Hornberger wins LP Minnesota caucuses

Libertarian Party Results for Caucus Night 2020 | Libertarian Party of Minnesota:

February 25, 2020 - "Though the major parties insist that the 2020 Presidential election will be the most important election of our lifetime, many Minnesotans refuse to accept this repeated lie and showed up to vote at the Libertarian Party caucus on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020. The LPMN does not have a virtual, absentee, or early voting process, therefore every vote was cast in person.

"Each of Minnesota’s eight Congressional districts conducted their own gathering for a ranked choice vote of 17 Libertarian candidates to be the LP Nominee for President (including None Of The Above).....

• CD 1 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 2 – Jo Jorgensen tie Jacob Hornberger
• CD 3 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 4 – Jo Jorgensen
• CD 5 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 6 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 7 – Vermin Supreme
• CD 8 – Lincoln Chafee

"After tallying all 98 votes accumulated statewide, the winner was Jacob Hornberger in Round 7, followed by Jo Jorgenson, and then Vermin Supreme to round out the top three.

"Political Director for The Libertarian Party of Minnesota Jill Galvan said, 'It’s been a really exciting time for the party. Getting the word out about the unfairness of the ballot access laws here in Minnesota has really brought attention to our cause and spurred people to come out and vote for an alternative here tonight.'

"LPMN Chair Chris Holbrook added, 'Despite the struggles Minnesota now faces to turn people out to caucus due to switching to a super Tuesday primary, we thank all of our conveners and attendees. After seeing empty rooms or none attempted for other political parties in this state, we are proud to be active Libertarians.'"

Minnesota LP launches 1st ballot-access suit

Libertarian Party in court for easier path to Minnesota ballot - StarTribune.com:

September 12, 2019 - "Minnesota’s Libertarian Party wants to make it easier for third-party candidates to get on state general election ballots, launching the first in an expected series of lawsuits taking aim at laws restricting minor-party ballot access.

"The Libertarian Party, one of three recognized minor parties in the state, is first setting its sights on statutes that govern how minor-party candidates petition to get on the ballot.

"Under state law, minor-party candidates must collect 500 signatures for state legislative races and 2,000 signatures for statewide offices. Signatures must be collected during a 14-day period in late May. Those who sign the petitions for Libertarian general election candidates must swear not to vote in the primaries for those offices. Violators can be prosecuted for perjury, something Libertarian Party leaders allege has created confusion and chilled support from would-be signatories in the past.

“'Primary voters should not be excluded from the primary election process just because they saw fit to provide all voters a greater choice of candidates than the major parties provide,' wrote Erick Kaardal, a former Minnesota GOP official representing the Libertarian Party in the litigation. The first suit, filed last month, names the county attorneys in Anoka, Hennepin and Ramsey counties.... The officials have yet to file formal responses in court.

"A separate lawsuit is expected to challenge the state’s 14-day window for collecting signatures.

"Bipartisan legislation introduced last session in the Minnesota House and Senate sought to change the thresholds for major-party designation and make changes to the minor-party petitioning requirements. Those provisions did not receive a hearing. Chris Holbrook, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota, said the party is instead going to court to change the laws.

“'We believe it is unconstitutional because it limits your First Amendment right to free speech,' he said.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/libertarian-party-in-court-for-easier-path-to-minnesota-ballot/560186472/
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US Libertarians aim for 2,000 candidates in 2018

Cara Schulz joins staff as candidate recruiting specialist | Libertarian Party - Wes Benedict:

October 25, 2017 - "I’m excited to announce the hiring of Cara Schulz to serve as candidate recruiting specialist for the Libertarian National Committee. Cara (pronounced “care + a”) has not only managed other people’s campaigns at federal, state, and local levels, but has personally run for public office and won.

"After her first attempt fell short in 2014, she ran again in 2016 for Minnesota’s Burnsville City Council (population 61,630) and won. Although the position is officially nonpartisan, she defeated opponents that had been endorsed by the the Republican and Democratic parties and supported by the Chamber of Commerce. Schulz will continue her service on the council and will work for the LNC from Minnesota.

"Schulz has more than two decades of experience in sales and sales management, mostly working with remote teams. That experience will come in handy as she faces the monumental task of helping our affiliates nationwide recruit 2,000 candidate for office in 2018!

"In recent election cycles, we’ve had closer to 600 or 800 candidates nationwide, so, yes, we’re trying to more than double recent results for 2018.

"In 2016, Schulz knocked on more than 22,000 doors in five months while campaigning for herself and while serving as the state director for the Gov. Gary Johnson/Bill Weld campaign. She won’t accept many excuses. She’s the kind of person we need to rally libertarians to run for office nationwide.

"If you are even remotely considering running for something in 2018, please express your interest today here: LP.org/run-for-office"

Read more: https://www.lp.org/cara-schulz-joins-staff-candidate-recruiting-specialist/
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Minnesota Libertarians put Johnson on ballot

Gary Johnson to appear on Minnesota ballot | Libertarian Party of Minnesota:

August 23, 2016 - "We did it! Former governor of New Mexico and Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has achieved a spot on Minnesota’s ballot....

"LPMN activists submitted an initial 2200 signatures on August 2, of which 1950 have already been validated. An additional 1000 signatures were submitted on August 22. The two submittals bring the total to over 3200, which all but assures Johnson’s placement on the ballot once certification by the Secretary of State is complete.

