Independent Party of Florida

Independent Party of Florida
Basic facts
Location:	Largo, Fla.
Type:	Political party
Top official:	Ernest Bach, Chairman
Year founded:	1993

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The Independent Party of Florida is a recognized and ballot-qualified minor political party in Florida. The group is headquartered in Largo, Florida.^[1]

Background[edit]

The Independent Party of Florida was established in 1993. According to the party's founding documents, the group was formed "to reaffirm the principles as set forth in the United States Constitution as originally amended."^[2]

The Independent Party of Florida is the third largest political party in the state, with 258,914 registered voters as of February 2016. According to the party's chairman, Ernest Bach, the group is concentrating its outreach efforts in urban areas of the state while building up county chapters and a statewide infrastructure in preparation for the 2018 election cycle.^[3][4]

In a 2010 interview with the Orlando Sentinel, University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus observed that many voters mistakenly register with the Independent Party of Florida in an attempt to register as an independent, unaffiliated voter. Bach disputed MacManus' statement and affirmed that voters consciously choose to register with the party.^[5]

Ballot access for political parties[edit]

See also: List of political parties in the United States

As of June 2024, there were at least 53 distinct ballot-qualified political parties in the United States. There were 235 state-level parties.^[6] Some parties are recognized in multiple states. For example, both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are recognized in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. These two parties account for more than half of the 235 total state-level parties.^[7][8][9] Three minor parties were recognized in more than 10 states as of October 2024:

1. Libertarian Party: 38 states
2. Green Party: 23 states^[10]
3. Constitution Party: 12 states^[11]

Although there are dozens of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.

The number of ballot-qualified political parties fluctuates as parties gain or lose qualified status. In addition, some states distinguish between major parties and minor parties. Specific differences between major and minor parties differ from state to state. For example, in all states, major parties are granted access to primary elections. Some states, however, do not permit minor parties to participate in primary elections. Consequently, minor party candidates in these states can run only in general elections.^[7]

The table below lists all ballot-qualified political parties in each state as of June 2024. Click "[show]" to expand the table.^[7]

Convention[edit]

As of October 2016, no information was available regarding a 2016 state convention for the Independent Party of Florida.

Elections[edit]

2016 elections[edit]

During the 2016 election cycle, the Independent Party of Florida endorsed 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for president. The party also endorsed Democratic candidate Walter Dartland for Florida's 2nd Congressional District.

Leadership[edit]

The following individuals hold leadership positions with the Independent Party of Florida:^[1]

• Ernest Bach, Chairman
• John Leitgeb, Secretary-treasurer

Recent news[edit]

• Search Google News for this topic

See also[edit]

• List of political parties in the United States
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Florida
• Florida

External links[edit]

• Independent Party of Florida on Facebook

Footnotes[edit]

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