Some state LPs want to chase Oliver off ballot

Libertarian Party POTUS nominee Chase Oliver is on the ballot in 36 states, and ballot access efforts are ongoing in the others. But the executives of a few state Libertarian parties don't want him on theirs. 

The Libertarian Party vs. Chase Oliver | Reason | Brian Doherty: 

July 11, 2024 - "In May, the Libertarian Party (L.P.) nominated Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat as its presidential and vice presidential candidates.... Before the end of June, two state affiliate parties vowed they would not submit Oliver and ter Maat's names to appear on their state ballots. 

"One state, Colorado, announced in early July that it would instead nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This week the secretary of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), Caryn Ann Harlos, used her legal authority as national secretary to submit the Oliver/ter Maat ticket to Colorado's secretary of state office anyway. The LNC is the governing body of the national party. Harlos is herself a member of the Colorado L.P. but strongly objected to the Kennedy nomination. The Oliver campaign also this week submitted a necessary slate of electors to the state.... The Colorado L.P. still intends to file to get Kennedy on the ballot as a Libertarian, though it is likely his campaign will submit enough signatures by the deadline today to achieve that without the L.P.'s help. Colorado secretary of state spokesperson Jack Todd told The Denver Post that dueling filings from the same party is something the state has never had to deal with before.

"Montana's Libertarian Party also announced in early June that it would not put Oliver on its state's ballot and encouraged other states to follow suit. The Montana L.P. asked the national party to 'consider suspending and replacing him.' At publication time, Montana's party chair had not responded to an email asking if his party intended to submit a different name or leave Montanans no L.P. presidential ticket to vote for.

"Another state L.P., Idaho, saw its secretary, Matt Loesby, publish an open letter in mid-June calling on the LNC to rescind Oliver's nomination, mostly because of his position on transgender care for minors. Idaho's official state party account retweeted Loesby, though according to an email from Loesby last week, the party has made no formal decision to keep the Oliver ticket off its ballot. (New Hampshire's L.P. also rejects Oliver, but he can get himself on that state's ballot without its cooperation.)....

"Colorado takes issue with Oliver making the personal choice to wear a mask during COVID-19, insufficiently defending his opponent Donald Trump from accusations made against him, and being arguably more consistently libertarian than it is on minors' right to make choices about their medical care in alliance with parents and doctors. Trans issues are the flash point for many of Oliver's most vocal opponents.... Oliver sticks firmly to the libertarian idea that the state should not interfere with the decisions a parent, child, and doctor make about appropriate or desired care. (Oliver is asked about the 'transing kids' stuff far more than he brings it up on his own; when the issue is brought up, he routinely stresses the small number of children and families affected by this issue.)...

"Currently, the LNC is considering forming a joint fundraising committee with Kennedy. Harlos has been upbraided publicly on the LNC's business email list by [LNC Chairman Angela] McArdle for daring to place the L.P.'s nominee on her state's ballot rather than Kennedy. The LNC is currently voting on a motion to ensure it files all necessary nominating paperwork for Oliver with state election officials. So far at least six members of the LNC have voted against this.

"For his part, Oliver has been out on the road conducting an ordinary presidential campaign, including public appearances, media spots, and advertising. His X feed is full of hits on debt, gun control, bodily integrity, and presidential legal immunity. He stresses his youth — he's 38 — compared to his doddering major party opponents.... Dustin Nanna, chair of the LNC's ballot access committee, said in a phone interview in late June that they are locked in 36 states and have ongoing ballot access efforts, some funded by the party and some all-volunteer, in the others....

