May 27-30, 2016 - Libertarian Party National Convention, Orlando

Overview

(Eric M. Appleman) - As the Convention began in Orlando on May 27, the Libertarian Party website listed 18 recognized presidential candidates.  ("The Libertarian Party recognizes 2016 Presidential candidates who have campaign websites, are dues-paying members of the LP, have met all U.S. Constitutional requirements to serve in office as president, and are not running for the nomination of any other political party. They have also filed with the FEC, with the exception of Darryl Perry, who has chosen not to file, as a protest against the FEC, claiming that it lacks constitutional authority.")

Joey Berry (SC) - JoeyBerry2016.com
Brian Briggs (MS) - VoteBrianBriggsForPresident.com
Thomas Clements (LA) - Thomas-Clements.ruck.us
Keenan Dunham (SC) - Dunham2016.com
Marc Allan Feldman (OH) - VotesNotForSale.com
Malisia Garcia (TX) - MalisiaGarciaForPresident.us
Gary Johnson (NM) - GaryJohnson2016.com
John McAfee (TN) - McAfee2016.com
Kevin McCormick (AZ) - KevinMcCormick2016.com
Robert Milnes (NJ) - RWM4Prez2012.wordpress.com
Darryl Perry (NH) - DarrylWPerry.com
Austin Petersen (MO) - AustinPetersen2016.com
Derrick Michael Reid (CA) - Totalitarian Democracy.com
Jack Robinson, Jr. (SC) - RobinsonForPresident.com
Mike Shannon (IL) - UnRepublican.com
Rhett Smith (TX) - RhettForPresident.com
Shawna Joy Sterling (KY) - ShawnaSterling.org
Heidi Zeman (NV) - HeidiZeman.com

https://www.lp.org/candidates/presidential-candidates-2016

Most of these 18 were unknown figures.  Former Gov. Gary Johnson, the party's 2012 nominee, was seen as the likely nominee.  Shortly before the Convention he teamed up with another former governor, William Weld of Massachusetts.  In a May 23 Facebook post Johnson wrote, "These two governors on one ticket would be the highest esteem team in the general race to run the country. Imagine the Libertarian Party having the most qualified ticket around!"


Close to one thousand delegates were credentialed, a record for a Libertarian Party Convention.  The proceedings included vice presidential and presidential debates.  Six candidates qualified for president balloting.  Gary Johnson narrowly missed winning the nomination in the first round of voting:

Marc Allan Feldman
58
6.270%
Gary Johnson
458
49.514%
John McAfee
131
14.162%
Kevin McCormick
9
0.973%
Darryl Perry
63
6.811%
Austin Peterson
197
21.297%
Ron Paul (w/in)
1
0.108%
Vermin Supreme (w/in)
1
0.108%
Heidi Zemen (w/in)
1
0.108%
Derrick Grayson (w/in)
1
0.108%
NOTA
5
0.541%

925


He prevailed in the second round:

Marc Allan Feldman
18
1.940%
Gary Johnson
518
55.819%
John McAfee
131
14.116%
Darryl Perry
52
5.603%
Austin Peterson
203
21.875%
Derrick Grayson (w/in)
1
0.108%
Michael Shannon (w/in)
1
0.108%
Kevin McCormick (w/in)
1
0.108%
Rhett Smith (w/in)
1
0.108%
NOTA
2
0.216%

928

Former Gov. William Weld likewise won the vice presidential position in two rounds of voting.

The combination of a credibile ticket and dissatisfaction with the major party candidates could provide an opening for the Libertarian ticket in the 2016 general election.  Gary Johnson's campaign has cited polls putting him in double digits.  In one amusing moment at the convention delegates approved a resolution awarding Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton jointly a "lberty outreach award."



Libertarian National Committee
For immediate release

May 17, 2016
Contact: Carla Howell

Libertarian National Convention to be held May 27–30 in Orlando

 Convention theme:  #LegalizeFreedom

WASHINGTON, D.C. —  All eyes will be on the Libertarian Party National Convention from May 26 through May 30 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando. With the theme, “Legalize Freedom,” the convention will draw delegates from across the country to select the candidate who will challenge the Republican and Democratic nominees, whose front-runners are both candidates with the lowest approval ratings ever to represent their respective parties.

