidates associated with the 2012 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. An independent candidate is one who runs for office with no formal party affiliation.
Those listed as candidates have done one or more of the following: formally announced they are candidates in the 2012 presidential election, filed as candidates with the Federal Election Commission, and/or received the presidential nomination of their respective party. They are listed alphabetically by surname within each section.

Ballot access to 270 or more electoral votes

vote totals on ballots representing 270 electoral votes. All other candidates were on the ballots of fewer than 10 states, 100 electors, and less than 20% of voters nationwide.
No candidates were "spoilers", i.e. having a greater total in any state greater than the margin between the top two candidates.

Libertarian Party

Nominee

Ballot access

Candidates

Declined to run

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but ultimately decided to not run for the nomination of the Libertarian Party.

Nominee

Ballot access

Candidates

Stewart Alexander
Activist and 2008 Socialist Party USA vice-presidential nominee, of California
Alexander announced in August 2010 that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Green Party. Alexander also announced that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Socialist Party USA. He withdrew his candidacy for the Green Party nomination in July 2011.
  • Socialist Party USA vice presidential nominee, 2008
Roseanne Barr
Comedian, of Hawaii
Barr announced in August 2011 that she would run for president in 2012 as the nominee of a political party she intends to create, called the "Green Tea Party." On January 25, 2012, she filed a declaration with the FEC. Barr has submitted paperwork to the Green Party for her candidacy, and stated on February 2, 2012 that she is a longtime supporter of the Green Party. After losing the Green Party nomination to Stein, Barr continued her campaign, winning the nomination of the Peace and Freedom Party.
Kent Mesplay
Activist and air quality inspector, of California
Mesplay announced during an interview with Wikinews on June 29, 2008, that he was in the planning stages for a 2012 presidential campaign. On May 24, 2011, he filed with the FEC as an official candidate for the Green Party nomination.

Declined to run

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but ultimately decided to not run for the nomination of the Green Party.
Americans Elect announced on May 17, 2012 that it would not field a candidate for president, as no candidate garnered enough support in the organization's online primary to reach its self-imposed threshold for the nomination.

Ballot access

Candidates

The following were the only four declared candidates to achieve more than 1,000 supporters for the presidential nomination of Americans Elect prior to the organization's announcement that it would not field a 2012 presidential candidate:
Buddy Roemer
Former Governor of Louisiana
On December 1, 2011, still a Republican Party candidate, Roemer announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination of Americans Elect. He officially left the Republican Party race in February 2012, and chose to seek the Reform Party presidential nomination in addition to Americans Elect. After the decision to not field a candidate, Roemer suspended his campaign as a whole. He attained an overall total of 6,293 supporters on the Americans Elect website.
Rocky Anderson
Former Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah
On March 14, 2012, Anderson announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination of Americans Elect. He was the 2012 nominee of the Justice Party, and continued his campaign after the board decision. He attained an overall total of 3,390 supporters on the Americans Elect website.
Michealene Risley
Activist, of California
In the summer of 2011, Risley mulled a presidential run. Learning about Americans Elect, she decided to seek the organization's presidential nomination. After the board decided to not field a presidential candidate, Risley became involved in a movement to overturn the decision. She attained an overall total of 2,351 supporters on the Americans Elect website.
Laurence Kotlikoff
Economist, of Massachusetts
In early January 2012, Kotlikoff announced his intentions to seek the presidential nomination of Americans Elect. He filed with the FEC on January 12. In May 2012, he chose to also seek the Reform Party nomination, but ended his presidential campaign as a whole after Americans Elect decided to not field a candidate. He attained an overall total of 2,027 supporters on the Americans Elect website.

Declined to run

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but ultimately decided to not run for the nomination of Americans Elect.

Nominee

Ballot access

Candidates

Declined to run

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but ultimately decided to not run for the nomination of the Constitution Party.

Nominee

Rocky Anderson
Former Mayor of Salt Lake City, of Utah

Anderson announced in November 2011 that he would run for president as the nominee of a newly formed political party, the Justice Party, of which he was a founding member.
  • Mayor of Salt Lake City 2000–2008

Ballot access

Ballot access to fewer than 270, but more than 50 electoral votes

Party for Socialism and Liberation

Nominee

Ballot Access

American Independent Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Candidates

Peace and Freedom Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Candidates

Socialist Workers Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Socialist Party USA

Nominee

Stewart Alexander
Activist and 2008 Socialist Party USA vice-presidential nominee, of California

Alexander announced in July 2010 that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Socialist Party USA. In October 2011, he received the formal nomination of the SPUSA at the Party's National Convention in Los Angeles, California.

Ballot Access

Ballot access to fewer than 50 electoral votes

America's Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Objectivist Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

American Third Position Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Reform Party USA

Nominee

Ballot Access

Candidates

Socialist Equality Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Grassroots Party

Nominee

Jim Carlson
Businessman from Minnesota
Carlson received the nomination of the Grassroots Party in June 2012. His running mate is George McMahon of Iowa.

Ballot Access

Prohibition Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Candidate

No ballot access

Boston Tea Party

Freedom Socialist Party

Nominee

Stephen Durham
Socialist activist, of New York
The Freedom Socialist Party's write-in campaign by longtime community organizer and gay labor activist Stephen Durham, with vice-presidential running-mate Christina López, was announced on January 31, 2012.

Ballot Access

Modern Whig Party

Nominee

Ballot Access

Independent

Ballot Access

Randall Terry
Pro-life activist of West Virginia
Randall Terry announced his general election campaign for president in May 2012. He had previously run in the Democratic Presidential Primaries.
Randy Blythe
Vocalist and songwriter, of metal band Lamb of God from Virginia
Blythe announced his candidacy for president in January 2012.
Robert Burck
Street performer, of New York
Burck, better known as the Naked Cowboy, initially announced his intentions to run for president on September 29, 2010, before formally declaring his candidacy at a press conference in New York City's Times Square on October 6, 2010. Burck proclaimed "I am not a Republican, I am not a Democrat, I am an American.....it is my goal and intention to lead the Tea Party to the office of the presidency."
In October 2012, Burck - having attained no ballot or write-in access in any state - endorsed Mitt Romney for President.
Terry Jones
senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida
Jones announced October 27, 2011 that he was running for president. He filed with the FEC on the same day, and listed "NPA" for his party affiliation.
Joe Schriner'''
Journalist, author, and perennial presidential candidate, of Ohio
The day after the 2008 presidential election, Schriner recorded a podcast declaring his candidacy for the 2012 presidential election, stating that it would be his final campaign. This is Schriner's fourth consecutive bid for the presidency.

Declined to run

The following people were the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but ultimately decided not to run as independent candidates.