SEATTLE – Ralph Nader will be on the November ballot in Washington state as an Independent candidate for president, the Secretary of State’s Office said Wednesday.
A longtime thorn in the side of Democrats, Nader won 4 percent of the vote in Washington four years ago. He did not affect the outcome in this state because Al Gore beat George Bush by 51/2 percentage points in 2000.
However, many people believe Nader cost Gore the election in 2000 by siphoning support from progressive Democrats in swing states. Some Democrats fear it will happen again this year.
State Democratic Party Chairman Paul Berendt said Wednesday night that he is researching whether the party can challenge Nader’s spot on the ballot in court. But he also said he believes Nader will attract much less than 4 percent of the Washington vote this time.
“Our challenge is much easier because Bush has been such a disaster, people do not want to throw away their vote,” Berendt said.
Of Nader, Berendt added, “The Republican Party has been behind him getting on the ballot in most of the states where he’s on the ballot, and it will hurt him in the election.”
Republican donors have supported Nader’s campaign financially, and Republican volunteers have helped to gather signatures to get him on the ballot in swing states.
Nader’s campaign submitted 1,983 signatures to get him on the ballot, the Secretary of State’s Office said. Officials checked a sample of 1,200 signatures and verified 1,008, which put Nader over the required minimum of 1,000 signatures gathered at a nominating convention. Washington has a lower threshold for getting on the ballot than many other states.
So far, Nader has gotten on the ballot in 15 states and in Washington, D.C. His bids to make the ballot in Oregon, Texas and Michigan were officially rejected on Wednesday.
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