Get out and #VoteLibertarian
Remember you MUST ASK for a Libertarian ballot, do not just accept what is handed to you.
If you are told that is not possible or the poll worker acts confused contact LPO or FCLPO IMMEDIATELY. All poll workers should be trained to know and not impose their own bias on the process.
Franklin County Voters go to:
FRANKLIN COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
1700 Morse Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43229 (Directions)
Congratulations to the following candidates who have been certified for the County Central Committee election on March 17th, 2020!
| Marie Myers | Columbus | Ward 46 |
| Heather O. Sheets | Columbus | Ward 57 |
| Albert L. Vest | Columbus | Ward 67 |
| Chad Harris | Columbus | Ward 69 |
| Christopher Gill | Columbus | Ward 77 |
| Harold D Thomas | Columbus | Ward 84 |
| Paul J Ridenour | Gahanna | Ward 02 |
| Michael Sweeney | Gahanna | Ward 03 |
| Drake Lundstrom | Gahanna | Ward 04 |
| John S. Stewart | Gahanna | Ward 04 |
| Jordan T Bertke | Hilliard | Ward 04 |
| Scott T. Smith | Jackson Township | |
| Patrick J Hoffman | Madison Township | |
| Jennifer Lynn Flower | Prairie Township | |
| Kenneth D. Holpp | Worthington | Ward 01 |
| David Nadolny | Worthington | Ward 02 |
#VoteLibertarian
We’ve fielded a few questions about why it is important to have a vibrant and diverse County Central Committee. Beyond the vital roles CentCom provides for electing the Executive Committee, endorsing candidates and approving By-Law amendments, it also functions as a reliable pool of Libertarian Party affiliated electors for candidate and issue petitions.
Anyone that has spent any time collecting signatures for petition knows the unique struggle the process involves. Asking, getting a yes, checking a person is eligible, getting a valid signature, filling out the form, all steps that could cause trouble down the road.
As the Franklin County Libertarian Party grows and flexes is political abilities, we will benefit from more hands pushing and eyes watching for opportunity.
Growing our Central Committee is crucial to growing a strong and dynamic Libertarian Party.
We cannot do this without you and thank you sincerely for your effort. It is appreciated.
#VoteLibertarian
– Michael Sweeney
Chair, Executive Committee
Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio
We are pleased to report that the Franklin County Board of Elections has accepted our plan to be included in the March 17th, 2020 Ohio primary election.
Seven years, $250 thousand dollars, hundreds of volunteer hours and 102 thousand signatures from liberty minded Ohioans. This is what it has taken for the Libertarian Party of Ohio to be recognized and allowed to participate in Ohio public elections again.
We have pushed this as far as we can. We need you to take the next step and lead the Franklin County Libertarians to success.
I am inviting you to get involved and submit the linked Declaration of Candidacy to become a member of the Franklin County Libertarian Party Central Committee. Print out the form, fill it out, put it in an envelope, add a stamp and place it in the mail before Dec 18th. You do not need any signatures beyond your own! When your declaration is received by the Board of Elections you will show them that Libertarians are more then arm-chair activists; we are in our communities, contributing and working.
What does it mean to be a Central Committee Member?
Partisan Duties & Responsibilities
Here is a list of opportunities for every township or ward committee member.
Local Non-Partisan Leadership
As a Central Committee Member in your ward or township, you are a leader in your neighborhood regardless of the strength of our party in your community. You will find that candidates and public officials of all parties will be interested in your ideas as to what needs to be done in your community.
We have little time for this crucial next step. The filing deadline, Dec 18th, is fast approaching. We need as many Libertarians as possible to make their voices heard and loudly show the establishment that we will not be silenced or held back.
We are counting on you to move the Franklin County Libertarian Party forward again.
Thanks in advance.
