Third-party prez hopefuls file to be on ballot

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Campaign volunteers for third-party presidential candidates were rushing to beat Friday's deadline to get on the Nov. 6 general election ballot in Kentucky.

Candidacy papers were delivered for Libertarian Gary Johnson, the former two-term New Mexico governor, Green Party candidate Jill Stein of Massachusetts, and independent candidate Randall Terry of West Virginia. Campaign volunteers delivered Terry's paperwork just minutes before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline.

Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney were automatically placed on the ballot by virtue of their party nominations.

Third-party presidential candidates have to collect signatures from at least 5,000 Kentucky registered voters and pay a $500 filing fee to get on the ballot.

Ken Moellman, Johnson's campaign coordinator in Kentucky, said collecting enough signatures took more than four months.

"It doesn't sound like a lot of signatures until you go out and try to collect 5,000 signatures," Moellman said.