There are more than 700 names of individuals running for president Including two dozen prominent candidates running for the Democratic nomination, more than 700 people have filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for president in 2020. Qualifying is easy — an individual must be at least 35 years old, a natural-born citizen and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years. Filing is a cakewalk — presidential hopefuls need to fill out a statement of candidacy with the FEC, which is free to do. … You won’t see these candidates when you go to vote one year from this November: candidates striking out on their own as independents must petition each state and Washington, D.C., to get on the ballot. Many candidates say they are running solely to draw attention to issues such as the marginalization of Native Americans, taxation or promoting a progressive agenda. Others think the two-party system is damaging to the U.S. and want third parties to be a part of the election conversation. … A few of the 700 running for president:
• Vermin Supreme, a perennial candidate who wears a boot for a hat and wants to give everyone free ponies.
• 89-year-old Mike Gravel, a former senator from Alaska who is allowing two teens to run his antiwar protest candidacy.
• Seven the Dog, whose principal campaign committee is the “Puppy Party — Friends of Seven the Dog.”
• Chocolate Pancakes of Manchester, Connecticut.