Your colleague in liberty,
Michael Sweeney
Chair, Executive Committee
Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio
URGENT PARTY BUSINESS
MAIL FORM BEFORE DEC 18th
Declaration of Candidacy – No Petition – Party Primary – County Central Committee (PDF)
FILLING OUT THIS FORM:
The Ohio Primary Election date for this form is:
3/17/2020
The Franklin County Libertarian Party of Ohio Central Committee is organized around wards or township.
If you live in a city such as Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna, Westerville, Grove City, etc, you will fill in the line:
• Ward ________ City or Village of __________
If you do not live in a city, but an unincorpo- rated area of a township then fill in the line:
• Township of __________
Not sure what ward or township you live in? Look it up.
https://vote.franklincountyohio.gov/Search- Polling-Locations/
MAIL FORM TO:
Franklin County Board of Elections
c/o Declaration of Candidacy
1700 Morse Rd
Columbus, Oh 43229
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF OHIO
DATE: MAY 29, 2019
The Franklin County Board of Elections met on May 28, 2019, at 2:00 pm to consider a challenge to the candidacy of Libertarian candidate Rob Bender for Reynoldsburg Ward 3 City Council Representative.
The pretext of the challenge to Mr. Bender is the validity of his candidate petition signatures and the Minor Party status of the Libertarian Party to field candidates under Ohio law. The Ohio GOP has a long history of challenging Libertarian candidates in order to preserve the two-party system.
The Administrator for the BOE verified, in the May 28 hearing, that the signatures are valid and sufficient for the candidacy. Unhappy with that answer, Board Member Doug Preisse (R) asked his employee if he would like to “change his mind.” The answer was, “no.”
Too bad Mr. Preisse.
The Libertarian Party of Ohio gained Minor Party status in July 2018 after submitting over 100,000 petition signatures as required under Ohio law. Minor Party status remains valid if either the party’s gubernatorial or presidential candidate earns at least 3% of the vote. Ohio law allows a Minor Party two election cycles to reach this threshold.
The 2016 Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received 3.17% of votes in Ohio, yet was ruled to not have achieved the required 3%.
Libertarian Party attorney and Capital Law School professor Mark Brown represented Mr. Bender at the hearing. He directed the Board to the facts that the challenge on ballot access was made outside the time allowed for such challenges and the elector bringing forth the challenge is not a Libertarian. The challenger to the petition was not present at the hearing.
Franklin County Libertarian Party Chair, Michael Sweeney, said of the challenge,
“We know the law is on our side, but the Republican and Democratic Board Members are not. They appeared unprepared for this hearing, baffled by their own rules, and casually claimed the benefit of ignorance that they zealously deny others who come before them.”
The BOE will meet again on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 3pm to consider this matter, which was continued at the request of BOE attorney to review Ohio law.
The Libertarian Party of Ohio annual Conference will be held in Toledo on May 31 – June 1 and is open to the public.
For more information on ballot access laws or the GOP history of ballot censorship contact:
Franklin County Libertarian Party 614-412-2026
Political Director, Kryssi Wichers 740-808-2158
Donate | Volunteer | Run for Office
The election has come and gone and, despite all our efforts, we fell short of 3%. In fact, the combined total of both the Libertarian and Green Parties fell short of 3%.
What does this bode for the future?
Unknown.
By a strict reading of Ohio Election Law we should still have access until the 2020 Presidential Election, but when has government ever followed the law?
Should they deny us access yet again, what then? Do we roll over and play dead? De we surrender to the politics of fear that drive the mainstream Parties?
In a word, NO!
A friend of mine majored in History, with a particular interest in Church History. One night, several months ago, he spent almost an entire hour explaining in great detail his belief that the worst thing that ever happened to the Christian Church was it being not only legalized by the Emperor Constantine but being made the official religion of the Roman Empire. Until that time, he argued, believers had to be committed to the cause because their very lives were at stake. Afterwards, as a legally recognized religion it became fat, lazy and corrupt in just a few generations. He argued that the loss of religious liberty feared by so many today might be the best thing that could happen to the church because the dead wood would be cut away and only those most committed would remain.
So, if we lose ballot access will that spell our doom?
