John Hagelin is running for president on both the Natural Law Party and Reform Party tickets.

Varying state election laws allow for fusion candidacies, making it possible for candidates to run on one ticket, while technically still seeking the nomination of another party.

The Reform Party nomination is currently being contested by Hagelin, and former Republican Patrick Buchanan. The Reform Party split into two opposing camps during its convention in Long Beach, Calif., this summer. The Hagelin camp and the Buchanan camp each accuse the other of violating party regulations.

The nomination will now be decided by the Federal Election Commission. The winner will have access to the $12.6 million in federal funds slated for the Party.

The platform of the Natural Law Party is broader than that of the Reform Party, but Hagelin contends the two platforms are a good match.

"The Reform Party's vision was to be a mainstream centrist alternative -- of, by and for the people, not financed by the special interests. The Natural Law platform has extended those core reforms to what's working in preventative health care, sustainable agriculture, education," Hagelin said to Reform Party delegates.

Hagelin was fielded as a Reform candidate by the San Francisco chapter of the Reform Party. He has won leadership endorsements from the New York and Los Angeles Reform Party chapters. He has also picked up leadership endorsements from the Washington State and Colorado chapters.

California and New York Reform Party members made up the bulk of Reform votes cast in 1996.

Online NewsHour: Election 2000: Natural Law Party