"This much opposition within the L.P. to its nominee is 'highly unusual,' said Oliver's campaign manager Steve Dasbach, himself a former LNC chair, in a phone interview in late June..... Dasbach thinks moves against Oliver's access are "not in the best interests of the Party as a whole, and not in the best interest of registered Libertarians in those states.' To Dasbach, Oliver's position on trans issues is 'straight out of the party platform' with its support for medical freedom for individuals and for parental rights against state interference. Dasbach also has found some Libertarians erroneously believe Oliver supported mask or vaccine mandates merely because he personally chose to wear a mask or socially distance in some circumstances. 'We are working with the LNC and we are confident we'll ultimately be able to work these issues out and Chase will appear on the ballot in all states where the L.P. is qualified,' Dasbach says."

Read more: https://reason.com/2024/07/11/the-libertarian-party-vs-chase-oliver/

Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver Reacts To Biden-Trump Debate | Forbes Breaking News | July 2, 2024:

Colorado Libertarians give ballot line to RFK Jr.

The Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) announced today that the LPCO Board of Directors has voted to give its ballot line to independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) Announces Partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Campaign | X:  

July 2, 2024 -"The Libertarian Party of Colorado Board of Directors passed a resolution voting in favor of a groundbreaking partnership with the independent presidential campaign of @RobertKennedyJr. This collaboration aims to disrupt the entrenched two-party system and provide Colorado voters with a viable alternative in the upcoming 2024 presidential election....

"As part of this partnership, the Libertarian Party of Colorado will place the Kennedy/Shanahan ticket on the Colorado state ballot for president and vice president. This move reflects our commitment to offering voters a choice that transcends the traditional partisan divide and promotes individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government.

"Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shares many of the Libertarian Party's core principles, including a commitment to civil liberties, free markets, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. His campaign's focus on ending corporate welfare, reducing government spending, and protecting the environment aligns with our values and resonates with Colorado voters. 

"In addition, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a signatory of LPCO’s Presidential Liberty Pledge, affirming his alignment with many of the positions libertarians strongly hold, and its contents will be released at a later date.

"By joining forces with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign, the Libertarian Party of Colorado aims to build a broad coalition of voters who are tired of the status quo and seek a fresh, principled alternative. We believe that this partnership will help us reach new audiences, expand our support base, and make a significant impact on the 2024 presidential election in Colorado.

"We encourage all Colorado voters to learn more about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign and the Libertarian Party's platform. Together, we can break the stranglehold of the two-party system and create a more free, prosperous, and just society."

Read more: https://x.com/LPCO/status/1808321139615179094 

Colorado Libertarian convention cancelled

Colorado Libertarians cancel state convention, blast state's 'draconian regulations' | Colorado Politics - Ernest Luning:

March 19, 2020 - "The Colorado Libertarian Party on Thursday canceled its annual convention in response to an order issued by Gov. Jared Polis limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The party, which counts more than 46,000 registered voters in Colorado, is developing 'a digital option for conducting necessary party business,' state party chairman Victoria Reynolds said in an online post that called the public health order issued late Wednesday 'draconian regulations.'

"State Libertarians had been planning to convene April 3-5 at a Lakewood hotel after moving their annual meeting from Glenwood Springs earlier this week, due to an order by a local health department banning large gatherings.

"Polis issued a series of executive orders Wednesday night to further restrict public gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, including extending an order requiring all schools to close through April 17 and keeping downhill ski areas closed through April 6. The Colorado Department of Public Health issued an order Wednesday prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, in accordance with federal recommendations, Polis said.

"Reynolds told Colorado Politics that the party had expected at least 100 people to attend the weekend convention, which featured speakers, panel discussions and a Roaring '20s party. At the meeting, the Colorado Libertarians [were] planning to nominate candidates to Colorado's general election ballot and send delegates to the national convention, as well as elect board members and take care of other party business."

Reynolds said ... that the government restrictions fly in the face of the party's basic tenants. 'It has long been a cornerstone of Libertarian beliefs that the world works best when people use personal responsibility and exercise their right to freely assemble,' she said. 'Not only are political and activist organizations forced to set their work aside when people need them most, but businesses have been forced to close, as well. By shutting down our convention and others like it, the state of Colorado has compounded the economic damage already being done through our society grinding to a halt.'"

