3rd-party POTUS candidates debate in L.A.

The top third-party candidates for POTUS held their final debate this week in Los Angeles.

Third-party candidates Jill Stein (Green), Chase Oliver (Libertarian), Randall Terry (Constitution) at October 23 debate. Courtesy C-SPAN.

Last Night's Presidential Debate Was Refreshingly Strange and Earnest | Reason | Christian Britschgi:

October 24, 2024 - "Last night, three people who know they're not going to be president but are running for the office anyway took the stage in Los Angeles for a spirited third-party debate. At the debate hosted by Free and Equal, Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver, Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and Randal Terry of the Constitution Party argued about whether the government should get much smaller, much larger, or be totally reoriented toward Judeo-Christian values....

"Oliver did an admirable job laying out the basics of libertarianism and then applying them to individual cases. 'If you're not harming other people with your behavior, your behavior is perfectly acceptable and should not be regulated by the government or any other entity,' he said last night, arguing that we should eliminate zoning laws to make housing affordable, cut spending, sell federal land to bring down the debt, and stay out of foreign wars.

"The other two candidates offered some fresh perspectives that were at least interesting to hear, even if they are not all necessarily advisable. Terry argued we should build a wall on the northern border to keep the Canadians out, drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to pay off the national debt, and eat raw broccoli to cure cancer. 

"Stein said building a wall on the southern border wouldn't stop drugs getting in ... but would devastate wildlife and natural ecosystems along the U.S.–Mexico border. She also perceptively argued we're stumbling into a wider war in the Middle East without any real acknowledgment or discussion.... The Libertarian nominee actively agreed with Stein that we should cut off foreign aid to Israel and nodded along to Terry's stirring anti–property tax rants....

"With all that said, there were plenty of boring, awful, and false mainstream ideas that did get thrown around too. Stein repeatedly argued that we could balance the federal budget by taxing the rich, cutting military spending, and passing Medicare for All. She called for emergency rent control and vacancy taxes to bring down the costs of housing. She said we could end mass illegal immigration by lifting sanctions on the socialist economies of Venezuela and Cuba.... Terry dusted off the old Mitt Romney idea that millions of illegal immigrants could be made to 'self-deport' if we made life miserable enough for them. His closing statement also ended with a call for the total destruction of the Democratic Party.... 

"The silver lining of Terry and Stein aping Republican and Democratic talking points is it reinforced the notion that the Libertarian Party is the only real third party. Oliver wasn't representing a more extreme version of either mainstream party. He was presenting a unique message and a unique vision of government. It's a shame more mainstream audiences likely won't hear it."

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/10/24/last-nights-presidential-debate-was-refreshingly-strange-and-earnest/

Ex-NB-NDP leader launches 'centrist' federal party

Dominic Cardy, former NDP leader in New Brunswick, then PC Education Minister (before being expelled from caucus), and founder of Centre Ice Conservatives (now Centre Ice Canadians), unveils his new "centrist" Canadian federal political party. 

Canadian Future Party launches, will field candidates in upcoming byelections | CBC News | Nick Murray:

August 14, 2024 - "Canada's newest federal political party officially launched in Ottawa on Wednesday. The Canadian Future Party is billing itself as a centrist option for voters unhappy with both the Liberals and Conservatives.... 'Canadians have been asked to play a political shell game," interim leader Dominic Cardy told a press conference in Ottawa. 'Under the shell on the left, the social programs you need. But along with it, too often you have to buy bloated government, ever-increasing spending, divorced from delivering results. Under the shell on the right, we're supposed to find fiscal discipline. But along with it, too often there's a mean-spirited approach that blames the most vulnerable for their plight, selfishness masquerading as liberty'.... 

"Interim party president Tara McPhail, a former activist with the Conservative Party, joined Cardy at Wednesday's launch. She said the new party is a place for Canadians like her who are 'politically homeless'.... '[Canadians] don't like the options on the left or the right," McPhail said. 'And we've moved away from ... policy and a tone of moderation and civility. And when I speak with Canadians, they say they'd like to see more of that'.... 

"The Canadian Future Party will put itself to the test right out of the gate by fielding candidates in byelections in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun and Elmwood—Transcona next month. Mark Khoury is on the ballot in the Quebec race, while the party's candidate for the Manitoba race will be announced in the coming days....

"Cardy laid out five policy planks on which he says the new party will be campaigning: reforming government programs, increasing Canada's defence spending to two per cent of its gross domestic product, reforming immigration through 'better gatekeepers,' making life more affordable by 'dismantling protectionism' and increasing competition in the airline, telecommunications and agricultural sectors."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-future-party-launches-1.7294230

Newest party wants Canada to go ‘not left, not right but forward’: interim leader | Power & Politics | CBC News | August 14, 2024:

New federal party aims to find centrist approach to federal politics | National Post | Adam Huras:

September 20, 2023 - "A new political party aiming to offer a centrist approach to federal politics has officially been launched, with former Higgs government cabinet minister and still-sitting MLA Dominic Cardy as interim leader.... The party will be exclusively federal and headed by a national council with a representative from each province and territory.... What was originally the Centre Ice Conservatives, and then the Centre Ice Canadians, emerged mid-pandemic believing the federal Conservatives had drifted too far right, as Poilievre steamrolled over a more centrist-positioned Jean Charest to grab party leadership....  

"Cardy was acclaimed party leader of the New Brunswick New Democrats in 2011 and led the party to a best-ever showing with 12.98 per cent of the popular vote in the 2014 provincial election. But the party didn’t win a single seat. He resigned on election night, later reconsidered, though eventually resigned again in 2017.... 