Again, NO.
Some might be tempted to walk away from the Libertarian Party in frustration, believing we will never have a chance, but those who remain will be those most committed. And those most committed can work wonders.
Ballot access or no, our core message of liberty will remain the same. Others will say that our votes are doubly wasted and all we’re doing is shouting at brick walls, but walls have been known to crumble.
All the loss of access will mean is our task will be a little bit harder.
But worthwhile causes usually are.
Ken Holpp, Communications Director, FCLP
From Wes Benedict:
Dear Libertarian,
Months and months of hard work have been paying off as we cross the ballot-access finish line in more states.
This week, we add Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania to the tally.
That puts us at ballot access in 48 states (plus DC) for 2018!
It is also worth noting and celebrating that this is the first time in
20 years that voters in Connecticut will be able to vote for a Libertarian candidate for Governor!
Plus, the two states without ballot access, Tennessee and Alabama, aren’t completely without ballot access. In fact, Alabama has four candidates on the ballot as Libertarians for local or state house offices. However, we don’t categorize Alabama as fully on the ballot because Alabama Libertarians didn’t qualify for a statewide office.
Tennessee has five candidates on the ballot as independents because they didn’t qualify to get on the ballot as Libertarians. The states of Alabama and Tennessee both make it especially hard for Libertarians to qualify for the ballot – something we’ll continue fighting to improve.
Regarding at least some Libertarians on the ballot in all 50 states, Richard Winger, editor of Ballot Access News commented, “no other alternative party can be shown to have reached this midterm milestone since 1890, when official balloting began.”
Please join me in congratulating and thanking all those who have pitched in to achieve ballot access for 2018. This includes thousands of activists, volunteers, donors, and staff and the Johnson/Weld campaign which achieved ballot access for us in 37 of these states.
Well done, team!
Onward to Election Day!
Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Join Franklin County Libertarians canvasing for Ballot Access petition in neighborhoods around Columbus, Worthington, Gahanna and other communities!
Here are the “Sorry we missed you” flyers, front and back.
Franklin County – sorry_we missed_you
Franklin County – sorry_we_missed_you2
Warren County – warren-sorry_we_missed_you-front
Warren County – warren-sorry_we_missed_you-back
Want a flyer for your county? Leave a comment, and we’ll get that made!
We need your help to get the Libertarian Party regain ballot access in Ohio. This article helps explain what ballot access is, why it is important to us, and why the Libertarian Party of Ohio does not currently have it. To volunteer, check the “Circulate Petitions” or “Validate Petitions” box on the Volunteer form.
“Ballot access” is the right to put a political party label under a candidate’s name on the ballot. Having ballot access also enables a party to hold a primary. Under Ohio law (ORC 3501.38, amended in 2013 by Senate Bill 193), a political party must get 3% of the vote for Governor or 3% of the vote for President to gain ballot access for four years. The party must again get 3% of the vote for President or Governor to renew its access for another four years. Supporters of SB 193 designed and timed this bill to prevent the Libertarian Party of Ohio (LPO) from appearing on the ballot in 2014. To correct this injustice, the LPO filed several lawsuits. The federal district court in the first case, Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Husted, ordered the Secretary of State to keep the LPO on the ballot in 2014 (Court documents). This case went to the Supreme Court of the United States, which decided to let stand a federal appeals court ruling against the LPO. A suit filed in the state court system in 2015 challenged the constitutionality of SB 193 on the basis of Article V, Section 7 of the Ohio Constitution.
In the most recent case, State ex. rel. Fockler v. Husted, decided January 20, 2017, the Court ruled that Gary Johnson’s 3.17% vote for President did not qualify the Libertarian Party to get on the ballot, despite the clear wording of Section 3517.01(A)(1)(a) of the Ohio Revised Code. The dissenting justice, William O’Neill observed that the majority ruling involved “circular reasoning,” The LPO filed for reconsideration, which is currently pending in the Ohio Supreme Court.