Read more: https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/colorado-libertarians-cancel-state-convention-blast-state-s-draconian-regulations/article_7ee5a7c8-69fd-11ea-9bfb-477374d4fdfb.html

Colorado Libertarians celebrate Festivus

GoLocalProv | Former Governor Chafee Celebrates Festivus with Colorado Libertarians:

December 16, 2019 - "While many Christians were celebrating Christmas on Wednesday and members of the Jewish faith are enjoying Hanukkah this week, former U.S. Senator and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee was recently in Colorado at a Festivus celebration with the Libertarian Party.

"'Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike." which O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe, co-wrote,' according to a definition on Wikipedia....

"Chafee ran for President as a Democrat in 2016. Now, he is a Libertarian candidate in 2020 for President."

Read more: https://www.golocalprov.com/politics/former-governor-chafee-celebrates-festivus-with-colorado-libertarians
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Colorado Libertarians decry Denver kratom ban

Kratom Ban in Denver Ripped by Libertarian Party of Colorado | Westword - Michael Roberts:

January 23, 2018 - "In November, Denver Environmental Health issued a human-consumption ban on kratom, a plant-based substance that advocates tout as a pain reliever lacking the well-known negative effects of more powerful opioids. Now the Libertarian Party of Colorado is formally decrying the move, and the organization's spokesperson reveals that it's a very personal subject for her. After all, she's a user of kratom who believes her life would be infinitely worse if she could no longer take it.

"'Who is the government to tell me that I can't have a functional life and have to live with excruciating pain that makes me want to kill myself?' asks Caryn Ann Harlos, the Colorado LP's communications director....

"[K]ratom has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration took steps to reclassify it as a Schedule I narcotic in August 2016 before reversing course the following year. The change in approach was undoubtedly influenced by public backlash; approximately 140,000 people signed a petition to the White House opposing the DEA's proposal, and a group of 51 U.S. senators and representatives sent a letter to Chuck Rosenberg, the agency's acting head, questioning it.

"Nevertheless, the feds continued to view kratom consumption as dangerous, attributing fifteen deaths between 2014 and 2016 to its use, even though fourteen of the victims had other drugs or illegal substances in their systems when they died.... DEH didn't ban all sales of kratom, but retailers that wish to peddle it for non-consumptive purposes must affix a consumer advisory ...that states: 'This product is not intended for human consumption. Consuming kratom products may pose a risk, including death, to consumers and has addictive potential.'....

"'I have a degenerative back disorder, spinal stenosis, and I've been on and off Vicodin for fifteen years,' Harlos says.... 'But when I moved to Colorado, the federal government started cracking down on opioids, and when I'd try to get legitimate pain medication, they made me feel like a criminal'.... Harlos began looking around for pain-killing alternatives — and marijuana didn't do the trick. 'I don't like it, and it doesn't work for me,' she allows.... At that point, she goes on, 'I discovered kratom, and it worked better than Vicodin. It doesn't have any side effects. You do get a boost when you take it, but it's a boost like you get from caffeine'....

"'The national Libertarian Party is for the full legalization of drugs, period,' she stresses. 'Our position is that the government doesn't own you — that if you want to put something in your body and it's not harming others, it's not the government's business. They have no business protecting you from yourself. So even if kratom was being used recreationally, we'd oppose a ban. But kratom has obvious medical uses. It's had no downside in my life, and it's the same for other people I know who use kratom for pain management. They haven't had any issues, either.'"

Read more: http://www.westword.com/news/kratom-ban-in-denver-ripped-by-libertarian-party-of-colorado-9908252
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Libertarian Party: Denver shooter not a member

Libertarian Party distances itself from gunman in deputy shooting | FOX31 Denver:

December 31, 2017 - "The Libertarian Party is distancing itself from Matthew Riehl, the gunman in the deputy ambush that left one dead in Highlands Ranch on Sunday morning.

