The 2016 election campaign season is underway and whatever its results, it seems that there is great likelihood that the political landscape will undergo changes of some form. With the two major parties both having presumptive nominees with unprecedented, unfavorable ratings and significant discontent around parts of the electorate, many third parties are hoping to capitalize on the situation to get more votes, recruit more members, and produce a foil for their future growth. Among these is the nation’s oldest third party, the Prohibition Party. This situation combines with their more recent efforts to rebuild the party’s presence, and carries with it the possibility of the Prohibition Party ascending to a more significant position in the political order.

The Prohibition Party is a political party centering on the effort to establish laws against the manufacture and sale of alcohol and the political support of temperance efforts. It was founded in 1869, bringing together various types of people in the effort to establish Prohibition. Which they temporarily succeeded in achieving for the nation from 1920-1933. The party has also had a history of supporting various other progressive issues and supporting women’s rights. It was the first American political party to allow women to be official members of the party, the first to officially support women being able to vote and the first party to nominate a woman for vice president. The modern Prohibition Party consists largely of reform minded social conservatives, ethics directed progressives, and various types of people united in common by temperance activism and the goal of creating a future where Americans may move away from intoxicants.

The party’s recent policy positions include: support for restricting and banning the manufacture, sale, and distribution alcohol, as well as other drugs, with the exception of medical uses; support for restrictions on gambling and tobacco; and positions on various issues, including support for environmental protection, protecting the second amendment, universal healthcare, restoring financial stability and longevity to social security, a balanced budget amendment, and limiting foreign involvement to vital national interests.

In past years the Prohibition Party has been working to rebuild its presence and draw new people into the party. Figures such as Greg Seltzer, Jim Hedges, William Bayes, and Rick Knocks have been working in past years to rebuild party, help reach more people, and improve vote results.

The party has engaged in media efforts. It gains coverage largely through its own publications, and the reports produced from Independent Political Report and American Third Party Report. Though, it has expanded onto social media, with its own Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The party has been working to attract younger members to help add new energy and longevity to the party. There have not been any reports as to how many people they have been able to attract recently. But since this is planned to be a sustained effort, I would believe that they may achieve some level of success. And with these matters, once they begin to attract a decent starting group of new young members, they should be able to improve their outreach tactics.

On the organizational front, the party has been working to rebuild state level groups for their efforts. The most recent addition to state groups seems to have been their new state group in Illinois.

Much of their new organizational and vote building efforts are centered on the 2016 presidential election. They are under no illusion of being able to win the election. Rather, they are using it as a focus point for trying to revitalize their party. The party hopes that through working to expand the number of states they are on the ballot or have their write in ballots counted, they can significantly increase the number of votes they receive. Producing a better vote result could potentially serve to attract more attention and excite more people to participate in the party.

The Prohibition Party has fielded Jim Hedges of Pennsylvania, as their presidential candidate, and Bill Bayes of Mississippi, as their vice-presidential candidate. Jim Hedges is a prohibition activist, with a history as a science writer and editor, and who served 20 years in the United States Marine Band. He bares the distinction of the first Prohibition Party member to hold elected office in the 21^st century; having been the Tax Assessor for Thomson Township from 2001-2007. Bill Bayes is a manufacturing businessman, with an extensive history of political and civic involvement.

The Prohibition Party is working to get on the ballot in several states. Available information indicates that the party has gained ballot access in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Colorado. It is working to potentially get ballot access in New Jersey, Florida, Iowa, Tennessee, Louisiana, Washington, and Minnesota. It has write in votes counted in Arizona, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, and Utah. It is indicated that they are hopeful for ending up on the ballot in six states. Jim Hedges also attempted to expand vote results by running in the American Independence Party primary in California. Hedges held a strong showing in their primary; receiving 3,223 (10.8 percent) votes. It is hoped that through an expanded ballot access and increased organizational efforts that the Prohibition Party may have its highest vote results in decades.

Time will tell how successful these efforts will be. Once the results of the election in November come out, it will be seen how many votes they managed to acquire. Though it will be in the years following this election that it will be seen whether this may be the start of a larger rejuvenation and regrowth for the party. Perhaps this may be the beginning of it slowly growing to a one day hold a more significant place in politics in the long term future. It can at least be hoped that this is the start of a new rise for the Prohibition Party.