1995
The party started collecting petitions in 1995 for the 1996 election. It submitted 110,000 signatures in California with 35,000 coming from San Diego County. It spent up to $250,000 on signature gatherers, in addition to its volunteer efforts. Party officials said that 70% of the signatures came from students and the party qualified for the ballot in 1995. It submitted 55,000 signatures to qualify in Ohio, half of which were collected by volunteers. It made a serious effort to get on the ballot in all 50 states.
Hagelin came in third in a non-binding straw poll held in Fayette, Missouri, after visiting there twice. He received 20% of the 352 votes cast, ahead of Bob Dole and Ross Perot. The party published a 172-page platform booklet, the longest of any party.
Hagelin said that the party had been treated as a political curiosity in 1992, but had become a political force by 1995. The party was the subject of jokes on late-night TV shows, and its leaders admitted that some voters rejected the party because of the Maharishi's teachings.
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