"In Minnesota, 2000 signatures are required for a presidential candidate of any alternative party to appear on the statewide ballot. The deadline for submittals was Tuesday, August 23.

"The end of the petition drive culminates a summer-long effort. Public signatures were gathered at numerous outreach events... Additional signatures came from our statewide affiliates, individuals who drew upon their personal networks of friends and family, and from volunteers who took it upon themselves to go door-knocking. In particular, kudos are deserved for superactivists Marge and Norm Beard, who accounted for over 1000 of the signatures at various events!

"Numerous people were shocked to learn that Libertarians must obtain thousands of signatures simply to be on the ballot, especially since the major parties get on the ballot automatically....

"As evidence of the LPMN’s growing organizational strength, it is notable that no petitioners were brought in from the National LP, nor was anyone hired as a paid petitioner, as had been done in 2008 and 2012.  In 2016, all efforts were 100% grassroots and volunteer."

Read more: https://www.lpmn.org/gary-johnson-to-appear-on-minnesota-ballot-2016/
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MN LP governor candidate gets Star-Tribune op-ed

The Libertarian Party alone now offers a true alternative | Minneapolis Star Tribune - Chris Holbrook:

October 3, 2014 - Tom Horner has recently been trying to convince us that Jeff Johnson and his big government GOP solutions are what Minnesota needs.... The opposite is true. Apparently, Libertarians are the only ones left to offer smaller-government solutions....

"I hope people look at a third-party option with conviction. The Libertarian Party has been proposing a 10 percent government budget reduction across the board upfront, and then an audit to find more to reduce, in addition to incrementally converting to a “fair tax” system instead of our current income tax seizure system. These steps would save the median earner in Minnesota $1,750 a year.

"If the Tom and Jeff show really wants to boost businesses and jobs in Minnesota, freedom to engage in voluntary transactions on Sundays would help; ending the prohibition on fireworks, marijuana, and other victimless crimes would help, and not trying to legislate morality would help. They seem to be interested only in boosting their partisan power, which rewards special interests."

"Lastly, the 'oh yeah, this is bad, too' commentary in Horner’s article on the GOP solution to fix the education gap by installing new principals is a joke.... Libertarians instead advocate more options for parents, like home school, on-the-job training credits, expanded vo-tech and a voucher system.

"A different style of big government overreach is not what Minnesota needs. Less government overreach is, and the Libertarian Party seems to be the last man standing to offer that."

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/278083291.html
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LP candidate for governor arrested in Minnesota

Minneapolis Park Police apologize for detaining Libertarian candidate - TwinCities.com - Associated Press:

May 30, 2014 - "Minneapolis Park Police have apologized for detaining and citing a Libertarian gubernatorial candidate who had gone to Lake Calhoun to gather petition signatures to get on the ballot.

"An officer accused Chris Holbrook of violating an ordinance against using park land for commercial purposes. A video posted on his campaign website shows him being handcuffed and placed in the back of a Park Police squad car Thursday afternoon.

"Park Police Chief Jason Ohotto apologized to Holbrook on Thursday night, saying the arresting officer erred and misapplied the ordinance.... The citation has been dismissed....

"The Libertarians have until June 3 to gather 2,000 signatures to get their candidates on the ballot for this fall's elections. The party said in a statement that the police action shut down the actions of four volunteers, costing it about 600 signatures."

Read more: http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25867717/minneapolis-park-police-apologize-detaining-libertarian-candidate
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Libertarian city councillor stresses co-operation, gradualism

St. Peter city councilmember talks Libertarian message » Local News » The Free Press, Mankato, MN - Anthony Ratnaraj:

April 26, 2014 - "St. Peter City Councilman Roger Parras spoke about the importance of cooperating with other elected officials to grow the Libertarian Party of Minnesota at its state convention in Maple Grove Saturday.

"Parras, one of two elected Libertarians in the state, was given a slot at the state convention to speak about how Libertarians can get elected.

"'If you have the intentions of just saying "no" across the board, your odds of getting elected are pretty low,' Parras said.

He said most people aren’t comfortable with 'too drastic' changes, but they’re okay with a 'slow change' in government....

"He said he’s using logic in issues like armored vehicles for the police, a roundabout for improved safety, and regulating e-cigarettes to make other members think about the cost and benefit of their actions.

"He was against what he called the 'militarization' of the police force. He asked questions like, 'Why do we need this [armored vehicle]?' Or, 'Is it necessary?' '

"'Unless it’s the city budget, they don’t see it as, you know, city money or tax money,' Parras said."
"
Elizabeth Dahl, a Libertarian candidate running for the Crystal City Council, said she agrees with Parras that Libertarians need to work with other officials. 'Decide what you think is the most important fight to fight now. And then, slowly work your city government to the point where they’re accepting more and more Libertarian ideas,' Dahl said."

Read more: http://www.mankatofreepress.com/local/x2117355031/St-Peter-city-councilmember-talks-Libertarian-message
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Libertarian gets on Minnesota ballot for president - AP State Wire News - The Sacramento Bee

Libertarian gets on Minnesota ballot for president - AP State Wire News - The Sacramento Bee:

 August 23, 2012 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has obtained a spot on the Minnesota ballot after gathering more than 3,000 signatures.

A spokesman for the Minnesota Secretary of State said Thursday that Johnson met the requirements to get on the November ballot with running mate Jim Gray.

"Johnson, a former Republican, served two terms as governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003."

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/23/4751766/libertarian-gets-on-minn-ballot.html
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