Anyone Can Run for President—Literally, Anyone

There are 20 candidates currently running for president in 2020: 18 Democrats and two Republicans, according to the latest numbers. But these figures don’t quite include everyone who’s running. Every election year, hundreds of ordinary Americans file paperwork with the FEC to declare their own candidacy.

First, those who are interested in running have to file a Statement of Candidacy—a basic form with your name, the name of your campaign committee, and address—and a Statement of Organization, which registers your campaign committee with the FEC. Do this and you, too, can run for president in 2020. It’s that simple.

We’re still more than a year away from the 2020 election, but there are hundreds of presidential hopefuls who have filed one or both of these forms with the FEC.

One of the hottest “candidates” from last cycle, Deez Nuts, is making a comeback this time around—although it’s not likely the same person as before. Karen Deez (^3^) Suffix Nuts filed their declaration of candidacy under the Communist Party.

Representing the Ace Party and backed by his principal campaign committee, the Meme Committee, Voice Over Sir Pete registered his committee to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C., and named YouTuber Logan Paul as treasurer.

And after an unsuccessful run in 2016, Seven the Dog is running again in 2020 on the Puppy Party ticket. His or her party committee is aptly called the Puppy Party—friends of Seven the Dog.

Seemingly a play on the Bepis meme, Bepis Cola is running on the Prohibition Party ticket, while anime and manga character Chiyo Mihama is running on the Communist Party ticket.

Known for a song called “The World is Neohappy,” Chiyo has the appropriately named Project for a Neohappy American Century political committee.

But there are others who have taken things a step further, like Dan “Taxation is Theft” Behrman, who has an active 2020 campaign website.

His platform? “Any person should be free to live their life however they prefer, so long as they don’t hurt others and don’t take their stuff.”

Among other issues, Behrman’s campaign calls for ending the Fed, free healthcare and education, a taco truck on every corner, and legalizing pineapple pizza.

Look out Donald Trump, they’re coming for you.