The short answer: The law requires us to circulate petitions containing more than 55,000 valid signatures (with at least 500 each from eight of Ohio’s 16 Congressional Districts), and file them by August 2018 to allow our candidates to show the Libertarian label on the ballot. Because petition gathering usually results in a large number of invalid signatures, the state party will attempt to gather at least 110,000 signatures statewide. The Libertarian Party of Ohio office will be open throughout this year to receive and validate signatures using a method proven successful in our effort to get our 2016 Presidential candidate Gary Johnson on the Ohio ballot as an independent. Volunteers are validating the signatures in a process so laborious that — to do the process correctly — it would take a full-time employee over a year and a half to validate the petitions.
You can help us get back on the ballot by circulating petitions and validating them. This link will let you download petition forms and inform you of state validation events. The Franklin County Libertarian Party is planning additional circulation and validation events. For dates and times, see our Facebook page. For additional information, contact Tricia Sprankle, state political director and petition coordinator.
In 2014, Charlie Earl, Libertarian candidate for Governor, submitted petitions containing 1,478 signatures, far more than the 500 signatures required by law. After Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office unofficially indicated that the petitions were acceptable, it received a protest that some of them did not include a properly completed statement naming the employer of a paid circulator (who in fact was an independent contractor). This statement is required by law, but was never enforced. Following that protest, petitions containing over half of Charlie Earl’s signatures were invalidated, disqualifying him from the ballot. Because the protest was filed at the last minute specified by law, Mr. Earl had no opportunity to respond to the protest or to take any corrective action. It therefore became impossible for the Libertarian Party to secure the 3% vote for governor required to stay on the ballot. This was one of the issues in Libertarian Party of Ohio v. Husted, which the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously decided in favor of the Secretary of State (Source). A second suit filed at the same time, State ex. rel. Linnabary v. Husted, was filed by Attorney General candidate Steve Linnabary, whose petitions was rejected on the same grounds.
Ohio law requires that a protester must be a member of the same political party as the candidate. The protester in this case was Gregory Felsoci, a carpenter and registered Libertarian living near Akron. The judge in an opinion referred to Mr. Felsoci as a “guileless dupe,” whose testimony “lacks even a basic understanding of the nature of the protest he agreed to sign.”
Testimony revealed that an operative in the Kasich for Governor campaign, Terry Casey, with the help of a local Republican, found Mr. Felsoci and persuaded him to sign the protest. Despite having very limited means, Mr. Felsoci was soon represented by the high-power Columbus law firm of Zeiger, Tigges & Little. Mr. Casey testified in September that he took responsibility for paying Mr. Felsoci’s legal bills, and would look for donors to pay them.
The “donor” turned out to be the Ohio Republican Party (ORP). In a filing to the Ohio Elections Commission at its hearing May 8, 2015, the ORP admitted to spending $300,000 to pay Zeiger, Tigges & Little the costs of representing Mr. Felsoci (newspaper story). (This figure is now estimated to be greater than $575,000).
The extraordinary timing of the protest was made possible by e-mails and texts made between Mr. Casey and two employees of the Ohio Secretary of State, Matt Damschroder (Director of Elections) and Jack Christopher (General Counsel), which began two weeks before the protest was filed.
These facts make it clear that the Ohio Republican Party and Gov. Kasich’s campaign conspired to keep Charlie Earl off the ballot, fearing that the Libertarian vote in a close race would have resulted in a Democratic victory for governor.
There is no evidence to suggest that Gov. Kasich had any personal knowledge of Mr. Casey’s or the ORP’s activity. This is to be expected. Campaign operatives take great care to hide such operations from their candidates, to give them “plausible deniability.” However, it would be fair to question the Governor about the character of the people he retained to work for his election.
Help us get back on the ballot by circulating petitions and validating them. This link will let you download petition forms and inform you of state validation events. The Franklin County Libertarian Party is planning additional circulation and validation events. For dates and times, see our Facebook page. For additional information, contact Tricia Sprankle, state political director and petition coordinator.