"Just weeks later, then opposition Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs turned heads by appointing Cardy as strategic issues director. Cardy was soon promoted to chief of staff and then eventually ran and won under the Progressive Conservative banner in Fredericton West-Hanwell in the 2018 provincial election. He was then named Education minister, keeping that job for nearly four years, before resigning with an epic public letter that held no punches in slamming Higgs’s leadership style. He was then expelled from caucus and remains a sitting independent MLA.

"Cardy said he will remain as a New Brunswick MLA until the next provincial election, working on the federal party as an unpaid volunteer part time. He said he won’t be seeking reelection.... Cardy said he will run for a federal seat under the new party banner, and suggested he may seek to be the Canadian Future Party’s permanent leader."
Read more: https://nationalpost.com/news/new-federal-party-will-have-new-brunswick-politician-as-interim-leader

3rd-party Potus nominees debate at FreedomFest

Three third-party candidates for U.S. president debated July 12 at FreedomFest, in Las Vegas. I was unable to find any news coverage (the following information is from a press release), but did locate a video of the event. 

Three Confirmed Candidates to Engage in Historic Free & Equal Presidential Debate July 12th at FreedomFest Las Vegas | EIN Presswire (news release): | 

July 9, 2024 - "The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is excited to announce the highly anticipated presidential debate scheduled for Friday, July 12, 2024, at FreedomFest in Las Vegas. The event will take place from 5 PM to 7 PM Pacific time at Caesars Forum, featuring a diverse lineup of candidates eager to address the pressing issues facing our nation.

"The confirmed candidates for the debate are:

• Chase Oliver (Libertarian Party)
• Dr. Jill Stein (Green Party)
• Randall Terry (Constitution Party)

"The debate will be moderated by:

• Christina Tobin: Founder of The Free & Equal Elections Foundation.
• Thomas Massie: U.S. Representative for Kentucky's 4th congressional district.

"These candidates represent a broad spectrum of political views and offer voters an opportunity to hear alternatives to the traditional two-party system. The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is dedicated to providing a platform for all voices to be heard, ensuring a more inclusive and representative political discourse."

Read more: https://www.fox21news.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/726087750/three-confirmed-candidates-to-engage-in-historic-free-equal-presidential-debate-july-12th-at-freedomfest-las-vegas/

Free & Equal Presidential Debate at FreedomFest 2024 Watch Party | Jill Stein | July 12, 2024:

(Debate begins at 20:20)

(Debate begins at 20:20)

Green leader calls gun-grab opponents scum

Canada's Green Party leader Elizabeth May has accused the  Conservative Party of having "hyped up" controversial gun-grab Bill C-21, and called on them to stop "to keep the scum from rising to the top." 

Green Party leader calls Conservative supporters 'scum' for opposing Trudeau’s gun grab | Western Standard - Christopher Oldcorn:

May 17, 2023 - Green Party leader Elizabeth May MP (Saanich-Gulf Islands, BC) referred to Conservative supporters who disagree with Trudeau’s gun grab as 'scum.' May commented during a debate on Bill C-21 An Act to Amend Certain Acts and to Make Certain Consequential Amendments (firearms), while wearing a World Economic Forum pin in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

"'I do enjoy the use of Yiddish proverbs and one comes to mind from Tim Robbins Still Life with Woodpecker. The reason you have to keep stirring the stew, you have to keep stirring because otherwise, the scum rises to the top,' said May. 'So here in this place, we have to stir and stir and do what we should do for Canadians....

"'I ask in that context if he doesn't find it troubling the very bills that have been, I would say with due respect, hyped up in terms of the rhetoric by the Conservatives in this house are the ones that come back to him' said May.... 

"'Does he think that perhaps it would it would behoove my friends in the Conservative Party to try and be more balanced in what's wrong with a bill?' said May. 'What's good with the bill and how we work together to give Canadians the best possible meal and keep the scum from rising to the top.'

"Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, AB) responded and defended his constituents concerned about the 'overreach' of Trudeau’s gun grab.

“'I'm a little worried, Madam Speaker, that the way she just described my constituents who are emailing me on this issue. They deserve to be heard, not to be name called,' said Kmiec. 'They are concerned not because of what we are saying on the side of the house. They are concerned because the contents of the legislation is bad news for them.'

"Kmiec defended his constituents and said they came to him with their fears about Trudeau’s gun grab. 'I don't need to go around into my constituency raising fears. They are fearful on their own. I happen to have more meetings on C-21 and firearms legislation in the past six to eight months from constituents that do not reach out to me on a regular basis,' said Kmiec.... 

"May did not retract her 'scum' statement."

Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/green-party-leader-calls-conservative-supporters-scum-for-opposing-trudeau-s-gun-grab/article_e51e4534-f4d0-11ed-99cb-a77ff3588b26.html

Video courtesy Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights

Misgendergate scandal upsets Canada's Greens

The Green Party of Canada's president and Ontario council rep have resigned, and the 2-person caucus is demanding an investigation, after the interim leader was misgendered in a Zoom appearance.

'Misgendering' incident plunges Green Party of Canada into renewed turmoil | National Post - Tristin Hopper:

September 12, 2022 - "Just one year after its partial meltdown during the 2021 federal election, the Green Party of Canada is once again in crisis over an incident of 'misgendering.' It all started at a Sept. 3 media event in Vancouver kicking off the party’s leadership contest. In a Zoom appearance, Interim Leader Amita Kuttner was identified using a caption bearing the pronouns 'she/elle.' 

"Kuttner, 32, identifies as non-binary and pansexual (attracted to all genders and orientations), and goes by they/them pronouns. 

"In a subsequent statement, Kuttner slammed the 'misgendering,' saying the incident 'made me feel hurt and isolated' and hinted that it was 'reflective of a larger pattern of behaviours that a few in the party are perpetuating.' The statement added, 'in moments like these I wonder — how can I ensure other people’s safety if I can’t even ensure my own?'

