Texas and Florida Added to List of 8 States With Ballot Slots for Perot

Likely presidential candidate Ross Perot earned spots Wednesday on the general election ballots in his home state of Texas and in Florida, bringing to eight the number of states where he has won ballot slots.

In addition, New Jersey election officials said Perot apparently had met the requirements to appear on the ballot in that state as well, although formal certification will not come until after a challenge period that ends July 31.

In Texas, Secretary of State John Hannah sent Perot a letter saying his supporters had gathered more than the 54,275 petition signatures required to place him on the ballot as an independent candidate. Perot earlier this month submitted 228,219 signatures, Hannah said.

Texas had the earliest petition deadline and is the largest state where Perot has qualified for the ballot. To qualify as an independent candidate, he needed signatures of registered voters who did not cast ballots in the GOP or Democratic primaries on March 10.

Dot Joyce, supervisor of the Florida Division of Elections, said Perot supporters had submitted more than the 60,312 signatures required to win a ballot position in that state. Perot backers said they submitted more than 230,000 signatures in Florida.

In a brief statement issued by his Dallas campaign office, Perot said, “I am honored and humbled by the support of the people.”

Perot already has qualified for the ballots in Tennessee, Utah, Maine, Delaware, Kentucky and Wyoming. Petitions are awaiting certification in Alaska.