"Riehl released a YouTube video in which he claimed to be a member of the party and teased the idea of running for office as a Libertarian against Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock....

"The Libertarian Party of Colorado denounced the shooter and said it has no record of him in its database.

"The statement also expressed 'great sadness" regarding the shooting and offered condolences to the families of those injured in the ambush.

"'The core of Libertarian philosophy is a belief in a peaceful means to political change and a repudiation of the initiation of physical force for political or social reasons,' Libertarian Party of Colorado State Chair Wayne Harlos said. 'Ambushing any person and committing physical violence is as blatant a denial of the Party’s beliefs as any action can be. Ultimately this is not about politics but about an evil action that leaves several families in grief over death and injuries.'"

Read more: http://kdvr.com/2017/12/31/libertarian-party-distances-itself-from-gunman-in-deputy-shooting/
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U.S. Libertarian archives moved to Colorado

The Libertarian Party’s national archives now live in Colorado | The Colorado Independent - Corey Hutchins:

May 30, 2017 - "Colorado, the birthplace of the national Libertarian Party, is now something else: host of the party’s trove of physical archives since its founding in 1971 in Colorado Springs.... Colorado, a state with about 1 percent of its registered voting population claiming membership in the party, has always had an outsized role in Libertarian history. Now, just this spring, the party’s physical history relocated from a storage facility in Alexandria, Virginia, to Parker, Colorado.

"Leading the effort to bring those records to the party’s birthplace was Caryn Ann Harlos of Castle Rock, the state party’s pink-haired spokeswoman who serves as the national party’s representative for nine western states. On a December trip to the East Coast on party business, she asked to see archives many thought were destroyed in a flood when they were housed in the basement of the famous Watergate building. Instead, Harlos found a room of records largely intact. Boxes of newsletters, convention material, even contents from the desks of former party officials.

"'I got a burr under my saddle and was like "This stuff needs to be preserved,"' she said over the phone recently.

"The national party set up a committee and formulated a $10,000 budget to make it happen. Party people packed the archives in a U-Haul and a staffer drove it west.

"For the past several weeks, Harlos, a paralegal with two decades of document management  experience, has, in her own words, been becoming one with the records.... Her goal is to organize and digitize the documents, and then upload them to the online crowdsourced Libertarian history site Lpedia.

"She stresses it is not a public Libertarian Party museum or anything, but anyone who wants to take a look can make an appointment with her.

"'There are people very passionate about the history,' she says. 'I have people planning weeklong vacations to come and work on these records in Colorado.'"

Read more: http://www.coloradoindependent.com/165618/libertarian-party-archives-colorado
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Libertarian registrations up 26% in Colorado

Libertarian Party Sees Uptick in Registered Voters, Beats Democrats and Republicans | Westword - Ana Campbell:

October 19, 2016 - "'It's been a very good year.'

"Jay North, the state chairman of the Libertarian Party, is being modest. According to the latest voter-registration statistics, the number of registered Libertarians in Colorado grew over 26 percent since January. Republicans added about 4 percent, Democrats about 7 percent.

"We spoke to North about the increasing interest in the Libertarian Party, the foibles of the party's candidate and the party's future.

Westword: To what do you attribute the rising interest in the Libertarian Party?

Jay North: We're attributing it to, the [Democrats and Republicans] have the two worst candidates running for president. People are looking for other options. They're jumping ship and looking for the parties that can fit their principles. And the Libertarian Party's principles are pretty across the board where people just fit in.

"Critics of third parties allege you all are present during presidential years but not so much during congressional and city council races.

"We actually have quite a few candidates in those races. We don't fill out the ticket, obviously, but we have about thirty people running this year out of fifty races. We like to fill a ticket, but the Libertarian Party is really about the message. Can we shift the window to a more liberty-oriented message or society than we are now?

"What do you see as the future of the Libertarian Party?

