This article contains statistics on third-party and independent performances in US elections and a list of pages containing lists of those elections.
The following are third party and independent candidates who received more than 10% of the total popular vote.
Year | Party | Nominee | Running mate | # Votes | % Votes | % Votes On Ballot | Electoral Votes | Place | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1912 | Progressive | Theodore Roosevelt | Hiram Johnson | 4,120,609 | 27.39 / 100 | 27.86 / 100 | 88 / 531 | 2nd | |
1856 | American | Millard Fillmore | Andrew J. Donelson | 872,703 | 21.54 / 100 | 21.54 / 100 | 8 / 296 | 3rd | |
1992 | Independent | Ross Perot | James Stockdale | 19,743,821 | 18.91 / 100 | 18.91 / 100 | 0 / 538 | ||
1860 | Southern Democratic | John C. Breckinridge | Joseph Lane | 851,844 | 18.20 / 100 | 22.04 / 100 | 72 / 303 | 2nd | |
1924 | Progressive | Robert M. La Follette | Burton K. Wheeler | 4,833,821 | 16.62 / 100 | 16.69 / 100 | 13 / 531 | 3rd | |
1968 | American Independent | George Wallace | Curtis LeMay | 9,901,118 | 13.53 / 100 | 13.56 / 100 | 46 / 538 | ||
1860 | Constitutional Union | John Bell | Edward Everett | 590,946 | 12.62 / 100 | 15.43 / 100 | 39 / 303 | ||
1848 | Free Soil | Martin Van Buren | Charles F. Adams | 291,475 | 10.13 / 100 | 13.79 / 100 | 0 / 290 |
The following are third party and independent candidates who have won senate seats since 1970.
Year | State | Party | Nominee | # Votes | % Votes | Place | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Maine | Independent | Angus King | 427,279 | 52.06 / 100 | Re-elected | |
Vermont | Independent | Bernie Sanders | 229,429 | 63.16 / 100 | Re-elected | ||
2018 | Maine | Independent | Angus King | 344,575 | 54.31 / 100 | Re-elected | |
Vermont | Independent | Bernie Sanders | 183,649 | 67.44 / 100 | Re-elected | ||
2012 | Maine | Independent | Angus King | 370,580 | 52.89 / 100 | Elected | |
Vermont | Independent | Bernie Sanders | 209,053 | 71.04 / 100 | Re-elected | ||
2010 | Alaska | Republican (write-in) | Lisa Murkowski | 101,091 | 39.49 / 100 | Re-elected | Lost Republican primary |
2006 | Connecticut | Connecticut for Lieberman | Joe Lieberman | 564,095 | 49.71 / 100 | Re-elected | Lost Democratic primary |
Vermont | Independent | Bernie Sanders | 171,638 | 65.41 / 100 | Elected | ||
1976 | Virginia | Independent | Harry F. Byrd Jr. | 890,778 | 57.2 / 100 | Re-elected | |
1970 | Virginia | Independent | Harry F. Byrd Jr. | 506,237 | 53.54 / 100 | Re-elected | |
New York | Conservative | James L. Buckley | 2,288,190 | 38.95 / 100 | Elected |
The following are third party and independent candidates who have received more than 30% of the popular vote since 2008.
The following are third party and independent candidates who have won governerships since 1990.
Year | State | Party | Nominee | Running mate | # Votes | % Votes | Place |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Alaska | Independent | Bill Walker | Byron Mallott | 134,658 | 48.1 / 100 | Elected |
Rhode Island | Independent | Lincoln Chafee | 123,571 | 36.1 / 100 | Elected | ||
1998 | Maine | Independent | Angus King | 246,772 | 58.61 / 100 | Re-elected | |
Minnesota | Reform | Jesse Ventura | Mae Schunk | 773,713 | 36.99 / 100 | Elected | |
1994 | Maine | Independent | Angus King | 180,829 | 35.37 / 100 | Elected | |
1990 | Alaska | Alaskan Independence | Wally Hickel | Jack Coghill | 75,721 | 38.88 / 100 | Elected |
Connecticut | A Connecticut Party | Lowell Weicker | Eunice Groark | 460,576 | 40.36 / 100 | Elected |
This list includes state constitutional offices apart from governorships. This table shows candidates who have gotten at or more than 5% of the total vote. Candidates must run solely on a third party line to be included.
