Perot VP Choice Not on Ballots in California, Texas

The name of Ross Perot’s Reform Party running mate, economist Pat Choate, will not appear on ballots in either California or Texas because the vice presidential choice was made too late in both states for the Nov. 5 election.

The Reform Party vice presidential candidate on the ballot in the states--the nation’s most populous--will be James A. Campbell, a Reform Party member who was the designated stand-in in cases where Perot had to list a running mate to meet election-law deadlines.

In California, the deadline was Aug. 29, when state ballots went to the printer, Secretary of State Bill Jones said. A similar deadline was missed in Texas.

Perot, who received his party’s presidential nomination in mid-August, announced his pick of Choate as his running mate on Tuesday.

Under the U.S. system for choosing presidents, the listing of a different candidate with Perot in California and Texas is a technicality. Should the Reform Party ticket carry the two states, electors meeting in the Electoral College about a month after the vote could still cast their ballots for Perot.

Californians will have seven other presidential tickets to choose from on election day: Bill Clinton and Al Gore, Democrats; Bob Dole and Jack Kemp, Republicans; Howard Phillips and Herbert W. Titus, American Independent Party; Harry Browne and Jo Jorgensen, Libertarian Party; Marsha Feinland and Kate McClatchy, Peace & Freedom Party; Ralph Nader and Winoa Laduke, Green Party; and John Hagelin and Mike Tompkins, Natural Law Party.