Minority report
Domination of the campaign trail by Democrats and Republicans hasn't stopped the six men and women below from their quest to become the next U.S. president. Here's more about the minor-party candidates whose names will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot in Ohio.
Constitution Party
President: Chuck Baldwin
Vice president: Darrell Castle
Web: baldwin08.com
In short: The pastor and political talk-show host from Florida decries abortion, infringements on the Second Amendment and increasing foreign ownership of U.S. assets. As president, he would end nation-building and participation in the United Nations and disband the Department of Education.
Green Party
President: Cynthia McKinney
Vice president: Rosa Clemente
Web: votetruth08.com
In short: McKinney is a former Congresswoman from Georgia, Clemente a noted New York activist. Together, they support the party's 10 Key Values, which include grassroots democracy, social justice, non-violence, civil rights and responsible trade and economic development.
Independent
President: Richard Duncan
Vice president: Ricky Johnson
In short: Duncan is a real-estate investor from Aurora. He's running with Johnson, a preacher from Pennsylvania. He insists he presents "a fresh, clean approach to politics." He once served as the vice president of his freshman class at Mount Union College.
Independent
President: Ralph Nader
Vice president: Matt Gonzalez
Web: votenader.org
In short: Longtime consumer advocate Nader supports a revamped fiscal system that taxes individual and corporate wealth alongside labor, and a federal budget that funds public infrastructure. He also calls for electoral reform, sustainable environmental policy and crackdowns on corporate crime.
Libertarian Party
President: Bob Barr
Vice president: Wayne Allyn Root
Web: bobbarr2008.com
In short: A former Republican Congressman from Georgia, Barr now endorses the minor party's three-prong ideals: smaller government, lower taxes and personal freedom. Barr opposes socializing the health-care and financial industries and nearly all infringements on gun ownership. He was a vocal opponent of the recent Wall Street bailout.
Socialist Party
President: Brian Moore
Vice president: Stewart Alexander
Web: votebrianmoore.com
In short: Above all, Moore, who worked in Third-World nations for more than 40 years, touts environmental stewardship. Also, he supports nationalized health care and agriculture, the equitable redistribution of resources, and community ownership of industrial and financial institutions.