Dem
51
GOP
49
Minor candidates, like Robert Kennedy, Jill Stein, and Cornel West, get a lot of attention, but if you can't vote for them, they don't really matter much. Consequently, ballot access is crucial for them. If they aren't on the ballot in the swing states, their effects will be minimal. So how are they doing? Here is a map showing where Robert Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, and Cornel West will be on the ballot, as of today.
Getting on the ballot in all states is difficult, even for an established small party like the Green Party (GP), which has been around since 2001. Every state has its own laws and these are often different for formal political parties, like the GP, and for independent candidates, like Kennedy and West. In most states, if a party gets on the ballot and meets a specific vote threshold, commonly 2%, it is automatically on the next ballot. If it fails to hit the threshold, it has to start the process all over again. In some states the window allowed for signature gathering is quite short whereas in others it is longer.
Here is a table showing which candidates have actually met the access requirements for each of the swing(y) states. Maine and Nebraska are included since they each have one EV in play. Although the Libertarian Party (LP) is not included on the maps above, it is on the ballot in 37 states and is shown in column 5 below. The LP will select its candidate at its national convention May 24-26 in D.C.:
| State | Kennedy | Stein | West | LP |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | ||
| Georgia | Yes | |||
| Maine | Yes | Yes | ||
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Nebraska | Yes | |||
| Nevada | Yes | |||
| New Hampshire | ||||
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | ||
| Pennsylvania | ||||
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes |
Getting on the ballot is not cheap. Some candidates can rely on volunteers, but only if they have a lot of popular appeal. Kennedy, for example, doesn't have that and is relying largely on paid consultants and paid petition gatherers. He also has paid lawyers who are paid to fight off signature challenges. It has already cost millions and so far he has made it in only three states. This is where his invisible and unknown running mate comes in: She writes the checks.
Of course, this is just a snapshot as of today. All of the candidates are actively trying to get on the ballot in as many states as possible. (V)