MINIMUM GOVERNMENT • MAXIMUM FREEDOM LP.ORG Libertarian National Committee 2017 ANNUAL REPORT Pages 7–10 May 2018 The Official Newspaper of the Libertarian Party Volume 48, Issue 2 In This Issue: South Dakota LP wins ballot-access case Chair’s CornerLP .............................2 News ne of the most recent Libertarian LP wins FL City Council race ........3 Party victories is a ballot access case in South Dakota. A federal Odistrict court judge has ruled South Da- U.S. should stay out of Syria .......4 kota’s laws regulating third-party bal- lot access to be unconstitutional. He said Register for LP Convention .........5 these laws violate the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the plaintiffs: the Millennial Libertarians ...............6 Libertarian Party and Constitution Party. “South Dakota has one of the most, if not LP 2017 Annual Report ....... 7–10 the most, restrictive ballot-access laws in the United states,” said ACLU attorney Stephen Heroic Italian LP volunteer ......11 Pevar, who served as lead counsel in the case. “In South Dakota you have to get 2.5 percent LP award nominations .............12 of the people who voted for governor in the last gubernatorial election. More than forty LP South Dakota Chair Aaron Aylward and LPSD candidate for U.S. House George Hendrickson Affiliate Updates ................ 13–16 states have a 1 percent requirement.” speak with the Argus Leader about how difficult it is for third parties to achieve ballot access. Ballot access is the most important them. This leads to a fundamental lack of try is patently false,” Brandon resident and Upcoming conventions ..............16 function for the Libertarian Party, because choice on Election Day. plaintiff Joy Howe said during the pro- it is the biggest hurdle to getting candidates “The idea that two parties will repre- ceedings, as quoted by the Argus Leader. Media Buzz ...............................16 on ballots and allowing people to vote for sent the views of everybody in this coun- continued on page 11... Nebraska passes Libertarian Laura Ebke’s major occupational licensing reform By Eric Boehm forms of regulation — which could include private certi- Reason fication, registration, insurance or bonding requirements, inspections, open market competition, or a combination of This story first appeared at Reason.com these approaches — in circumstances where one-size-fits- all licensing rules violate that right. ebraska lawmakers struck a rare tri-partisan blow “It will help give power back to Nebraskans to cut the against onerous occupational licensing laws on hidden tax of red tape that is creating barriers for working the 60th and final day of the 2018 legislative ses- people across our state,” says Jim Vokal, CEO of the Platte Nsion, voting 45–1 to pass a major reform bill authored by Institute, a Nebraska-based think tank. Libertarian state Sen. Laura Ebke. The bill’s backers included the free-marketeers at the Ebke’s Occupational Board Reform Act requires state Platte Institute and the licensing reform campaigners at lawmakers to undertake a review of Nebraska’s occupational the Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm that helped licensing laws with an eye toward loosening or eliminating craft the bill. But it also won support across the political requirements that serve as barriers to employment without spectrum. The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil benefiting public safety. The bill requires that licensing laws Liberties Union sponsored a series of events at locations “respect the fundamental right of an individual to pursue an Nebraska’s Libertarian state Sen. Laura Ebke sponsored L.B. around the state highlighting the bill’s importance, and 299, which reforms the state’s occupational licensing laws. The occupation” and instructs lawmakers to favor less restrictive continued on page 11... bill passed 41-1-3 before being sent to the governor to sign. PAGE 2 THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY — LP.ORG MAY 2018 CHAIR’S Corner DONOR Appreciation The road to 2020 starts in 2018 The following individuals became Chairman’s Circle contributors: By Nicholas Sarwark, LNC Chair already shattering records for registration and sponsor- Chris J. Rufer ships, and I can’t wait to be together with nearly 1,000 eople ask me all the Libertarian delegates from all across the country. Joel T. Trammell time who is likely to be Convention delegates will be voting on platform and the Libertarian presi- bylaws changes and choosing the members of the Liber- The following individual became a Select Benefactor contributor: Pdential nominee in 2020. Jour- tarian National Committee who will serve until the 2020 nalists, party members, and convention. This business may not be as glamorous as the innumerable people on social presidential nomination, but deciding who will represent media like to speculate about you on the LNC is important for the direction of