Topeka ? Libertarians are hoping that voters’ unhappiness with the political establishment will help their party achieve “major party” status in Kansas.

Andrew Gray, the Libertarian’s candidate for governor, says he thinks he can win 5 percent of the Nov. 2 vote. That’s the amount required to be officially recognized as a major party in state elections.

Major-party status would enable the Libertarian Party to hold public August primaries. Currently, the Libertarians nominate their candidates at conventions. And being in a major party would allow Libertarian candidates to file for office directly with the Kansas secretary of state, instead of collecting petitions to be placed on the general election ballot.

The Kansas City Star reports that 5 percent of the vote would be a big improvement for the Libertarians. In 2006, only 1 percent of voters cast a ballot for the Libertarian candidate for governor.