Learn about ballot access, running for local office, state and local issues, and developing a county party to support local candidates and issues.
Regional Development Meeting – Fairfield County, Mon June 14th, 6:30pm to 9pm @ Castaways 1500 N High St, Lancaster, OH 43130
The following individuals have been elected to the Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio Central Committee.
The meeting of the full committee, election for Central Committee officers and Executive Committee officers, will occur at the next regular county party business meeting on May 17th, 2022.
We need your help to get the Libertarian Party regain ballot access in Ohio. This article helps explain what ballot access is, why it is important to us, and why the Libertarian Party of Ohio does not currently have it. To volunteer, check the “Circulate Petitions” or “Validate Petitions” box on the Volunteer form.
“Ballot access” is the right to put a political party label under a candidate’s name on the ballot. Having ballot access also enables a party to hold a primary. Under Ohio law (ORC 3501.38, amended in 2013 by Senate Bill 193), a political party must get 3% of the vote for Governor or 3% of the vote for President to gain ballot access for four years. The party must again get 3% of the vote for President or Governor to renew its access for another four years. Supporters of SB 193 designed and timed this bill to prevent the Libertarian Party of Ohio (LPO) from appearing on the ballot in 2014. To correct this injustice, the LPO filed several lawsuits. The federal district court in the first case, Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Husted, ordered the Secretary of State to keep the LPO on the ballot in 2014 (Court documents). This case went to the Supreme Court of the United States, which decided to let stand a federal appeals court ruling against the LPO. A suit filed in the state court system in 2015 challenged the constitutionality of SB 193 on the basis of Article V, Section 7 of the Ohio Constitution.
The law requires us to circulate petitions containing more than 55,000 valid signatures (with at least 500 each from eight of Ohio’s 16 Congressional Districts), and file them by August 2023 to allow our candidates to show the Libertarian label on the ballot. Because petition gathering usually results in a large number of invalid signatures, the state party will attempt to gather at least 110,000 signatures statewide. The Libertarian Party of Ohio office will be open throughout this year to receive and validate signatures using a method proven successful in our effort to get our 2020 Presidential candidate Gary Johnson on the Ohio ballot as a Libertarian. Volunteers are validating the signatures in a process so laborious that — to do the process correctly — it would take a full-time employee over a year and a half to validate the petitions.
TOMORROW, MAY 3RD is the first Ohio Primary Election for 2022.
tl;dr If you are a Libertarian in Ohio, be certain to pull an “issues only” ballot for the Ohio Primary Election.
If you intend to join or remain a member of the Libertarian Party of Ohio, and also intend to vote in the Ohio Primary, you must remember to request an “issues only” ballot from your poll workers.Be sure to verify that you were issued an “issues only” ballot and do not have primary candidates for the Republican or Democratic parties.If you do participate in either major party primary you will not be eligible for elected, and in some cases appointed, roles in the state and county Libertarian Parties in Ohio.Be kind and considerate, most poll workers are volunteers and received an hour of rushed training.
Learn about ballot access, running for local office, state and local issues, and developing a county party to support local candidates and issues.
A lot of exciting things are coming in the next couple of months – both the State and National Conventions and the Central Committee elections. I highly encourage you to participate in as many of these as you can.
As the Republicans and Democrats increasingly turn to their fringe groups for support (and battle their influence at the same time) it is ever more important that we stand up and show people the better alternative we offer.
As the world spins ever more out of control it is important to show people that the cause of liberty is the best path to sanity.
So donate or get involved and help us grow our movement.
You might just have fun doing it.
Ken Holpp, Communications Director – FCLPO
“In the event the Secretary of State denies ballot access as a recognized party, Central Committee elections shall take place at a central location, at a time and place agreed upon by the outgoing Central Committee.
Elections shall be held in even-numbered years in the same month as the official state primary election.”
The LPO Office will be open to the public for voting in the Central Committee Election from 9am to 6pm, May 3rd, 2022.
After 6pm the votes will be tallied and the new Central Committee will be announced.
At the discretion of the new Central Committee a meeting may be held immediately to elect Central Committee officers, a new Executive Committee, and conduct other party business.
If no meeting is held the election for Central Committee officers and Executive Committee will be scheduled for the next regular ExCom meeting on May 17th, 2022.The following current Central Committee members are running for election. (If you would like to be added for election, please reply to this announcement before April 2nd, and include reliable contact information; contact name, phone and email, so we can be in touch.)
Franklin County Libertarian Party
c/o Ohio Libertarian Party
6230 Busch Blvd, Suite 102
Columbus, Ohio 43229
—
Michael Sweeney
Secretary, Central Committee, Franklin County Libertarians
While this is the regular monthly business meeting for the Franklin County Libertarian Party, visitors are always welcome.
LPO Office
6230 Busch Blvd, Suite 102
Columbus
While this is the regular monthly business meeting for the Franklin County Libertarian Party, visitors are always welcome.
LPO Office
6230 Busch Blvd, Suite 102
Columbus
