Libertarian Party of Alabama
Libertarian Party of Alabama | |
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Elections |
The Libertarian Party of Alabama (LPA) is the Alabama affiliate of the national Libertarian Party (LP). It is headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. Due to the high signature requirement to get onto the ballot and the requirement that a party run a statewide candidate that receives at least 20% in order to maintain ballot access the Libertarian Party of Alabama has rarely fielded candidates.
History
In 1976, the party began its first ballot access drive when it sent 50 volunteers to collect over 5,000 signatures from registered voters in order for its presidential candidate to appear on the ballot. In March the party sent over 5,000 signatures to the Secretary of State and it was later accepted giving Roger MacBride ballot access in Alabama.[2][3][4]
In 1981, Steve Smith, the party coordinator, proposed at a meeting on election law reform that
In 1983, multiple Libertarian candidates were denied ballot access due to the new requirements set by the ballot access law which increased the amount needed to gain ballot access from either receiving 10% in the previous general election to 20% or by collecting signatures from registered voters equal to the 1% of votes in the previous general election.[8] The party made legal appeals to gain ballot access stating that they had gained ballot access under the previous law and that the current law couldn't be applied during the current election cycle, but their appeals were rejected.[9]
In 1991, former Governor Fob James addressed the party's state convention.[10] Nancy Lord, the party's vice presidential nominee, and Larry Pratt, president of the Gun Owners of America, both spoke at the 1992 state convention.[11]
In 2000, after collecting over 60,000 signatures, the Libertarian Party of Alabama ran a small slate of candidates. Libertarian Candidate Sydney Al Smith garnered over 20% in a statewide race and in 2002, the Libertarian Party of Alabama was the first minor party to have achieved major party status in Alabama in over thirty years. In the next election cycle the Libertarian Party of Alabama ran 58 candidates ranging from governor to tax collector. Unable to garner over 20% in a statewide race, the Libertarian Party of Alabama lost its major party status and associated ballot access after 2002.
Since 2002, the Libertarian Party of Alabama has not been able to collect the nearly 60,000 raw signatures that would be required to regain statewide ballot access, but have been able to get ballot access for their presidential candidates as independents.
The party led efforts to defeat
After gathering over 8,000 petitions, the party was granted ballot access in Jefferson County, the most populated county in Alabama.[citation needed] Currently the LPA is seeking candidates for this county and collecting signatures for surrounding counties.
In 2019, the party filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State John Merrill for charging them $34,000 for a voter list while the Republican and Democratic parties are given the same list for free and on August 28 District Court Judge Emily C. Marks refused the state's request to dismiss the case.[12][13]
Former officials
- Jimmy Blake – Birmingham City councilor (1993–2001)[14]
Electoral performance
Presidential
Year | Presidential nominee | Votes | Change |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | Roger MacBride | 1,481 (0.1%) | |
1980 | Ed Clark | 13,318 (1.0%) | 0.9% |
1984 | David Bergland | 9,504 (0.7%) | 0.3% |
1988 | Ron Paul | 8,460 (0.6%) | 0.1% |
1992 | Andre Marrou | 5,737 (0.3%) | 0.2% |
1996 | Harry Browne | 5,290 (0.3%) | |
2000 | Harry Browne | 5,893 (0.4%) | 0.1% |
2004 | Michael Badnarik | 3,529 (0.2%) | 0.2% |
2008 | Bob Barr | 4,991 (0.2%) | 0.1% |
2012 | Gary Johnson | 12,328 (0.6%) | 0.4% |
2016 | Gary Johnson | 44,467 (2.1%) | 1.5% |
2020 | Jo Jorgensen | 25,176 (1.1%) | 1.0% |
See also
References
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- ^ "Libertarian Party sues John Merrill over $34,000 charge for voter list". AL.com. 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 19 February 2019 – via AL.com.
- ^ "Libertarian Party v. Merrill". Casetext. 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 11 November 2019 – via Casetext.
- Newspapers.com.