"It's either going to be the same as it was last year, or it's going to be growing more than what it is now. It's kind of hard to tell. This happened before, with Ron Paul in 2008. When he was running, the Libertarian Party had a huge uptick in participation. Then it didn't really fizzle, but it didn't keep growing. So we have another huge uptick where we're working as hard as we can to keep those people in and get them busy doing stuff, like volunteering and spreading our message. We're basically like any business. They want to have their logo or their products or services among the general knowledge of people.

"A lot of Coloradans don't want to be told what to do. That's how the marijuana law got passed. It wasn't because Democrats rolled over or Republicans gave up. It's because, since 1972, the Libertarian Party has been pushing that issue. It's taken us forty years to get there, but we got there. Same thing with gay marriage. The Libertarian Party was pushing that issue since 1972. I think Colorado is just one of those states where most of the people, they want liberty."

Read more: http://www.westword.com/news/libertarian-party-sees-registered-voters-uptick-beats-democrats-republicans-8418379
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Libertarian Williams in Colorado Senate debate

In a first, Libertarian candidate in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race qualifies for major debate – The Denver Post - John Frank:

September 6, 2016 - "Colorado’s U.S. Senate race begins in earnest this week with a major surprise: The Libertarian candidate will participate in the first debate.

"Lily Tang Williams will join Democrat Michael Bennet and Republican Darryl Glenn at the Club 20 debate Saturday in Grand Junction — a significant opportunity to boost the Libertarian Party’s exposure in Colorado in a year in which voters are looking for alternatives to the major party candidates at the top of the ticket.

"The 52-year-old small businesswoman and Chinese immigrant is the first third-party candidate in recent memory to qualify for a major U.S. Senate debate in Colorado, said Libertarian Chairman Jay North.

"I’m going to tell people that I offer a real third option,' Williams said in an interview. 'The two-party duopoly in our country has not worked well.'

"Williams qualified for the debate after new figures released Tuesday showed the Libertarian Party reached 1 percent of registered voters in Colorado — the threshold to participate in the Club 20 debate, which serves as unofficial kickoff of the fall campaign.

"Just days ago, the Western Slope civic organization told Williams that she could not participate after mid-August voter registration numbers put the Libertarian party at 0.977 percent, just 0.023 percentage points shy of the threshold.

"The Libertarian Party, which originated in Colorado, now counts 37,551 registered members, or 1.02 percent of the 3.68 million total voters in the state.

"The addition of 1,802 voters to its ranks in August is part of a small but steady defection from major parties in recent years, boosted this year by dissatisfaction with the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

"Floyd Ciruli, an independent Colorado political analyst, said qualifying for the debate is a big step: 'If you’re not on the stage, nobody sees you.'"

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/06/lily-tang-williams-libertarian-candidate-colorados-us-senate-debate/
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Republican Forum endorses Libertarian for Senate

El Paso County GOP group endorses a Libertarian for U.S. Senate | The Colorado Independent - Corey Hutchins:

April 28, 2016 - "A group of Colorado Springs Republicans Wednesday endorsed Lily Tang Williams, the Libertarian candidate running in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race.

"The nod from the El Paso County Republican Strategy Forum was the first time in its 13 years the group has endorsed a third-party candidate, says its chair Sheryl Glasgow.

"Williams spoke to the group Wednesday for more than an hour about her former life under Chairman Mao’s rule in Communist China, a place 'without any civil liberties, privacy, and economic freedom.' Her message resonated with the Republican group, which is neither affiliated with the El Paso County Republican Party nor the state GOP....

"Glasgow said her group has been disappointed with the large GOP field for U.S. Senate this year, especially after state Sen. Tim Neville was knocked out of the running at the Republican Party’s April 9 state convention.

"None of the other candidates for U.S. Senate have spoken to the group about their bids, she said.
'We all personally know Darryl Glenn, and I think he’s spoken to our group in the past'.... She declined to elaborate on Glenn, saying news that her group, which has the word 'Republican' in its name, endorsed a Libertarian would be 'explosive enough'.