"Kuttner’s statement was followed by a joint letter — signed by leadership candidates as well as the party’s two MPs, Elizabeth May and Mike Morrice — calling for a 'restorative process' to root out 'harassment' within the Greens. 'The September 3 incident was but the latest in a number of similar behavioural patterns that Dr. Kuttner has faced throughout their tenure,' it read.

"Green Party President Lorraine Rekmans was the first to resign. A volunteer who estimated that she has worked 40-hour weeks for the past year on party business, Rekmans implied in a Saturday resignation letter that leadership candidates were subtly blaming her for the 'she/elle' mistake.... 'I was surprised that the contestants would use (the Sept. 3 media event) to attack the Party they were running to lead,' she wrote, adding, 'I find that some in GPC, wish to cling to the image of a political party that is the same as all the other political parties in Canada, fuelled by money, and controlled by people who wield power.'

"Krystal Brooks, the Ontario representative to the party’s federal council, also resigned. In a lengthy Sunday Facebook post, Brooks criticized the party for continuing its leadership race even while candidates were calling for an investigation into 'systemic' harm within the party.... Brooks then attached emails showing that Morrice and May had apparently threatened to resign and sit as independents if the leadership contest was delayed ... adding 'I have lost all faith in Caucus and those who they choose to hide behind'.... 

"Amidst all this, Kuttner launched a fundraiser last Wednesday intending to spite Jonathan Kay, an editor with Quillette and occasional National Post columnist. Kay had tweeted that the misgendering controversy sounded 'exactly like satire,' prompting Kuttner to ask supporters to donate $68,000 to counter Kay’s 'hate.' As of press time, the fundraiser has pulled in $226.69, $10 of which was donated by Kay....

"The whole misgendering fracas is occurring as the party struggles to recover from its disastrous performance in the 2021 federal election. Several months before the election, then-leader Annamie Paul had gone public with accusations that she had been repeatedly subjected to 'anti-Semitic' and 'racist' attacks from within the party (Paul is Jewish and Black). Paul then limited her campaign almost exclusively to her personal bid for a seat in Toronto Centre. She would ultimately win just 3,921 votes, putting her in a distant fourth place.... Although the Green Party retained both of its MPs, its share of the popular vote dropped off a cliff in the 2021 vote. In 2019, under May, 1.2 million Canadians had cast Green ballots. Under Paul, that was down to just 400,000 — the party’s worst showing since 2000."

Read more: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/misgendering-incident-plunges-green-party-into-renewed-turmoil

Ontario 3rd parties protest ACM debate exclusion

Libertarian Party, New Blue Party and Ontario Party get chance to meet public | North Bay Nugget - Jennifer Hamilton-McCharles:

Michelle Lashbrook. 

May 9, 2022 - "Michelle Lashbrook, Nipissing candidate for the Libertarian Party, was joined by candidates representing the New Blue Party and the Ontario Party Saturday afternoon at the 406 Squadron RCAF Alliance. All three candidates spoke about their party's positions and goals, however they expressed frustration and disappointment in the fact they haven't been invited to election debates being held throughout Nipissing.

"Ontario Libertarian Party leader Mark Snow asked Nipissing candidates from the three parties how many local debates they’ve been invited to.... Lashbrook .. was only invited to the candidates’ debate hosted by North Bay Pride. Other candidates weren’t invited to any. 

"'They are using community organizations to set the rules which are private venues to say who and what person is allowed on stage,' Snow told about 75 people Saturday at the 406 Squadron RCAF Alliance. 'This is the suppression that is happening.' Lashbrook agreed....

"'I decided to run for the Libertarian Party. As much reach as we’ve had with Northern Freedom Alliance, our voices need to reach further out,” Lashbrook said. 'I encourage everyone to look at municipal elections, run for council, board, committees, use our tactics to get involved. I don’t want this to be our world. We need to reduce government.'

"Action4Canada hosted the session, giving each candidate a chance to speak to the crowd to outline their party’s position and goals.

"Joe Jobin, Nipissing candidate for the Ontario Party, thanked the other parties – the New Blue Party and the Libertarian Party – for standing up for Canada. He said he hopes all three will come together as one party.... 'Don’t be discouraged, we will have victory. It may not happen overnight. Good things take time and it’s going to take time, step-by-step, brick-by-brick and legislation-by-legislation we will restore what we lost.'

"The businessman and ordained minister said he sat back in hopes the leaders of the province would 'straighten things out'.... 'I kept thinking maybe things will [get] straightened out and let someone else take care of it, but then when they weren’t getting straightened out I couldn’t remain silent any longer,' Jobin said Saturday. 'For a number of years I’ve started to realize something is wrong and the rules aren’t making any sense. We’re in a changing world and it’s not changing for the better. We can’t vote for self-serving politicians.'"

Read more: https://www.nugget.ca/news/libertarian-party-new-blue-party-and-ontario-party-want-to-be-included-in-local-debates

3rd party POTUS candidates registering in polls

Libertarian and Green Party Candidates Are Making Surprising Appearances in 2020 Election Polls | Newsweek - Jason Lemon:

July 21, 2020 - "As the 2020 presidential election is now less than four months away, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Libertarian Party candidate Jo Jorgensen are registering support in national polls, signaling that their respective messages resonate with a segment of voters frustrated with Democrats and Republicans....

"Polling conducted by CNBC/Change Research from July 10 to 12 showed Hawkins with support from 2 percent of respondents, while Jorgensen was backed by 3 percent. Although that's marginal compared to the 51 percent support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and the 41 percent for Republican incumbent President Donald Trump, even a few percent could sway what ultimately could become a close election. Separate polling this month by Redfield & Wilton Strategies showed Hawkins with 1 percent support, while Jorgensen was backed by 2 percent of respondents....

