Archive for the ‘Libertarian’ Category

5 things to watch in Alaska general election

By MARK THIESSEN - Associated Press - Saturday, August 30, 2014

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Legalizing pot, trying to find the Libertarian candidate for Senate and whittling through a growing field for Alaska governor are among the things to watch ahead of the Nov. 4 election:

- LIGHTING UP THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST:

Residents in both Alaska and Oregon will decide whether to legalize the recreation use of marijuana during separate ballot measures in November. Washington state already has approved the use of pot, as has Colorado.

- DELAYED VOTES:

Alaskas marijuana measure, along with ballot measures on a minimum wage increase and requiring legislative approval for a large-scale metallic sulfide mining operation in the Bristol Bay region, were supposed to have been on the primary ballot. But the state Legislature went into extended session in April. Statutory and constitutional provisions require that at least 120 days pass after the regular session adjourns before the day of the election for purposes of initiative placement, pursing the measures to November.

- LIBERTARIAN MESS:

The Alaska Libertarian Party may wind up with a U.S Senate candidate that doesnt want to be on the ballot. Thom Walker won the primary election without campaigning. He works in the Brooks Range, and party officials say he posted his withdrawal from the race on their Facebook site. The problem is, hes mostly out of contact and only periodically sends messages from a satellite phone. Election officials say posting notice to withdraw on Facebook isnt good enough. Go figure. Hell have to have a signed letter sent to the state by Tuesday to exit the race. If he does, the party will make Mark Fish, a former party chairman, its candidate to battle the races two high-profile candidates: Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and Republican challenger Dan Sullivan.

- CROWDED FIELD:

This years general election for governor is expected to be a spirited three-way race between incumbent Republican Gov. Sean Parnell, Democrat Byron Mallott and independent candidate Bill Walker. But theres another candidate in the race. J.R. Myers collected enough signatures to qualify as the candidate for the Constitution Party, which has a platform goal of restoring American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries. Libertarian Carolyn Clift is also running.

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5 things to watch in Alaska general election

Judge rules against Libertarian in ballot lawsuit

Posted: Thursday, August 28, 2014 1:44 pm | Updated: 4:06 pm, Thu Aug 28, 2014.

Judge rules against Libertarian in ballot lawsuit Associated Press |

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) A federal judge ruled Thursday against the South Dakota Libertarian Party in an attempt to add its Public Utilities Commission candidate to the November general election ballot.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol heard arguments and concluded Secretary of State Jason Gant followed state law last week in declaring Ryan Gaddy, of Sioux Falls, ineligible to run for the office because he didn't change his party affiliation from Republican in time to be nominated at the Libertarian convention.

"It seems to the court Secretary Gant had no alternative other than to deny the application," Piersol said.

He also deemed constitutional a state law requiring candidates to be members of the party that nominates them.

The ruling allows Gant to print ballots, which are required to be in county auditors' offices by Sept. 17, two days before absentee voting starts.

"It's unfortunate that his name won't be on the ballot," Gant said. "All he had to do was register to vote the day before and his name would have been on the ballot and South Dakotans would have had the opportunity to determine whether they wanted him as their next public utilities commissioner."

Gaddy changed his party affiliation from Republican at the Libertarian convention, but the official paperwork wasn't filed until later. That meant Gaddy was still a Republican at the time of his Libertarian nomination, a violation of state law, Gant argued.

Assistant Attorney General Richard Williams told Piersol that the law preserves party rights and is a minimal burden. Libertarian Party attorney Edward Welch argued it's unconstitutional and that not putting Gaddy on the ballot infringes on his and the party's rights.

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Judge rules against Libertarian in ballot lawsuit

Libertarian Candidate For Kansas Gov. Feels Slighted

Keen Umbehr

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -- Keen Umbehr, the lLibertarian candidate for Governor of Kansas took note of the September 6th debate which he has not been invited to and wrote a personal letter to both Democratic Senator Paul Davis and Incumbent Governor Sam Brownback.

Umbehr said, I hope you agree that Kansas voters deserve to be fully informed about their choices for Kansas Governor. Because while there may be two major parties in Kansas, there will be three candidates on the November ballot.

Full Release From Keen Umbehr officials:

In an unexpected move, Libertarian Candidate for Keen Umbehr appealed directly to his two opponents for Kansas Governor, Sam Brownback and Paul Davis, to add their support to his call for inclusion in the WIBW 580 Radio State Fair Debate.

In a personal letter sent to the offices of both Brownback and Davis, Umbehr stated: I hope you agree that Kansas voters deserve to be fully informed about their choices for Kansas governor. Because while there may be two major parties in Kansas, there will be three candidates on the November ballot.

Umbehr said he has not yet received an official response from either campaign.

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Libertarian Candidate For Kansas Gov. Feels Slighted

Libertarian Candidate Joins Race for Governor

ILLINOIS WMBD is your local election headquarters.

Thursday WMBD caught up with Chad Grimm, the libertarian candidate for Illinois governor.

The Peoria native said hes happy to be running separate from the popular parties.

Grimm said many people dont know about other alternative parties, but said they are often good options. He added that it takes much more work for those candidates to get their names on the ballot.

The major parties, they need to collect about 5,000 signatures up against a third party or an independents 25,000 signatures. And, we need to at least get close to 50,000 [signatures]. So, we need to double it because there's always going to be a petition challenge because the republicans and democrats in this state are a monopoly they don't want any competition.

Grimm is running against current Illinois Governor, Pat Quinn, and his Challenger Bruce Rauner.

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Libertarian Candidate Joins Race for Governor

Sam Seder vs Libertarian Professor Walter Block (Full Debate) – Video


Sam Seder vs Libertarian Professor Walter Block (Full Debate)
On our day off, take a trip back to the much raved about Sam Seder / Libertarian Professor Walter Block debate. Here it is, the full debate in one clip: Professor Walter Block proposed that...

By: Sam Seder

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Sam Seder vs Libertarian Professor Walter Block (Full Debate) - Video