Author Archive | Bob Johnston

Kankakee County Board Representative Jim Byrne of Illinois, and Ed Zielinski, an elected councilman of Elsmere, Delaware, have joined the Libertarian Party. Byrne announced in December that he has officially joined the Illinois LP, and now serves as vice chairman of the new Kankakee County Libertarian Party central committee that was formed last fall. Byrne […]

by Sandra Kallander A post-Election Day drama has been playing out in Aaron Starr’s twin battles: one for a seat on the Oxnard City Council, which he lost by less than 1 percent of the vote, and the other to implement Measure M, a ballot initiative Starr championed and won, but which now finds itself […]

From Net News on March 29: Wednesday, Nebraska lawmakers gave first round approval to a bill by Senator Laura Ebke that would make it easier for political parties to maintain a spot on the ballot. “Currently in…state election law, a political party has to have somebody poll at least 5% in a statewide race. This […]

The Libertarian Party has grown to today’s level because of devoted members such as John Shuey, who has been generous with his time, talents, and financial resources. Shuey has been an LP activist and leader since 2005, a Liberty Pledger (monthly donor) since 2006, and became a Lifetime Member in 2011. He says that he […]

Kamal Jain (1969–2015) was a state chair for the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts, a Libertarian state senate candidate, and a two-time candidate for state auditor (once on the Republican ticket, once as a Libertarian). His campaigns provide a blueprint for running on government transparency. They also demonstrate how “losing” candidates can  raise public awareness and […]

From Ballot Access News on March 24: On March 24, U.S. District Court Judge John Z. Lee, an Obama appointee, struck down a 2013 Illinois campaign finance law that makes it illegal for any medical cannabis cultivation center or dispensary organization to make a campaign contribution to a candidate for state or local office. Ball […]

From Westword Magazine online on March 22: “For evidence that the 2017 Libertarian Party of Colorado State Convention, which takes place this weekend in Westminster (details below), is very different from the annual gatherings sponsored by Democrats and Republicans, look no further than the prominent speaking role reserved for Sarah ‘Daggers’ Stewart, a prominent advocate […]

Citizens for Elected Mayor, a group that’s launching an initiative petition in Castle Rock to change the town’s charter so that citizens can elect their mayor directly, has chosen Libertarian Party of Colorado Vice Chair Wayne Harlos to be the committee’s Chair. Castle Rock became a home-rule municipality in 1987 with the mayor being appointed by […]

From KPAX-TV on March 19: “The Libertarian candidate for Montana’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat campaigned in Great Falls Saturday after being nominated by Montana’s Libertarian Party in Helena last week. “Mark Wicks, a third-generation rancher from Inverness, stopped at the Gun & Western Collectible Show, held at the Montana ExpoPark, to talk with […]

From the Wichita Eagle on March 16: “Hundreds of chairs were filled at a Friends University auditorium on Thursday evening as Democrat James Thompson and Libertarian Chris Rockhold squared off in a debate for the 4th Congressional District special election. “A vacant seat between them was for Republican candidate Ron Estes, who did not attend. […]

Libertarian National Committee chair Nicholas Sarwark was interviewed on March 15 on the podcast A Civil Assessment on the Independent Voter Network (IVN). Sarwark and show host T. J. O’Hara discuss the Libertarian Party’s core principles; where the party stands in relation to Trump’s economic policies, healthcare, the Dakota Access Pipeline, the U.S. military, and immigrant vetting; […]

From NBC29.com, the website for television station WVIR in Staunton, Virginia: “A Libertarian candidate from Staunton is challenging four-term 20th District Del. Dickie Bell (R) for the second time. “Will Hammer ran for the seat against Bell in 2015. “Hammer says he will fight Dominion’s proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline to protect property rights. He also […]