the party who has the best chance. They going into 2020. Thank you to every delegate who is com- are asking the wrong question. mitted to coming to the convention to make these choices. Any answer I give now The last two years have seen incredible success for the would be based on who ran in Nicholas Sarwark Libertarian Party. We’ve expanded staff, with full-time 2016 and what the situation people improving our fundraising capabilities, recruit- Henry Posner III looks like today. It won’t take into account the results of ing and supporting candidates, and getting our mes- the Libertarian Party’s performance in the 2018 elections. sage out to the press. We’ve had the best first quarter for Those results can make a huge difference in who will be fundraising since 2004, and as of early April were about The following individuals became Beacon of Liberty contributors: interested in seeking our nomination two years from now. halfway to our goal of running 2,000 candidates. In vis- The more productive focus for all of us is to work on iting state conventions around the country, I’m seeing Willard M. Andrews running an army of more than 2,000 Libertarian candi- greater attendance, more energy, and more Libertarians dates around the country this November. We can step up stepping up to run for office and give their neighbors a to run for office or help recruit and support other Liber- real choice on the ballot. tarians to do so. If our 2018 campaigns are successful, it This term has been incredible, and the next two years will show people that the Libertarian Party is organized after the national convention in New Orleans have the and ready to impact the 2020 presidential race. potential for even more party growth in fundraising, or- If our party can take advantage of the disorganiza- ganization, and membership. Let’s work together to keep tion of the two old parties in the midterm elections, it the Libertarian Party on the right path to come out of the Aaron Sigler John Stagliano will show our members, the media, and potential candi- midterm elections in 2018 ready to shatter all previous dates that we are serious about achieving liberty in our records in the 2020 presidential election. lifetime. That strong showing has the best potential to attract talented and qualified candidates to seek the Lib- Yours in liberty, The following individuals became ertarian Party nomination instead of one of the old par- Lifetime Founder contributors: ties or running as an independent. The national convention coming up in New Orleans Jon Bradley Martin Cowen at the end of June is poised to be the most successful Laura Burrows Rik F. Schneider Jay Coursey mid-term convention in Libertarian Party history. We’re Libertarian Party News www.LP.org (ISSN 8755-139X) is the official LP News newspaper of the Send news, articles, Libertarian Party® of the United essays, or photographs: The Libertarian Party (LP) and its state affiliates work to advance the right E-mail: [email protected] States. Opinions and articles of individuals to be free, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the published in this newspaper do not equal rights of others. The party runs candidates for public office, elects Address changes: necessarily represent official party Libertarians, supports and opposes ballot measures, lobbies, and takes Phone: (202) 333-0008 positions unless so indicated. positions on public policy aimed at removing, reducing, and nullifying government E-mail: [email protected] laws, regulations, prohibitions, taxes, spending, debt, and foreign interventions. National Chair: Postal mail: Nicholas Sarwark 1444 Duke St. Eric D. Dixon Elizabeth Brierly E-mail: [email protected] EDITOR: ASSISTANT EDITOR: Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (202) 333-0008 CONTRIBUTORS: Richard Fields, Bob Johnston, Lauren Daugherty, Nicholas Sarwark, Caryn Ann Harlos, Wes Benedict, Elizabeth Brierly, Eric D. Dixon, state affiliates VOL. 48, ISSUE 2 THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY — LP.ORG PAGE 3 Florida Libertarian elected to Davenport City Council lorida Libertarian Brandon Kneeld Brandon was elected to the Davenport City Kneeld, LP Florida Council on April 3. Kneeld easily candidate Fdefeated his opponent, Headley Oliver, for the with 245 votes to Oliver’s 117. Davenport “History was made in Davenport on City Council, was elected Tuesday night,” reported a Davenport on April 3 newspaper, the Ledger. “With the victory, by a wide Kneeld becomes the first openly gay com- margin, 245 missioner to be elected in the city’s his- “I have heard the voices of the residents to 117. He is both the first t or y.” of Davenport, and I promise to serve faith- Libertarian Kneeld replaces Abel Gonzalez, who fully and to the best of my ability,” Kneeld and the had been appointed to the position and wrote on his Facebook campaign page af- first gay was the first gay commissioner in the city’s ter winning the election.