List of third-party and independent performances in United States elections
This article contains statistics on third-party and independent performances in US elections and a list of pages containing lists of those elections.
- List of third-party and independent performances in Alaska state legislative elections
- List of third-party and independent performances in Hawaii state legislative elections
- List of third-party and independent performances in Louisiana state legislative elections
- List of third-party and independent performances in Montana state legislative elections
- List of third-party and independent performances in West Virginia state legislative elections
- List of third-party and independent performances in Wyoming state legislative elections
Presidential 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
|
|
|
|
2nd
|
|
1856
|
American
|
Millard Fillmore
|
Andrew J. Donelson
|
872,703
|
|
|
|
3rd
|
|
1992
|
Independent
|
Ross Perot
|
James Stockdale
|
19,743,821
|
|
|
|
|
1860
|
Southern Democratic
|
John C. Breckinridge
|
Joseph Lane
|
851,844
|
|
|
|
2nd
|
|
1924
|
Progressive
|
Robert M. La Follette
|
Burton K. Wheeler
|
4,833,821
|
|
|
|
3rd
|
|
1968
|
American Independent
|
George Wallace
|
Curtis LeMay
|
9,901,118
|
|
|
|
|
1860
|
Constitutional Union
|
John Bell
|
Edward Everett
|
590,946
|
|
|
|
|
1848
|
Free Soil
|
Martin Van Buren
|
Charles F. Adams
|
291,475
|
|
|
|
|
Senate elections
The following are third party and independent candidates who have won senate seats since 1970.
Notable third-party senatorial performances (1991–2020)
Year
|
State
|
Party
|
Nominee
|
# Votes
|
% Votes
|
Place
|
Notes
|
2018
|
Maine
|
Independent
|
Angus King
|
337,378
|
|
Re-elected
|
|
Vermont
|
Independent
|
Bernie Sanders
|
183,529
|
|
Re-elected
|
|
2012
|
Maine
|
Independent
|
Angus King
|
370,580
|
|
Elected
|
|
Vermont
|
Independent
|
Bernie Sanders
|
209,053
|
|
Re-elected
|
|
2010
|
Alaska
|
Republican (write-in)
|
Lisa Murkowski
|
101,091
|
|
Re-elected
|
Lost Republican primary
|
2006
|
Connecticut
|
Connecticut for Lieberman
|
Joe Lieberman
|
564,095
|
|
Re-elected
|
Lost Democratic primary
|
Vermont
|
Independent
|
Bernie Sanders
|
171,638
|
|
Elected
|
|
1976
|
Virginia
|
Independent
|
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
|
890,778
|
|
Re-elected
|
|
1970
|
Virginia
|
Independent
|
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
|
506,237
|
|
Re-elected
|
|
New York
|
Conservative
|
James L. Buckley
|
2,288,190
|
|
Elected
|
|
House elections
The following are third party and independent candidates who have received more than 30% of the popular vote since 2008.
Notable third party House performances (2022) – 19 entries
Year
|
District
|
Party
|
Candidate
|
# Votes
|
% Votes
|
Place
|
2022
|
North Dakota At-large
|
Independent
|
Cara Mund
|
89,644
|
|
2nd
|
Texas 26
|
Libertarian
|
Mike Kolls
|
81,208
|
|
2nd
|
2020
|
Alaska At-large
|
Independent/Undeclared
|
Alyse Galvin[1]
|
159,856
|
|
2nd
|
2018
|
Alaska At-large
|
Independent/Undeclared
|
Alyse Galvin[1]
|
109,615
|
|
2nd
|
2016
|
Northern Mariana Islands At-large
|
Independent
|
Gregorio Sablan
|
10,605
|
|
Elected
|
Arizona 8
|
Green
|
Mark Salazar
|
93,954
|
|
2nd
|
2014
|
Northern Mariana Islands At-large
|
Independent
|
Gregorio Sablan
|
8,549
|
|
Elected
|
2012
|
Puerto Rico At-large
|
New Progressive
|
Pedro Pierluisi
|
905,066
|
|
Elected
|
Popular Democratic
|
Rafael Cox Alomar
|
881,181
|
|
2nd
|
California 33
|
Independent
|
Bill Bloomfield
|
146,660
|
|
2nd
|
Kansas 3
|
Joel Balam
|
92,675
|
|
2nd
|
2008
|
American Samoa At-large
|
Independent
|
Eni Faleomavaega
|
7,498
|
|
Elected
|
Puerto Rico At-large
|
New Progressive
|
Pedro Pierluisi
|
1,010,285
|
|
Elected
|
New York 23
|
Conservative
|
Doug Hoffman
|
69,553
|
|
2nd
|
Puerto Rico At-large
|
Popular Democratic
|
Alfredo Salazar Jr.
|
810,093
|
|
2nd
|
American Samoa At-large
|
Independent
|
Amata Coleman Radewagen
|
4,349
|
|
2nd
|
Gubernatorial elections
The following are third party and independent candidates who have won governerships since 1990.
Statistics
Note: Prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, most states did not hold direct elections to the Senate.[citation needed]
Elections with notable third party electoral performances (1900–present)[2]
|
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
|
See also
Notes and references
- ^ a b Also listed as the de facto Democratic nominee.
- ^ The threshold is >5% of the vote.
|
|