Breaking: According to social media, Evan McMullin has gathered the 1,000 signatures needed to place him on the ballot in his home state of Utah.
Local election supervisors are quoted as saying that McMullin already has the signatures he needs to place him on Utah’s ballot. The deadline is today.
Salt Lake County elections employee just informed me that #EvanMcMullin has reached 1,000 signatures statewide #utpol
— Michael T. Morrise (@michaelmorrise) August 15, 2016
@michaelmorrise how many needed?
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) August 15, 2016
@LouiseMensch 1,000 were needed. Apparently they have more like 2,000
— Michael T. Morrise (@michaelmorrise) August 15, 2016
A Mormon who attended BYU and acted as a missionary, the former CIA agent could easily win the state as an Independent with Republican leanings if he wins the support of Governor Mitt Romney, the GOP’s former nominee.
Unlike Gary Johnson, previously favored in the normally deep-red state, Evan McMullin is a conservative with a pro-life position.
Winning Utah could conceivably leave McMullin with a shot at the White House, if no candidate won an overall majority and the current House decided to pick a compromise for President.
Local users using twitter hashtag #utpol seemed to agree that McMullin would comfortably make the ballot. If you start with the Obama-Romney result and take Utah out of Trump’s column, he’d have to win not only Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, but also take Virginia (Tim Kaine’s state) to win – or another state like Colorado in which Trump is not even competitive.
Independent #NeverTrump presidential candidate Evan McMullin submitting the 1,000 signatures today to qualify for ballot in Utah. #utpol
— RobertGehrke (@RobertGehrke) August 15, 2016
We at Heat Street may have scooped the mountain time press conference for Team McMullin:
Big news for @Evan_McMullin @UtahforMcMullin media availability at 2:00 MST #utah #utpol
— chris harmer (@Navyharmer) August 15, 2016
On TV shows this Sunday, McMullin pointed out that Donald Trump has no realistic chance of winning the White House according to polls. So far McMullin is on the ballot in Colorado and Minnesota, as well as Utah, with mote swing states coming each week. If Republicans see him as a real choice against Hillary, she might have more of a fight on her hands than Trump has decided to offer her.
.@Evan_McMullin says his candidacy doesn't make a Clinton win more likely. #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/84XwLJVTJr
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 14, 2016
Update: McMullin has also filed the paperwork for ballot access in Florida.
Independent POTUS candidate @Evan_McMullin has officially filed registration paperwork w/ @FEC. HQ in Florida. pic.twitter.com/HDMQo3aap1
— Dave Levinthal (@davelevinthal) August 15, 2016