“The Libertarian Party is poised to have a breakout year,” said LNC Chair Nicholas Sarwark, “in an election when the two old parties are putting up candidates with some of the poorest public-opinion numbers in any modern election. In light of voters’ extreme disillusionment, I anticipate this will be one of our most exciting conventions ever.”

Key events include:

  • Convention will open with a reception on Thursday, May 26 at 6:30 P.M.
  • Business session will be called to order on Friday morning, May 27, the agenda to include the party’s Bylaws and Platform Committees’ reports.
  • A vice-presidential debate will be held on Friday evening at 7:00 P.M.
  • Presidential nominations will start mid-afternoon on Saturday, May 28.
  • A televised presidential debate will be held on Saturday evening at 8:00 P.M.
  • Delegates will select the presidential nominee on Sunday morning, May 29, followed by the vice-presidential nominations and election.
  • Sunday evening will feature the presidential reception at 7:00 P.M. and banquet at 8:00 P.M.
  • The business session will conclude on Monday, May 30.

 A detailed schedule is available here.

“Right now I’m expecting up to 1,000 delegates to be seated at the convention; every day our count is increasing,” Sarwark remarked. “No matter which candidate the delegates choose to nominate, he or she will be the only candidate on every single American voter’s ballot running on a platform of supporting their right to live their life in any way they want, as long as they don’t hurt anyone else and don’t take their stuff.”

Click here to learn how the Libertarian Party selects its presidential and VP nominees.

The Libertarian Party was founded in 1972, and is today the third largest political party in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place roadblocks in order to keep alternative parties’ candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.

Additional information about the convention is located at www.LP.org/convention. For guest rooms in the area (the Rosen Centre has sold out), click here.

Members of the press who plan to attend this event are requested to visit the convention web site to obtain additional information and to request press credentials.

###


Libertarian National Committee
For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 12, 2016

How the Libertarian Party selects its presidential, VP nominees

Delegates to the Libertarian National Convention, who are selected by their respective state Libertarian affiliates, will select the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees. The convention will be called to order on Friday, May 27 in Orlando, Florida and is expected to adjourn Monday, May 30.

Presidential nominations will begin at approximately 2:30 P.M. ET on Saturday, May 28. ​A presidential debate will be held that evening at 8:00 P.M.

The election for the presidential nomination is expected to occur on Sunday morning, May 29. The vice presidential election is expected to take place shortly thereafter on Sunday.

Per the party’s convention rules, to be nominated for president or vice president, a candidate must collect the signatures of at least 30 registered delegates submitted via a token, which is dispensed when delegates register in person at the convention. Each delegate may nominate one candidate for each office.

The nominee is chosen with successive rounds of balloting, using as many ballots as necessary, until a candidate wins a majority of votes. If no candidate attains a majority on a given ballot, any candidates polling less than 5 percent, plus the candidate with the fewest votes, are struck from subsequent ballots.

The vice presidential candidate is selected in the same manner, except that the presidential nominee may address the convention after vice presidential nominations have been made, but before voting has begun, for the purpose of endorsing or objecting to any of the vice presidential nominees. 

Regardless of the presidential nominee’s preference, the delegates have the final say on who the vice presidential nominee will be.

The signatures collected for presidential and vice presidential nominations are also used to determine which candidates are included in their respective debates. To be included in debates, a candidate must receive the signatures of at least ten percent of the number of registered delegates.

A debate of vice presidential candidates will take place on the evening of Friday, May 27 at 7:00 P.M.

An estimated 900 or more delegates will be credentialed and eligible to vote for the party’s nominees. Delegate slots are awarded in proportion to the number of dues-paying national Libertarian Party members in each state and also the number of general election votes received in each state for the previous Libertarian presidential candidate.


Libertarian National Committee
For Immediate Release
May 28, 2016

Libertarian Party kicks off presidential nominating convention

ORLANDO — On the eve of the opening of the 2016 Libertarian Nominating Convention, a record 985 delegates and 344 alternate delegates hailing from 50 states plus D.C. were credentialed to select the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees, possibly adopt changes to the party’s platform, and elect top party officials.