"The Green Party positions itself to the left of the Democratic Party, with Hawkins highlighting his differences with progressives such as former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Meanwhile, Libertarians align with more conservative principles when it comes to the economy, while being liberal socially due to their strong belief in individual freedoms.

"'I don't want the government making choices for you. I want you to have lots of choices provided by a wealth of free market alternatives, and to make those choices for yourself, for your family, and for your business,' Jorgensen explained. She emphasized that she wants to keep taxes and government spending down, end the war on drugs, bring the troops home and 'end cronyism in the energy business' while allowing nuclear-power initiatives to move forward.

"Hawkins pointed out that Greens have some overlap with Libertarians on social issues.... 'But there are some issues we agree on — drug policy reform, staying out of stupid foreign wars, civil liberties, mass surveillance unwarranted by the state, warrantless surveillance,' Hawkins said....

"In 2016, some political analysts pointed to Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson as having shifted the race in Trump's favor. The president narrowly beat former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in several key swing states, where the votes won by Johnson and Stein made up the difference.... Many Republicans and Democrats have warned about the possibility of a similar impact from third-party candidates this upcoming election. But Hawkins and Jorgensen are dismissive of these concerns, pointing out that people should vote for who they actually support the most. Additionally, it's not at all clear that those who voted for third-party candidates would have cast a ballot for Trump or Clinton if the other options were not available.

"'Don't waste your vote on the status quo. Vote for real change for real people,' Jorgensen said."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/libertarian-green-party-candidates-are-making-surprising-appearances-2020-election-polls-1519464

Maryland lowers ballot access signature bar

Ballot Access Requirement for Maryland Green, Libertarian Parties Cut in Half | Maryland Matters -  Danielle E. Gaines:

June 20, 2020 - "The petition requirement for Maryland’s Green and Libertarian parties to gain ballot access for the November general election has been slashed in half. The parties will have until Aug. 3 to turn in 5,000 valid signatures from registered voters, down from the statutory requirement of 10,000.

"The state’s leading third parties filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to reduce the requirement late last month, arguing that the state’s springtime stay-at-home order and social distancing guidelines made it impossible for them to exercise their First Amendment rights.The parties had sought to reduce the requirement to 1,000 valid signatures. A settlement agreement was filed in the court on Friday....

"The state board approved a policy change in late April to allow parties and candidates to collect signatures electronically during the COVID-19 pandemic....

"The Libertarian Party of Maryland has collected about 3,000 signatures so far and hopes to collect another 4,000 before the August deadline, Bob Johnston, the party’s state chair, said. The party has some petitioners working on the ground now and hopes to add more soon.

"The national party is committed to 50-state ballot access for the Libertarian presidential ticket, which will help the party’s cause in Maryland, but getting signatures will still be difficult with most of the large festivals that petitioners used to visit still canceled, Johnston said.

"'The people who have been telling us to socially distance, are now telling us to go collect signatures. …It’s really putting us in a bind,' he said."

Read more: https://www.marylandmatters.org/blog/ballot-access-requirement-for-green-libertarian-parties-cut-in-half/

Alaska Libertarians file ballot access suit

Alaska Libertarian Party files lawsuit to get on presidential ballot - Andrew Kitchenman, Alaska Public Media & KTOO Juneau:

June 11, 2020 - "The Alaska Libertarian Party has filed a federal lawsuit against state elections officials....  The party wants its presidential candidate to appear on the general election ballot. The party and its chair, Jon Watts of North Pole, sued state Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai and Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer in the U.S. District Court for Alaska....

"Watts said it is unconstitutional to require the party to meet the state’s legal requirements for gathering signatures, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'When you’re out sitting in front of a grocery store and everybody’s wearing masks — I mean, having a smile to greet people and they’ll sit there and talk with you for a minute, was really strictly prohibited with the social distancing initially,' he said.

"State law allows parties ballot access if they get 3% of the vote in the most recent statewide general election, if 3% of the state’s voters are in their party or if they gather signatures equal to 1% of the votes cast in the most recent presidential election. Since the party didn’t clear the first two bars, they ... need 3,212 signatures. And they’ve hired a signature gatherer, Scott Kohlhaas. The lawsuit said the party would usually get 1,000 signatures per week, but recently gathered only 149 in roughly two weeks....

"Watts said the ballot access should be a constitutional right. He said the state’s response is an example in favor of his party’s limited-government approach. 'It’s interesting that government at all levels can suspend actual constitutional rights — the freedom to assemble and do various other things relative to our Bill of Rights,' he said. 'However, when it comes to some slack allowance for ballot presence relative to this COVID: "Oh, we can’t change the rules for that"'

"The state did allow the party to gather signatures online, but Watts said the courts should allow the Libertarians and other third parties to have their candidates go directly onto the ballot....

"Libertarians have a history of receiving more votes in Alaska than in most other states. Four years ago, Libertarian Gary Johnson received nearly 6% of the vote in Alaska, his third-highest share in the country, after New Mexico and North Dakota. The same year, Joe Miller received 29% of the vote in the U.S. Senate election. But the party’s candidate for governor, Billy Toien, received less than 2% of the vote in 2018.

"Green Party of Alaska secretary Robert Shields said his party also is concerned it won’t be able to get enough signatures for its candidate to be on the ballot. The party hasn’t picked a candidate."

Read more: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/06/11/alaska-libertarian-party-files-lawsuit-to-get-on-presidential-ballot/

11th Circuit gives GA LP new ballot access hearing

11th Circuit Vacates District Court Ruling, Says Georgia Must Revisit Third Parties’ Exclusion From Elections | AllOnGeorgia - Jessica Szilagyi:

June 4, 2020 - "The Libertarian Party of Georgia [LPG] has made a substantial gain in a matter against the Georgia Secretary of State. While the case was filed by the LPG, the potential for improved access will impact all third party candidates in Georgia. The 11th Circuit Court issued a ruling on Wednesday requiring a Georgia district court to consider whether candidates of the Libertarian Party of Georgia had been unconstitutionally excluded by Georgia’s ballot access laws.

