Texans will continue to have a third option on the ballot through 2020. On Tuesday night, Libertarian Mark Ash won 25 percent of the vote against Republican Michelle Slaughter in the race for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8 spot. While the total was short of winning, Ash set a record for Libertarian support in a Texas election, winning 1.6 million votes, and effectively securing Libertarian ballot access through 2020. In Texas, parties are required to have at least one candidate receive more than 5 percent of the vote in a statewide contest to secure ballot access through the next election cycle without having to petition. Libertarian earned ballot access for 2018, when Railroad Commissioner nominee Mark Miller won about 5 percent in his 2016 contest. The Green Party failed to meet the threshold and did not collect enough signatures, leaving them off the 2018 ballot. Ash’s total means Libertarian candidates will remain a third option through 2020 for Texas voters. Behind Ash, comptroller candidate Ben Sanders got the Libertarian Party second closest to the 5 percent showing. Sanders won about 3 percent against Republican and Democratic nominees. Several other candidates were also able to clear 2 percent in their contests, including Kerry McKennon, Matt Pina, Richard Carpenter, Michael Ray Harris, Mike Wright and William Strange. For information on the Libertarian Party of Texas, please visit http://www.lptexas.org/.