The convention will be called to order at 8:40 a.m. Friday, May 27 and adjourn approximately noon on Monday, May 30.

2016 is proving to be a banner year for the Libertarian Party:

• Dues-paying membership grew 30 percent from January to May of this year.
Libertarian voter registration has consistently risen in the last 24 years* whereas other political parties have declined. As of February 2016, there are 411,250 registered Libertarians nationwide.
• Gov. Gary Johnson, one of the candidates vying for the LP presidential nomination, already polled in double digits twice this year against the Democratic and Republican presumptive nominees, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump (March, Monmouth University Poll, 11%; May, Fox News poll, 10%)
• The Libertarian Party is the only alternative party expected to be on the ballot in all 50 states this year.

Key events of the weekend include:

  • Vice presidential debate    Friday 7:00-8:00 P.M.
  • Presidential debate    Saturday 8:00-10:00 P.M.
  • Presidential and VP election    Starts Sunday morning 9:50 A.M.
Syndicated radio host Larry Elder will moderate the presidential debate.

More schedule details can be found here: http://Libertarian.nationbuilder.com/schedule

“We have an impressive line-up of Libertarian candidates running across the country, from local office to president,” said Nicholas Sarwark, LP Chair. “The major parties offer Americans more government. Libertarians advocate for much less government, the key to real, sustainable job creation; personal freedom; and a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy.”

 ###

Libertarian Party website: www.LP.org
Libertarian Nominating Convention website: LP.org/convention
To request a convention press pass, visit: LPPolicy.wufoo.com/forms/2016-lp-convention-media-credentialing-request

* Libertarian voter registrations on the rise:

Total U.S. Voter Registrations by Party

                    Democrat    Republican    Independent    Libertarian    Green    Constitution
Feb. 2016    41,341,965    30,447,217    27,606,975    411,250    242,023    77,916
Oct. 2008    43,933,901    30,944,590    24,157,259    240,328    255,019    438,222

Percentage Change in U.S. Voter Registrations by Party


Democrat
Republican
Independent
Libertarian
Green
Constitution
Oct. '14-Feb. '16
-3.3%
-1.6%
-0.3%
3.0%
-4.4%
-0.7%
2012-2014
-1.7%
-1.2%
3.3%
20.7%
1.0%
0.7%
2008-2012
-1.0%
1.1%
11.0%
37.6%
-1.7%
-82.2%
2004-2008
17.8%
6.7%
18.0%
2.0%
-14.6%
36.9%
1992-2004
4.7%
17.9%
50.3%
134.6%
191.3%
N/A
 Source: Ballot Access News; March 1, 2016

Libertarian National Committee
For Immediate Release
May 28, 2016

Libertarian Party holds VP debate; votes overwhelmingly to oppose death penalty

ORLANDO – Last night at its presidential nominating convention, the Libertarian Party held a debate ofvice presidential candidates, including four candidates who qualified by a vote of the delegates: businesswoman and trial lawyer Alicia Dearn, speaker and freedom activist William Coley, executive business consultant Larry Sharpe, and former Massachusetts governor William Weld.

To qualify for the VP debate, candidates needed the support of ten percent of the 495 delegates in attendance who cast votes:

  • William Weld - 126 (25.5%)
  • Larry Sharpe - 125 (25.3%
  • Alicia Dearn - 89 (18.0%)
  • William Coley - 51 (10.3%)
  • Kerry Douglas McKenna - 22 (4.4%)
  • Mark Stewart - 20 (4.0%)
  • Judd Weiss - 17 (3.4%)
  • Derrick Grayson - 15 (3.0%)
  • Jeff Mortensen - 12 (2.4%)
  • Others - 8 (3.6%)
Candidates who received less than ten percent of the vote will still qualify to be included in Sunday’snominations for vice president if they receive at least 30 delegates’ votes by the time delegates have selected their presidential nominee, expected by late morning on Sunday

After heated debate, delegates also voted 364–105 to add a plank to the Libertarian Party platform calling for an end to the death penalty.

