Some independent candidates start their own political parties to ease ballot access
Some states make it much easier to get on the ballot as a minor-party presidential candidate, compared with running as an independent. That's why RFK Jr. and Cornel West have made their own parties.
Running for president isn't easy when you aren't part of one of the major political parties.
While Democrats and Republicans don't have to petition a state to appear on a ballot, independent and many third-party candidates do.
Running as an independent candidate can be particularly difficult because of high signature requirements — often on short timelines. And some states even limit which voters candidates can get signatures from.
For example, an independent candidate seeking a spot on Texas' 2024 ballot has about two.