"The only other Republican so far who has made the GOP ballot is former CSU athletic director Jack Graham, and the group is not fond of him, Glasgow said. The Libertarian Williams found herself on the group’s radar when one of its members heard her speaking elsewhere .... 'so he said, "Well, you guys ought to hear her," and we were all just in awe of her,' Glasgow said of Williams.

Williams, 51, hopes the recent endorsement will generate buzz around her third-party bid. 'I think some Republican officials aren’t going to be happy,' she told The Independent.

"She’s running for U.S. Senate because she opposes big government, the Common Core educational standards, corporate welfare, and the nation’s surveillance programs. Coming from China, she says she’ll have no problem calling out her Senate colleagues as communists if she has to. She’d limit herself to two terms."

Read more: http://www.coloradoindependent.com/159041/el-paso-county-gop-group-endorses-a-libertarian-for-u-s-senate
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Colorado Libertarians choose Williams for Senate

Libertarians nominate Lily Williams for U.S. Senate in Colorado | The Colorado Independent:

March 12, 2016 - "Gambling tables, booze, and attendees sporting 1920s speakeasy-themed attire were the backdrop to this year’s state nominating convention of the Colorado Libertarian Party.... Men in white suits, hats and bow ties mingled with women in flapper-wear. A three-piece band playing in the background competed with the sound of gambling chips bouncing off felt tables around the room. There was a silent auction for a 1922 phonograph machine....

"Nationally, the Libertarians are the third largest political party, and that’s also true in Colorado. There are about 25,000 active members in the Centennial State. (For comparison, the Green Party has about 7,000.) And while their ranks in government here include posts on local water and sanitation boards, no Libertarian holds a state or federal office in Colorado....

"[T]wo Libertarians gave speeches, stumping for their party’s nomination in the big Colorado U.S. Senate race.... Lily Tang Williams, an immigrant and real estate investor from Parker, Colorado, ... gave an impassioned speech to the crowd in which she called herself a former 'slave' from Communist China who will turn Washington upside down.... Williams, 51, was running for the nomination against Gaylon Kent, 50, a humorist writer from California who lives near Steamboat Springs.... In 2014 he got a record 2.6 percent of the vote in the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Cory Gardner....

"Williams received more support than Kent, who later chose to run successfully for the nomination as the Libertarian Party’s choice for the 3rd Congressional District. Williams was considered again for U.S. Senate, and received unanimous support, so she’ll be on the ballot in the fall.

"In an interview with The Colorado Independent, Williams said what she meant by being a slave is that when she came to America at 24 she realized that’s what she’d been while in China.  'I did not know I was a slave,' she said. In China she couldn’t vote, and couldn’t own guns or private property. When she first came to America, she said, if she’d taken a political quiz she would likely have identified with being a statist.

"'When you are brainwashed all your life you do not know the difference,' she said. 'You don’t know how to think out of the box.'

"Then she met her husband, a Libertarian. It took him 20 years to 'really reverse my indoctrination,' she said. She became a Republican, but left the party after the Bush years and came into the Libertarian fold. She’s running for U.S. Senate because she opposes big government, the Common Core educational standards, corporate welfare, and the nation’s surveillance programs. Coming from China, she says she’ll have no problem calling out her Senate colleagues as communists if she has to. She’d limit herself to two terms.

“'I think I’m a mainstream American who cares about freedom,' she says. 'If I have a chance and the press treats me fairly about my race, reports about my race, if they invite me to the debates, I think I can win because my message is universal.'”

Read more: http://www.coloradoindependent.com/158261/lily-williams-libertarian-colorado
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Libertarian Senate candidate at 7% in CO poll

Libertarian Gaylon Kent excited about running for Colorado Senate seat Lynn Bartels, Denver Post:

"Lost in the slew of polls released last week about Colorado’s U.S. Senate race is one ranking that showed libertarian and humorist Gaylon Kent of Steamboat Springs received 7 percent of the vote.