"In the Peach state, any third party candidates (those outside Republicans and Democrats) must obtain thousands of signatures and submit those signatures to the Secretary of State, a partisan office, for approval. These measures are not measures required of the two main parties, which merely pay a qualifying fee and complete paperwork. Surprisingly, even if no candidate from one of the two major parties runs for a particular office, a third party candidate must still clear the hurdles of signature collection and submission before even being considered for the ballot....

"In a separate matter, the LPG made a request for injunctive relief once social distancing guidelines were implemented in the state, claiming mandates requiring signature collection via door-to-door interactions and other public appearances would be next to impossible, therefore barring third party candidates from the ballots all together. In a news release, the LPG called the signature requirements 'both illegal and immoral'....

"'Today’s ruling from the Court of Appeals means that the Secretary of State is going to have to justify a ballot-access scheme that has deprived Georgia voters of choice in congressional elections for more than 70 years,' said Bryan Sells, the attorney for the Libertarian Party and its co-plaintiffs in both suits. Sells has handled the case pro-bono, but the Georgia LP has raised $13,000 to cover expenses and court fees. You can  read the ruling here.

"The Party has tried more traditional means of affecting change, including seeking a change to the law itself. House Bill 191, sponsored by Representative Dar’Shun Kendrick, was filed in 2019 with bipartisan support to lower the number of petition signatures required for all third-party and independent candidates from 5% of votes cast in the previous election to 200. The Chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee ... blocked attempts to even give the bill a hearing for discussion."

Read more: https://allongeorgia.com/georgia-state-politics/libertarian-party-of-ga-claims-victory-after-ruling-in-ballot-access-case-against-sec-of-state/

Libertarian parties ask for petitioning relief

Third parties call for ballot access relief | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Kyle Mullins:
April 7, 2020 - "Much of politics is based on personal interactions, but in the midst of a global pandemic, such interactions can be potentially deadly. The COVID-19 outbreak has left third parties in Pennsylvania out in the cold, concerned that they may not be able to get on the ballot for key races in November due to an inability to collect signatures.
"'People aren’t willing to take a pen, or a piece of paper' from a petitioner, national Libertarian Party executive director Daniel Fishman said. Additionally, Gov. Tom Wolf’s stay-at-home orders — extended to all 67 of Pennsylvania’s counties on Wednesday — have blocked petitioners from attending now-canceled public events or going door-to-door. In response, both the national Libertarian party and the Green Party of Pennsylvania have called on Mr. Wolf and the state Legislature to waive the petitioning requirements.....
"Republicans and Democrats congressional candidates must submit 1,000 signatures to run for Congress, whereas third-party candidates must submit ... from 1,800 in District 12 to 5,753 in District 3. To run for attorney general, third parties must submit 2,500 signatures, including 250 from at least five counties.... This year, the major parties’ timeline [for petitioning] fell before many of the restrictions from the COVID-19 outbreak. The timeline for the third parties did not."
Read more: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2020/04/06/third-party-ballot-access-relief-COVID-19-election-PA-green-libertarian-parties/stories/202004060100

Libertarian Party looks for NH to waive ballot requirements due to COVID-19 | Keene Sentinel - Mia Summerson:
April 7, 2020 - "The Libertarian Party of New Hampshire has asked the state to waive the required number of signatures to put its candidates on the ballot this fall, due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The N.H. Libertarians have determined it would be a risk to public health if their members go out into the community to circulate petitions, the party said in a news release....
"[M]embers had been out collecting signatures since early January but have halted those efforts to protect 'voters, activists and those who will eventually handle these petitions....'
"The release says that, in the past, the party has regularly been able to secure the 3,000 signatures required for unrecognized parties to gain ballot access for gubernatorial or U.S. Senate candidates, the only statewide races that could get the party listed on the ballot....
"Since March 27, New Hampshire has been under a stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Chris Sununu. The order asks that people stay inside their residences as much as possible to help slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19."
Read more: https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/libertarian-party-looks-for-nh-to-waive-ballot-requirements-due-to-covid-19/article_bc5d75ed-88fc-51dc-8bfa-2ae11cab5b30.html

Libertarian Party of Wisconsin asks governor, legislative leaders to lift petition requirement to get on 2020 ballots | Channel3000 - Amy Reid:
April 10, 2020 - "The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin sent a letter to government leaders on Thursday asking for the petition requirement for getting on the ballot this fall to be lifted. Matthew Bughman, the chair for the state party, sent the letter to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and the state elections commission....
"Given the state’s Safer at Home Order and the current public health emergency, Bughman said it is widely believed that petition drives around the state will not be able to safely continue and asked for the petition requirement for all offices be deceased or that parties that had ballot access in 2018 be granted automatic ballot access in 2020."
Read more: https://www.channel3000.com/libertarian-party-of-wisconsin-asks-governor-legislative-leaders-to-lift-petition-requirement-to-get-on-2020-ballots/

Lockdown makes ballot petitioning impossible, Illinois 3rd parties tell court

New parties sue over Illinois election rules | Illinois Times - Rebecca Anzel:

April 9, 2020 -  "Social distancing and stay-at-home orders, instituted to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic, are in direct conflict with Illinois’ ballot eligibility requirements, the Libertarian and Green parties of Illinois allege in a lawsuit filed Thursday. Both are considered 'new' parties under state election rules, meaning a candidate running for office under those banners must receive a greater number of in-person petition signatures than those with 'established' parties — typically, the Democrats and Republicans.

"Libertarians and Greens have from March 24 until June 22 to gather enough signatures — in person with a canvasser watching — to qualify for inclusion on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. But party officials allege meeting that threshold will be 'practically impossible' given Gov. JB Pritzker’s social distancing and stay-at-home orders.

