Following an Independence Day post on his social media platform, the world’s wealthiest individual proposed an alternative political party for Americans that would operate independently from both Democrats and Republicans.
This means North Carolinians would need to satisfy one of three specific requirements before the America Party – or any similar new formations – could gain official recognition and secure ballot access.
The 53-year-old space and automotive industry pioneer Musk worked with Republican President Donald Trump during his second term in the Department of Government Efficiency, though people held mixed opinions about his performance. On Friday, during the 249th Fourth of July celebration, Musk posted on social media: “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?”
He reported the following day that his poll showed 2-1 support and declared, “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”
The party would need to register with the Federal Election Commission at the national level.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections requires recognition through one of three methods outlined in the General Statutes: a party’s voters must secure at least 2% of the total votes cast in the most recent general election; supporters must submit signature petitions from at least 0.25% of all registered voters who participated in the most recent gubernatorial election; or a group of voters must demonstrate their candidate appeared on general election ballots in 70% of states (35) during the most recent presidential election.
The first and third options remain unavailable at this time since the America Party did not exist during the 2024 cycle. Musk actually served as a significant campaign supporter for Trump during that period.
Petition organizers must submit their documents to the state board before noon on June 1 of the election year they want to participate in. The signatures must reach counties 15 days before the state deadline for verification purposes, which means May 16.
The state holds municipal elections in 2025, while 2026 brings midterm elections – the second-longest ballot among the state’s four electoral cycles. The America Party could establish itself for next year’s elections.
Last year’s gubernatorial race attracted 5,591,547 votes among Democrat Josh Stein, Republican Mark Robinson, Libertarian Mike Ross, Vinny Smith (Constitution Party), and Wayne Turner (Green Party). A quarter of 1% would require 13,979 signatures (rounded up).
Musk repeatedly shared questions about the party platform multiple times, listing: reduce debt through responsible spending only; modernize military with artificial intelligence and robotics; support technology to accelerate artificial intelligence leadership; reduce regulation across all sectors, especially energy; protect free speech; embrace “pro natalist” policies promoting human reproduction and high birth rates; and adopt centrist positions on all other issues.
Throughout the weekend, Musk, whom Forbes valued at more than $405 billion on Monday morning, shared additional posts, including one that featured the following points:
• Tesla will never succeed. • Elon can’t start a space company. • Neuralink will never work. • SpaceX will never reuse a rocket. • Elon can’t run a social media.
Three political parties lost their recognition during the last electoral cycle, leaving North Carolina with four recognized parties today. Listed alphabetically, these include the Democratic Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Republican Party.
Registration numbers through Saturday show that unaffiliated voters (more than 2.8 million, or 38.3%) represent the largest group, with Democrats following at 2.3 million (30.6%), Republicans at nearly 2.3 million (30.4%), Libertarians at only 45,986 (0.6%), and Green Party members at just 4,024 (0.05%).