 ###

Libertarian National Committee
For immediate release
May 29, 2016 morning

Libertarian presidential candidates debate

Press conference 12:15 PM ET Sunday

ORLANDO — Last night delegates to the Libertarian Party’s nominating convention selected six candidates to compete to be the party’s nominee for President of the United States, five of whom qualified for and participated in the evening’s highly entertaining televised debate.

Candidates needed the votes of 30 delegates to be nominated; they needed 10% of the 740 votes cast to be included in the debate (74). Vote totals were:

Gov. Gary Johnson - 226 (30.5%)
Austin Petersen - 106 (14.3%)
Darryl Perry - 105 (14.2%)
John McAfee - 97 (13.1%)
Marc Alan Feldman - 89 (12.0%)
Kevin McCormick - 45 (6.1%)
All others - 72 (9.7%)

The top five candidates participated in the debate moderated by syndicated talk radio host Larry Elder, which aired live on C-SPAN.

This year's Libertarian Nominating Convention shattered previous records for attendance and media coverage. At least twenty times as many press passes were issued than in either of the last two biennial conventions. 918 delegates and 79 alternates were credentialed as of 9:30 A.M. today, for a total of 997. Up to 940 delegates and alternates may vote on a given ballot.

At the last presidential nominating convention in 2012, 648 delegates were credentialed. 440 were credentialed in 2014.

Nicholas Sarwark, Chair of the Libertarian National Committee, will comment and take questions at a press conference today at 12:15 P.M.

###

Libertarian National Committee
For immediate release
Sunday, May 29, 2016

Libertarian presidential candidate named; VP balloting underway

ORLANDO – He’s already at over 10% in four polls….

Today Libertarian Party delegates elected Gov. Gary Johnson, two-term governor of New Mexico, to be the party’s nominee for President of the United States, with a mission of moving America in the direction of more personal freedom, fiscal responsibility, and less military intervention.

“We already have over 411,000 registered Libertarian voters,” said Nicholas Sarwark, Libertarian Party Chair. “And now we’ve nominated Gov. Gary Johnson as our presidential candidate for 2016. Together, he and the other Libertarian candidates will propel the rapid growth of the LP all across America and give disenfranchised voters a real choice for less government and more freedom.”

Gov. Johnson is a successful businessman and a crusader for fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and individual liberties. As governor, he vetoed over 750 bills, perhaps more vetoes than all other 49 governors combined. He cut taxes 14 times while maintaining New Mexico as one of only four states in the country with a balanced budget. He was the first U.S. governor to call for ending marijuana prohibition.

The Libertarian Party is the only alternative political party in the United States expected to be on the ballot in all fifty states this November.

After winning on the second ballot, Johnson implored delegates in his acceptance speech to elect former Massachusetts governor William Weld to be his running mate.

Six candidates met the 30-vote threshold to be eligible for the vice presidential nomination:

Gov. William Weld – 192 votes

Larry Sharpe - 161

Alicia Dearn – 104

Will Coley – 61

Judd Weiss – 46

Derrick Grayson – 33

Others under thirty votes - 109

A motion from the floor was defeated which would have made the other presidential candidates eligible for the VP nomination. In spite of this, the candidates received some votes, but not enough to push any of them over the 30-vote threshold:

Austin Peterson - 17

Marc Alan Feldman  - 9

John McAfee -  6

Darryl Perry - 2

Delegates will select Johnson’s running mate later today. If no candidate for vice president attains a majority on the first ballot, the candidate finishing last will be eliminated from the race. In addition, any candidate polling less than 5 percent will also be eliminated from the subsequent ballot. A candidate securing a majority of convention delegates will be the vice presidential nominee.

The LNC will hold a press conference following the selection of the VP nominee.

Former Gov. Gary Johnson
Acceptance Speech

[DEMOCRACY IN ACTION/4president.org Transcript - CSPAN video]

Thank you very much.  You have no idea what just happened means to me.  Thank you.