"The parties are asking that Illinois’ signature collection mandates be waived or suspended this general election cycle so their candidates may be on the ballot, and also that the state reimburse their attorney’s fees. Pritzker’s office did not respond to separate letters sent from the two parties in mid-March, nor did a spokesperson return a request for comment from Capitol News Illinois.

"The Illinois State Board of Elections, in a letter, said it is unable to assist.... It would take a court order or the General Assembly amending current law to address this concern, an elections board spokesperson said.

"Candidates running as Democrats or Republicans already have a guaranteed spot on the general election ballot. Under statute, the parties were allowed to petition in autumn and candidates were chosen in the March primary election. Those running under the banner of a 'new' party or independent must collect petition signatures in the spring.

"An 'established' party candidate for president ... needs at least 3,000 signatures or more if someone challenges their validity. That same person would need 5,000 signatures to run for U.S. Senate. Independents or those in a 'new' party, including Libertarians and Greens, need at least 25,000 signatures for both positions.....

"The Libertarian and Green parties point to action taken by other states as examples of what Illinois’ government should consider. Voters in Arizona and New Jersey can sign candidates’ petitions electronically and those in Denver, Colorado, and the District of Columbia can use an application called E-Sign, which validates signatures against voter rolls."

Read more: https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/new-parties-sue-over/Content?oid=12034033

NY raises ballot access threshhold

Green Party, Libertarian Team Up To Fight New Election Rules | WCBS Newsradio 880:

December 16, 2019 - "It's not often you see leaders of the Libertarian Party and the Green Party sharing a podium, but that’s exactly what happened recently, according to WCBS 880’s Steve Burns.

"'The Libertarian Party is pleased to partner with the Green,' said Libertarian Party of New York Chairman Jim Rosenbeck.

"Rosenbeck says the new rules set up by the Public Campaign Financing Commission are ... 'a shameless attempt to limit public debate'....

"In order to have full ballot status parties need to receive at least 50,000 votes in governor's races. The new rules raise that threshold to a 130,000 votes, or 2% of total turnout – whichever is higher. Those totals have to be attained every two years instead of every four.

"Green Party of New York Co-Chairman Peter Lavenia says they'll likely be knocked off the ballot in the next two years over the changes. 'We’re looking at this as an assault on democracy,' he said.

"The two parties are filing a joint lawsuit against the commission.

"State lawmakers could reconvene and change the rules, though that prospect is looking increasingly unlikely with a deadline at the end of this week."

Read more: https://wcbs880.radio.com/articles/news/green-party-libertarian-team-up-to-fight-new-election-rules
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Texas judge blocks 3rd-party filing fees

Texas Libertarians celebrate as judge strikes down filing fees - HoustonChronicle.com - Taylor Goldstein:

December 6, 2019 - "One week before the filing deadline for Texas candidates, a judge in Harris County blocked the secretary of state from assessing a new fee for third-party candidates that was added by the Legislature this past session. Seven Libertarian voters and potential candidates sued over the law in state District Court in Harris County in October.

"Being freed of filing fees ranging from $750 for a candidate for state representative to $5,000 for a U.S. Senate election is a big advantage for a party that operates on a shoestring budget and whose candidates often run with little to no cash in their campaign coffers. 'It has had a massively positive impact in the last three days on candidate recruitment,' Neal Dikeman, a plaintiff in the lawsuit and a former Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018, said Wednesday, adding that the party had previously expected recruitment to decrease by 50 to 90 percent....

"In a temporary injunction issued Monday, Judge Kristen Hawkins called the fees an 'actual or threatened violation of the Texas and United States Constitutions.' The injunction applies statewide.

“This temporary injunction was a crucial step to ensuring voters have choice at the ballot box, as half of all Texas races in 2018 would have been unopposed without Libertarian Party nominees,” said Harris County Libertarian Party Chair Katherine Youngblood, who represented the plaintiffs.

"While Democrats and Republicans are held to the same requirement ... [t]he money goes back to the parties through funding from the state for their primary elections. Third parties such as the Libertarians and the Greens, which nominate through conventions rather than primaries, do not receive such funding....

"A similar but broader lawsuit was filed by the Texas Libertarian Party, as well as the Texas Green Party and other third-party groups, in federal court in July. That lawsuit, which contests several parts of the law that they say limit third-party access to the ballot, is pending."

Read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/texas/article/Texas-Libertarians-celebrate-as-judge-strikes-14887294.php
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21 US Libertarians elected locally in 2019

Minor Parties in US Make Gains in Local Elections | Voice of America - English - Durin Hendricks:

November 12, 2019 - "While Democrats and Republicans dominate U.S. political headlines, scores of smaller parties dot America's landscape and, at times, have a major impact on national, state and local elections.

"The 2016 elections saw several third parties attract their highest-ever presidential vote totals at a time when many Americans expressed dissatisfaction with both major party candidates. The Libertarian party, which advocates for lower spending and taxes, saw the biggest leap in support as presidential nominee Gary Johnson received 4.5 million votes, nearly triple his 2012 total....

"Small parties have capitalized on disaffection with the major parties. According to a 2018 Gallup Poll, 57 percent of Americans say a third party is needed because Democrats and Republicans do a 'poor job.'

"Earlier this month, the Libertarian Party notched victories in a string of local elections, as 21 Libertarian or Libertarian-endorsed candidates were elected to school boards, city councils, and mayorships across the country....

"Tipton, Indiana, a Republican stronghold, elected a Democratic Mayor and a Libertarian Party member to the city council last week. Libertarian Nate Kring beat the Republican incumbent who had been the city’s former mayor and long serving police chief.

