Libertarians end year with 38-state ballot access

The 2016 Election's Biggest Winner: Gary Johnson and The Libertarian Party? - IVN.us - W.E. Messamore:

November 12, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party is now an officially recognized party for the next election in [38] states, the highest ever for the burgeoning third party. Here’s a breakdown of the gains state by state from the LP’s website:

• The Texas LP retained ballot access with Railroad Commission candidate Mark Miller receiving over 5 percent. The party would have had to collect over 80,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if no statewide candidate received 5 percent. This will save the party approximately $220,000 in petitioning cost.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Carolina for four years with Gary Johnson and the gubernatorial candidate, Lon Cecil, each getting over 2 percent. The party would have had to collect over 100,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if neither the presidential nor gubernatorial candidate got 2 percent, saving the party approximately $250,000 in petitioning cost.
• Iowa and Kentucky LPs are recognized parties for the first time, with Gary Johnson getting over 2 percent in both states.
• The New Hampshire LP is a recognized party for the first time in two decades due to gubernatorial candidate Max Abramson getting over 4 percent.
• The DC party is recognized for the second time ever, with candidate for Delegate to the US House of Representatives Martin Moulton getting over 17,000 votes.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Dakota, with Gary Johnson getting over 6 percent.
• In Connecticut, Libertarian Dan Reale for US House in the second congressional district, Richard Lion for US Senate, and Gary Johnson for President all received over one percent of the vote. As a result, the party will not have to petition in these races in the next election.
• Massachusetts’ LP is a recognized party again, with Gary Johnson getting over 3 percent.
• West Virginia’s LP retained ballot access for four years due to David Moran receiving over 2 percent in his race for governor.

"Instant ballot access in these states’ next election, just like the Republican and Democratic parties get, is a coveted status that will save the Libertarian Party a small fortune in money, time, and energy previously wasted on petitioning efforts just to get on the ballot.

"That’s resources that can go toward more fundraising, registering more voters, campaign ads, poaching disaffected voters from the two major parties, and making the case for Libertarian policies to unaffiliated independent voters."

Read more: http://ivn.us/2016/11/12/2016-elections-biggest-winner-gary-johnson-libertarian-party/
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WV mayor leaves GOP, voting for Johnson

Charleston Gazette-Mail | After 45 years, Danny Jones leaves Republican Party - David Gutman:

June 17, 2016 - "Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, who has been a Republican for 45 years and has been elected mayor four times as a Republican, has left the party.

"Jones announced Friday that he has switched his party registration to 'unaffiliated.'

"He pointed to multiple factors, specifically the social conservative bent of the West Virginia House of Delegates and the rise of Donald Trump as the party’s presidential nominee.

"'For the first time in my life, I cannot support the Republican nominee for president,' Jones said, although he described himself as 'not a Trump hater.'

He also cited 'the obsession of the West Virginia House of Delegates’ leadership with the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act.'

"Republicans said that bill, which failed in the state Senate, was necessary to protect religious liberties, but opponents derided it as a thinly veiled rationale to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

"'The fact that the House speaker came down to the floor to talk, not about the budget which is in crisis, he came down to talk about RFRA,' Jones said. 'I’m basically a city guy, and I believe [in] live and let live and stay out of each other’s bedroom.'

"Jones said he had decided before his party switch to vote for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate, for president."

"'A whole lot of things make me uncomfortable about partisan politics, and I do not want to be identified with the political partisanship that is shaping so much of the debates nationally and in West Virginia,' Jones said. 'I plan to complete my current term, and have no plans to run for any office ever again. I am not trying to pick a fight with anyone and, in fact, I am proud about how we’ve made so much progress in Charleston, where partisan politics has been non-existent in the 13-plus years I’ve been mayor.'"

Read more: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20160617/after-45-years-danny-jones-leaves-republican-party
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West Virginia OKs permitless concealed carry

West Virginia legalizes concealed carry without a permit | Fox News - Stephen Gutowski:

March 8, 2016 - "The West Virginia legislature successfully overturned ... Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto on Saturday in a bipartisan effort to enact permitless gun carry in the state.

"Beginning June 5, anyone over age 21 who can legally possess a firearm will be allowed to carry it concealed on their person without having to obtain a permit. West Virginia has long allowed permitless open carry but, like most states, required a permit to carry a concealed firearm. With the new law the state will become the eighth in the nation to implement what gun rights activists call 'constitutional carry.'

"The law also creates a provisional permitting process for those between the ages of 18 and 20 who wish to carry a concealed firearm within the state. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 had previously been excluded from the permitting process altogether.

" West Virginia’s move to permitless carry marks the continuation of a national trend that began in 2003. Before then, only Vermont allowed law-abiding adults to carry concealed firearms without a permit. The pace accelerated over the last five years, with seven states adopting the policy.

"Concealed carry laws vary from state to state, but most adhere to one of three basic structures. The most popular, which is in effect in 34 states, is commonly referred to as a 'shall-issue' structure, where applicants must be issued a permit if they pass a background check along with whatever training and identification requirements are set by the state."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/03/08/west-virginia-legalizes-concealed-carry-without-permit.html
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Libertarian Party regains ballot status in W.Va.

Libertarian Party regains ballot status in W.Va. - Huntington Herald-Dispatch

"November 9, 2012 - "Charleston, W.Va. (AP) — Libertarian candidates will again appear on the West Virginia ballot after an absence of more than a decade.... The party’s nominee for governor attracted enough votes for Libertarians to regain ballot status.

"David Moran received more than 8,700 votes or 1.3 percent of the total.... State law recognizes parties for ballot access when at least 1 percent of the gubernatorial vote goes to its candidate.

"The Libertarian Party had cleared that threshold in 1996. But it then lost ballot status in the following election for governor, in 2000, when its candidate missed the mark."

Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x1340518140/Libertarian-Party-regains-ballot-status-in-W-Va