In the past, US television channels have not spent much time on candidates who were neither Republican nor Democrat.

But this year, CNN is giving Libertarian presidential and vice presidential candidates Gary Johnson and Bill Weld opportunities to present their party message and take questions from voters. The news organization hosted a televised "town hall" event on Wednesday night at which the candidates presented their platform.

It is the second time CNN has given the two men a chance to address voters on prime-time television. The first time was in June.

In a poll by Fox News released ahead of the "town hall" debate, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton was shown with 44 percent of the vote, ahead of Republican candidate Donald Trump with 35 percent. Johnson came in third with 12 percent.

Johnson would need 15 percent in order to qualify to join in the televised presidential debates this fall.

Political commentators in the US have suggested that Johnson could take votes from both Clinton and Trump in the November election.

His policies center on limiting government and opposition to a large military and foreign wars.

jm/jbh (Reuters, AP)