"Kring began to identify as a Libertarian in 2016, dissatisfied by the Republican Party's embrace of Trump. On a local level, Kring complained the Tipton Republican Party was not transparent and that Republican elected officials were not enforc[ing] the city’s codes and were raising taxes. Kring said his biggest hurdle as a candidate was convincing people that voting for ... him did not mean they were joining the Libertarian Party or that a third party vote was a wasted vote.

"As a councilman, Kring sees himself as a problem solver, promising to fairly enforce city laws, collaborate with the county government to 'share services and save money' and make the municipal government more transparent. 'The county live streams meetings, but the city doesn't,' he said.

"Indiana has elected 28 Libertarian officials to public office since 1992. The 2019 elections saw Nate Kring and four other Libertarians elected or re-elected in the state."

Read more: https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-politics/minor-parties-us-make-gains-local-elections
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Hillary Clinton is a 'Trump asset' says Amash

Rep. Justin Amash labels Hillary Clinton a 'Donald Trump asset' over accusations about Gabbard - Washington Times:

October 19, 2019 - "Hillary Clinton is boosting President Trump’s voter base by suggesting Russia is rooting for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to win the White House, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan ... stated ... on Twitter after Mrs. Clinton referred to Ms. Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat seeking her party’s presidential nomination, as a 'Russian asset.'

“'The thing we know for sure is that Hillary Clinton is a Donald Trump asset,' Mr. Amash wrote on Twitter. 'Hillary does — and did — drive many people into the arms of Donald Trump.... Her attack on Tulsi does likewise.'

"Mrs. Clinton, the former Democratic presidential nominee who lost to Mr. Trump in 2016, caused an uproar after suggesting in an interview released this week that Russia is 'grooming' the Hawaii congresswoman and current White House hopeful to drop her bid for the party’s nomination and instead run in 2020 as a third-party candidate. 'She is a favorite of the Russians,' Mrs. Clinton said without mentioning Ms. Gabbard by name.

"Ms. Gabbard fired back Friday, saying she would not run as a third-party candidate and blasting Mrs. Clinton as 'the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party.' Her campaign has since challenged Mrs. Clinton to enter the Democratic primary....

"Amash was first elected to Congress in 2010 and is currently serving his fifth term representing Michigan’s Third Congressional District, which includes Grand Rapids, the state’s second-largest city. He left the GOP in July, weeks after becoming the first Republican member of Congress to publicly accuse Mr. Trump of committing 'impeachable conduct.' Democrats have since initiated impeachment proceedings against the president.

"The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 race using a range of tactics meant to undermine public faith in the democratic process, denigrate Mrs. Clinton’s campaign and harm her electability. The Department of Justice has since filed criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals implicated in the effort, several accused of meddling in the race on social media in part by posting content encouraging American users to vote for a third-party presidential candidate."

Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/19/rep-justin-amash-labels-hillary-clinton-a-donald-t/
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Meriden CT Libertarians win fight to get on ballot

Libertarian candidates win fight for ballot access in Meriden - Mary Ellen Godin, Meriden Record-Journal:

October `4, 2019 - " Libertarian candidates Roger and Ellen Misbach settled a lawsuit against the Secretary of the State, and their names will appear on the November mayoral and City Council ballot. Roger Misbach sued the Secretary of the State’s office and Secretary Denise Merrill for denying ballot access to the Misbachs over filing requirements.

"The parties settled the matter the day before an Oct. 10 court hearing. Roger Misbach will appear on the ballot as the Libertarian Party’s mayoral candidate and Ellen Misbach as the City Council Area 4 candidate. A post on the Meriden Libertarians’ Facebook page thanks the state 'for doing what parties ought to in litigation — try and resolve their differences.'

"The husband and wife were originally named as placeholder candidates for the purposes of generating enough signatures to meet the state’s filing deadlines, according to the lawsuit. Third parties often run placeholder candidates to allow time to get signatures before a party’s nominating convention, they said.

"After submitting the required number of signatures to petition for a spot on the ballot in August, the state Libertarian Party nominated its candidates: Roger Misbach for mayor and Ellen Misbach as a City Council candidate in Area 4.  According to the lawsuit, the party sent the Secretary of the State’s office notification of its slate of candidates after the convention and before the Sept. 4 deadline. But the information did not match the earlier placeholder information and the state denied them ballot access over the discrepancy.

The lawsuit outlined the difficulties third parties face to gain ballot access, calling the petition process “arcane and outdated.” Candidates can’t use online resources and must seek invasive personal information from signers. The process poses an arbitrary burden and cost on town clerks and election officials and introduces unnecessary and costly delays into all steps of the electoral process, the lawsuit stated....

"The Libertarians wanted a mayoral candidate to challenge unaffiliated incumbent Mayor Kevin Scarpati, who they accuse of blocking ballot access to third parties.... Scarpati and the city settled a lawsuit with the Libertarian Party for $37,000 for their roles in preventing Libertarian and other third-party candidates from collecting signatures at the city’s Daffodil Festival in Hubbard Park in 2018. In addition to the costs, the city agreed not to interfere in ballot petition drives."

Read more: http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Libertarian-candidates-back-on-Meriden-ballot.html
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Minor parties marginalized in Canadian election

They might never win an election — so what keeps a fringe party alive? - National | Globalnews.ca - Rachel Browne:

October 14, 2019 - "Four rescue cats roam the offices of the Animal Protection Party of Canada ... one of more than a dozen registered political parties in Canada running this election against the established parties like the Liberals, Conservatives and the NDP. But the odds are stacked against them and they likely won’t win. Some have been around for more than 30 years and have never come close to winning a single seat....