"That’s not enough to win, but if the race between Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Cory Gardner is as close as all the polls suggest, every vote will count.

"The poll that included Kent was conducted by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Other polls have not included him....

"Kent, 48, who drives an armored truck for Brinks, said liberty will be the focus of his campaign.

"'Liberty is what made this country great, and liberty will make us great again,' Kent said. 'Liberty is the solution to every problem this nation faces. Government exists to provide for the liberty of its citizens and liberty is the solution to every problem this nation faces.'"

Read more: http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2014/04/29/libertarian-gaylon-kent-senate/107776/'via Blog this'

Colorado LP nominates record 41 candiates for 2014

Colorado Libertarians nominate 41 for 2014 | Colorado Statesman - Ernest Luning:

April 4, 2014 - "Colorado Libertarians nominated a record 41 candidates for state, federal and county offices last weekend at the party’s state convention in Golden and party officials predicted that a recent rise in its ranks — the number of registered Libertarians in the state more than doubled over the last two years — could mean the perennial third party emerges as a bona fide major party by the end of the decade.

"But an even better measure of the party’s growing political influence is the mainstream adoption of longstanding Libertarian policies, party officials said, pointing to legalized marijuana in Colorado and a steady move toward same-sex marriage nationwide.

"'OK, we’re not getting anybody elected, but look at our issues,' said former two-term New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who was the Libertarian nominee for president in 2012 and spoke at the Colorado convention on Saturday night."

Read more: http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/994758-colorado-libertarians-nominate-41-2014
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Judge upholds Libertarian challenge to Colorado recall ballot

Judge rules for Libertarians, putting new wrinkle in recall against Morse, Giron - Megan Schrader, Colorado Springs Gazette"

August 13, 2013 - "A shockwave reverberated through both side[s] in the recall elections of two southern Colorado Democratic senators after a judge's ruling likely eliminates mail-in ballots for the looming Sept. 10 elections.

"Judge Robert McGahey considered a lawsuit brought by the Libertarian Party saying they were wrongfully denied the ability to get a candidate into recall elections for Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo.

"McGahey - in a decision that stunned many on Monday evening - ruled that potential candidates should have had until 15 days prior to the election to turn in enough signatures to get their names on the ballot. It's a part of the constitution that applies only to recall elections and is seldom used....

"That provision of the constitution is in direct conflict with legislation overhauling the state's election process that became law this summer. The new law gave potential candidates 10 days after the governor set the date of the recall election to turn the signatures in and get their name[s] on the ballot."

Read more: http://gazette.com/judge-rules-for-libertarians-putting-new-wrinkle-in-recall-against-morse-giron/article/1504763
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Colorado Libertarians sue after being kept off recall ballots

Colorado recall ballots go out as Libertarian Party tries to halt the process - Megan Schreder, Colorado Springs Gazette:

August 8, 2013 - "Colorado's Libertarian Party sued Secretary of State Scott Gessler for access to the recall ballots for Democratic senators John Morse of Colorado Springs and Angela Giron of Pueblo.

"According to the lawsuit, a Libertarian candidate in each district was denied access to the ballot because they missed the 10-day deadline in state statute to submit their petition to get on the ballot after the governor set an election day in July.

"The state Constitution allows candidates 15 days to file their petition to get on the ballot.

"'It is clear that this hasty rule by the Secretary of State conflicts with the Constitution, and we have filed suit to ensure that we have the full time granted by the people of Colorado,' said Libertarian Party State Chairman Jeff Orrok in a prepared statement. 'We oppose any attempt by the legislative or executive branches to deny our candidates, our members, and the voters of Districts 3 and 11 their fundamental rights and the ability to choose the best replacements for these overreaching senators."

Read more: http://gazette.com/colorado-recall-ballots-go-out-as-libertarian-party-tries-to-halt-the-process/article/1504622
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