To be included in the table the candidate must run separately from the governor.
Year | State | Party | Nominee | # Votes | % Votes | Place |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 [2] | Alabama [3] | Libertarian | Ruth Page-Nelson | 178,660 | 15.6 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [4] |
Rhode Island [5] | Independent | Ross McCurdy | 19,507 | 5.5 / 100 | 3rd of 3 |
Year | State | Party | Nominee | # Votes | % Votes | Place |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Nebraska [6] | Legal Marijuana Now | Larry Bolinger | 188,649 | 30.3 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [7] |
Oklahoma [8] | Libertarian | Lynda Steele | 281,923 | 26.24 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [9] | |
2018 | Iowa [10] | Libertarian (Write-in) | Marco Battaglia | 262,131 | 22.8 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [11] |
2016 | Utah [12] | Libertarian | Andrew McCullough [13] | 73,973 | 6.73 / 100 | 3rd of 4 |
Washington [14] | Joshua Trumbull | 979,105 | 32.86 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [15] | ||
2014 | Arkansas [16] | Aaron Cash | 43,245 | 5.2 / 100 | 3rd of 3 | |
Colorado [17] | David K. Williams | 120,745 | 6 / 100 | 3rd of 3 | ||
Nevada [18] | American Independent | Jonathan Hansen | 30,513 | 5.6 / 100 | 3rd of 4 | |
2012 | Utah [19] | Libertarian | Andrew McCullough [13] | 47,347 | 5.3 / 100 | 3rd of 3 |
2008 | Vermont [20] | Vermont Progressive | Charlotte Dennett | 17,730 | 6 / 100 | 3rd of 4 |
2002 | Vermont [21] | Cindy Hill | 16,152 | 7.3 / 100 | 3rd of 6 | |
1965 | Virginia [22] | Conservative (Virginia) | John W. Carter | 80,542 | 13.6 / 100 | 3rd of 3 |
1934 | California [23] | Prohibition | Errol O. Shour | 396,852 [24] | 19.3 / 100 | 2nd of 2 [25] |
1914 | California [26] | Bull Moose (Progressive) | U. S. Webb | 639,804 [27] | 78.2 / 100 | Elected [28] |
Socialist | Walter R. Dunn | 96,678 [29] | 11.8 / 100 | 2nd of 3 | ||
Prohibition | James H. Blanchard | 81,274 [30] | 9.9 / 100 | 3rd of 3 |
Note: Prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, most states did not hold direct elections to the Senate.[ citation needed ]
Legend: | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
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Elections with notable third party electoral performances (1900–present) [31] | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Gubernatorial elections | Senate elections | Total elections | ||||||
Threshold reached | Threshold candidates | Third party victory | Threshold reached | Threshold candidates | Third party victory | Threshold reached | Threshold candidates | Third party victory | |
Alabama | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
Alaska | 9 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 3 |
Arizona | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 |
Arkansas | 10 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 1 |
California | 8 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 21 | 1 |
Colorado | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 0 |
Connecticut | 7 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 13 | 2 |
Delaware | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Florida | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
Georgia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
Hawaii | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Idaho | 13 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 21 | 0 |
Illinois | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
Indiana | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
Iowa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Kansas | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 0 |
Kentucky | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Louisiana | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Maine | 13 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 23 | 5 |
Maryland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Massachusetts | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
Michigan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Minnesota | 21 | 25 | 5 | 19 | 22 | 5 | 40 | 47 | 10 |
Mississippi | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
Missouri | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Nebraska | 10 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 2 |
Nevada | 6 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 2 |
New Hampshire | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
New Jersey | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
New Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
New York | 11 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 20 | 1 |
North Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
North Dakota | 7 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 16 | 19 | 2 |
Ohio | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
Oklahoma | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Oregon | 6 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 1 |
Pennsylvania | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
Rhode Island | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 0 |
South Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
South Dakota | 7 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 |
Tennessee | 7 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 12 | 0 |
Texas | 9 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 0 |
Utah | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
Vermont | 11 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 3 |
Virginia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 18 | 22 | 2 |
Washington | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 0 |
West Virginia | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Wisconsin | 18 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 2 | 30 | 36 | 5 |
Wyoming | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Total | 284 | 327 | 21 | 203 | 236 | 21 | 487 | 563 | 42 |