I have always said that it's your hard work, it's every one of your work over the years that has gotten us to this point, and I recognize that. And I will work as hard as I can to represent everybody in this room.

But for those that weren't supportive I just want to reiterate a couple of things. I tell the truth; I am not a liar. And I make plenty of mistakes, but what I say here at this convention is what I say everywhere wherever I go, and I believe it is a really libertarian message wherever I go.

And right now leaving this convention I think that millions of people are going to be trying to understand what it is to be a libertarian and it is going to be my voice describing that to the best of my ability. And I realize, I realize the confidence that you have put in me to be that spokesperson and I'm very, very grateful for that.

Now that said, we're going to move on to the vice president. And I understand that you get to choose the vice president, but I just want you to know if it's not Bill Weld, I don't think we have the opportunity of being elected president of the United States and that is not to take anything away from any of the candidates up here on the stage.

Jim Gray in 2012 did not make one national media appearance and don't think we didn't try to have Jim Gray be on the national media. Since Bill Weld announced that he is seeking the vice presidential nomination I would say at a minimum he has made 25 national media appearances.

And not to take anything away from any of the candidates, nothing away from any of the candidates, but Bill Weld was my role model. Bill Weld was Libertarian-Republican. Bill Weld was denied the nomination by Jesse Helms to be ambassador to Mexico because Jesse described him as pro-gay, pro-choice and pro-medical marijuana at a time when nobody else was talking about this.

It's your choice. We can go out there and we can make, and you have kind of sort of made a choice here already. And that is that we do have the opportunity to reach millions and millions of Americans.

Talk about fund-raising. The total amount of fund-raising, the total amount of funds since I've been in politics, directly or indirectly that I have raised is probably about $8 million. If you make that comparison with Bill Weld, the number is closer to a quarter of a billion dollars. It's a reality.  It is a reality and I'm asking you all to recognize that reality. And I'm also asking you to recognize that you did nominate me for president, and I'm hopefully going to get elected president of the United States.

The first consideration that people are going to look at when they look at a vice president, the first consideration, maybe the only consideration is, can that person actually step in and be vice president of the United States. I'm just going to ask you to make that determination with those that are on stage. I trust in all of you that moving forward that you can see, I hope you can see, the wisdom of this Libertarian Party exploding. And at a minimum, let's just not say, at a minimum I think we are in the presidential debates.

If it's not Bill Weld I don't think that that happens. If it is Bill Weld, and not to take anything away from anybody else that is on the stage. But if it is Bill Weld there's a real possibility that we can achieve major party status in this country. And who would have dreamed that that was possible four years ago?

I have never been involved in this, ever, without the notion of potentially winning. In 2012 people would ask well, gee, how come it is you never really caught on?

Actually I caught on big. This whole thing has been just like this from Day One. But when they don't poll you and they don't recognize that you go from zero to 1,300,000 votes, it's hard to make that pitch.

Well right now at 10-percent of the vote that's like 18 million people being represented right now. Just understand the opportunity please.

I'm laying it in your hands, and I know that you're going to make, I know you're going to make the right decision.

Thank you to all of you. You have worked so hard, every single one of you have worked so hard, and so much money has been spent over so many years for ballot access. and here we are.

I mean at some point did anybody get involved with the Libertarian Party hoping that this might someday happen? Was it going to be perfect? No, it wasn't going to be perfect, but it is here and it is now. So. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

(music)

For immediate release
Sunday, May 29, 2016

Gov. William Weld wins Libertarian VP nomination

ORLANDO –  Today two-term Massachusetts governor William Weld became the vice presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party at its nominating convention.

Earlier today, the delegates elected two-term New Mexico governor Gary Johnson to be the party's presidential nominee.

"This is the highest-profile ticket in the Libertarian Party's history," said Nicholas Sarwark, Libertarian Party Chair. “And it comes at a time when Americans yearn for a credible alternative to Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.”

Weld won 441 votes on the second ballot, barely over the required majority of votes needed. Larry Sharpe, a trainer and coach for executives, came in second place with 409 votes.

The Libertarian, Democratic, and Republican parties are the only political parties in the United States expected to be on the ballot in all fifty states this November.