"There are currently 21 federal political parties registered with Elections Canada — the highest number ever. Eight became registered this year in time for the election, including the more well-known People’s Party of Canada (PPC), and other much smaller ones such as the Stop Climate Change party and Canada’s Fourth Front. The emergence of the far-right National Citizens Alliance of Canada and the Canadian Nationalist Party, both of which became registered this year, has prompted criticism from anti-hate groups who say this points to the problems with letting anyone register a federal party, regardless of their ideology....

"The PPC, led by former Conservative MP Maxime Bernier, calls itself the fastest-growing new political party in Canada with more than 300 candidates running in the 338 federal ridings in just a year since it was founded. Bernier also got himself into the federal leaders’ debates, after initially being rejected, due to the high number of candidates running and after successfully arguing that at least more than one had a reasonable chance of winning.

"Coreen Corcoran, president of the Libertarian Party of Canada who is running in the Ottawa-Centre riding last held by Liberal MP Catherine McKenna, said the popularity and ideals of the PPC resulted in the loss of many potential candidates for her party. 'A couple years ago, our plan was to run 388 [candidates] in this year’s election,' she said in an interview. 'Then the PPC came on board. They had a direct hit on our party, absolutely a direct hit. Because Maxime Bernier was, to many libertarians, a libertarian guy.' Corcoran said that the draw of Bernier coupled with the way his ideas encompassed some libertarian values made it appealing to a lot of those who had previously allied themselves with her party.

"She added that this election will be important in determining the future of her party, which is running a couple dozen candidates this year on a platform that champions a 'free market economy where entrepreneurs and employees can flourish.' A lot depends on the success of the PPC. 'If they do well, then it may hurt us again. If they don’t do well, I think it could end up helping us,' Corcoran said. 'It could have people coming back to us, people finding us. Who knows.'

"But the growth and momentum seen by the PPC is rare for a new party..... A significant barrier for smaller parties is Canada’s first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral regime, in which the candidate who gets the highest number of votes wins the right to represent that riding in the House of Commons. But candidates do not need an absolute majority — more than 50 per cent of votes — in order to win. FPTP can also encourage strategic voting, where voters may cast a ballot for the candidate who is more likely to defeat another candidate they dislike, rather than cast a ballot for the candidate they would actually prefer....

"As for the potential to end up with a seat in the House of Commons, Carleton University political science professor Jon Pammett said the Green Party can serve as a model. Though the Green Party was registered in 1984, leader Elizabeth May secured the party’s first seat nearly 30 years later in 2011. Paul Manly secured its second seat in May, along with significant gains made by the party’s provincial counterparts.... Pammett added that ideologies held by the parties like the Greens can also be taken up by the bigger parties ... depending on how popular they are among voters."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/6016479/federal-election-fringe-parties/
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Greens vow to decriminalize drug possession

Green Party would decriminalize all drug possession if elected | CBC News:

September 21, 2019 - "The Green Party would decriminalize all drug possession if elected in October, leader Elizabeth May said Saturday on the campaign trail in Winnipeg. May said it's a necessary step to curb the opioid crisis in Canada.... May delivered the announcement in Manitoba, which is dealing with a major drug problem.

"As part of their effort to lower the rate of overdose deaths, the Greens are also committing to declaring a national health emergency, increasing mental health and addiction programs, and funding community organizations. The party said it would also ensure kits with Naloxone, a medication that blocks the effects of opioids, are widely available to treat overdoses.

"The issue is personal for the Green leader. Her sister-in-law, entertainer Margot Kidder, died in 2018 after battling drug addiction.

"Much of the Green Party's current support comes from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, and Vancouver Island, areas hit hard by the opioid problem, which led to the deaths of nearly 4,000 Canadians in 2017.... May said her party would consider lifting the decriminalization in the future if the drug crisis subsides....

"People on the front lines of the crisis have long said creating a supply of clean drugs and removing the criminal element would cut down on the number of overdose deaths.

"The Liberals have rejected calls to decriminalize all drugs, sticking instead with the legalization of marijuana — a 2015 campaign promise that was fulfilled last year. Neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have released their 2019 platforms, including on what they would do in the area of illicit drugs and how to reduce death rates.

"The NDP's platform says the party would 'commit to working with all levels of government, experts and Canadians to end the criminalization and stigma of drug addiction.'"

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/elizabeth-may-election-decriminalize-drug-possession-1.5292817
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Iowa Libertarians challenge early filing deadline

Iowa Libertarians sue for equal access to state ballot | Cedar Rapids Gazette:

August 5, 2019 — "Iowa Libertarians are challenging an Iowa law they claim puts them at a disadvantage because their candidates must file months earlier than Democrats and Republicans seeking office. The lawsuit filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in Des Moines claims state law violates Libertarians’ rights of association and voting under the First Amendment, and denies them the equal protections guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.

"The lawsuit names 'Paul D. Tate' as the plaintiff, an apparent reference to Iowa Secretary of State Paul D. Pate, the state commissioner of elections. Pate’s office had no comment regarding the suit other than to say the law change did not originate in the Secretary’s office.

"The Iowa Libertarian Party and Jake Porter of Council Bluffs, who plans to run for the U.S. Senate, also ask for an injunction barring enforcement of the law and for the state to pay their attorney fees.

"The law stems from a change the GOP-controlled Legislature made earlier this year to require candidates nominated by a non-party political organization — often referred to as an NPPO — must file with the state in mid-March of an election year while political party candidates don’t have to file until August.

"Under Iowa law, NPPOs are organizations that sponsor candidates, but their candidates did not receive at least 2 percent of the votes cast for president or governor in the previous election. Iowa Libertarians have been recognized as a political party in the past, but their current status is as an NPPO.

“'A filing deadline in mid-March imposes heavy burdens on NPPOs,' according to the lawsuit.... There is no legitimate state interest in the earlier filing deadline, Libertarians argue, or in treating NPPOs differently from political parties."

Read more: https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/government/iowa-libertarian-party-lawsuit-nppo-20190805
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