How does Johnson gain more than 20% of the vote in November?

[5280]

How does Johnson gain more than 20% of the vote for the 2016 election? Ross Perot won roughly 18% in 1992, but didn't get an EC votes. What would Johnson have to accomplish from now until November 4th?

[Desroko]

Get on the Republican or Democratic ballot lines.

[Famous Mortimer]

Trump is more like Perot than Johnson.

Libertarianism is just not a popular ideology, it's the ideology of the 1% and that's how much it can expect to get in any given election.

If he wanted to increase his numbers, Johnson might be able to make some inroads by reaching out to Bernie supporters, and that appears to be what he is trying to do.

Ultimately though, that won't be successful, as most left-wingers will fall behind Clinton to defeat Trump, who they see as Satan incarnate.

[Mr. Morden]

Libertarianism is just not a popular ideology, it's the ideology of the 1% and that's how much it can expect to get in any given election.

In most years, yes.  This year....the major party candidates are so unpopular (especially Trump, at least right now) that I could see him getting a few % if he gets sufficient media attention to make the voters aware of his existence.  He managed to get 1% in 2012, even when the vast majority of voters had never heard of him, nor were aware he was running.  If his current level of media coverage sustains or grows until November, then I see no reason why he couldn't match Nader's #s from 2000.  But 20%?  That's a pipe dream.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

he'd have to have the active, energetic support of a significant portion of the republican establishment (by which i mean, like, actual governors and senators, not jokes like bill kristol or whoëver) - and even then, 20% is an incredibly optimistic target

[emcee0]

He wins Utah.

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

Trump would have to be caught with a dead girl or live boy.

[Vosem]

he'd have to have the active, energetic support of a significant portion of the republican establishment (by which i mean, like, actual governors and senators, not jokes like bill kristol or whoëver) - and even then, 20% is an incredibly optimistic target

This -- Trump has already shot himself in the foot so much that if the Johnson/Weld team is competent they'll be able to achieve this by fall (they're clearly already working on getting Mitt Romney on board, for instance). Even then, to eclipse 20% Hillary would have to actually get indicted, or somehow disqualified and fallen to Trump levels, so that a similar group of Democratic politicians starts to emerge as well.

[°Leprechaun]

The closer the race between Clinton v Trump the less likely people will "risk" voting so called "third party". What people don't realize is the "safe state" reality. Also, in most states you can wait until the results start coming in and then cast your vote. If you live in Hawaii and the race appears headed one way or the other and since that state isn't likely to swing anyway, you can cast your vote at the last minute after an inevitable winner appears likely.

Look at Nader's best states:

https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/party.php?year=2000&type=national&no=3&f=1&off=0&elect=0

edit:

Better yet look at 1992:

https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/party.php?year=1992&type=national&no=3&f=1&off=0&elect=0

[Kingpoleon]

Major endorsements, like Matheson, the Pauls, Romney, Baker, Amash, Murkowksi, Sandoval, and similar people.

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

If a sex tape starring Trump and Hillary leaks

[Seriously?]

How does Johnson gain more than 20% of the vote for the 2016 election? Ross Perot won roughly 18% in 1992, but didn't get an EC votes. What would Johnson have to accomplish from now until November 4th?

He won't. He'll likely end up with 1-3%. Like always for the fringe party candidates.

[Enduro]

I'd love for him to get 20%, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. I think he'll get about 5%.

[Lincoln Republican]

The only way to achieve this unobtainable number would be to have an incredibly high volume of stuffed ballot boxes counted as valid votes, and I'm talkin' Cook County 1960 levels.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

An organized effort by the Republican establishment to openly endorse him and campaign for him, targeting key states (NH, ME, UT, AK, MT), with the goal of preventing an electoral majority and getting him elected through the House.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Even if we had a legitimate three-way race (which is as likely as Sanders winning a contested convention), it's still hard for a third party candidate to reach 20%

Looking at credible third party candidates:

1912: Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive): 27.4% and 88 evs (OK, it was an exceptional race)
1924: Robert M. La Follette (Progressive): 16.6% and 13 evs
1948: Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat): 2.4% and 39 evs (he was basically a regional candidate and in states he carried Truman was not on the ballot)
1968: George Wallace (AI): 13.5% and 46 evs
1992: Ross Perot (Ind.): 18.9% and 0 evs

[IceSpear]

Hillary and Trump both go to jail and/or die, and it's too late for the party to replace them on the ballot.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

The only way to achieve this unobtainable number would be to have an incredibly high volume of stuffed ballot boxes counted as valid votes, and I'm talkin' Cook County 1960 levels.

What? Voter fraud never happens in Cook County! That guy who was born in the 1850s who voted in 2010 was totally legit!

[ag]

He does not.

[ag]

Hillary and Trump both go to jail and/or die, and it's too late for the party to replace them on the ballot.

Well, that might get Johnson to 10%.

[Lincoln Republican]

The only way to achieve this unobtainable number would be to have an incredibly high volume of stuffed ballot boxes counted as valid votes, and I'm talkin' Cook County 1960 levels.

What? Voter fraud never happens in Cook County! That guy who was born in the 1850s who voted in 2010 was totally legit!

As well, the Libertarians would have to resort to the following tactics on a nationwide basis if they were to get 20% of the vote.  Tactics perfected, by the way, by Cook County Democrats. 

http://www.ejfi.org/Voting/Voting-11.htm

[Soonerdem]

One of Clinton/trump gets out of the race and can't be replaced. With Clinton stein would probably get more then 5% and Johnson more then 10%

[Hammy]

Nothing short of an endorsement by either Sanders or one of the nominees would put him over 10% nationally let alone 20%.

[ElectionsGuy]

Libertarianism is just not a popular ideology, it's the ideology of the 1% and that's how much it can expect to get in any given election.

This is absolutely not true. Do a survey and ask ordinary Americans what libertarianism is. Educated guess: At least 80% would not have a flipping clue.