Month: July 2020

Libertarian Party and Green Party Sue NYS Board of Elections to Fight Unfair Ballot Access Restrictions

Libertarian Party and Green Party Sue NYS Board of Elections to Fight Unfair Ballot Access Restrictions

Libertarian Party of New York
https://lpny.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LPNYOfficial
Twitter: @LPNYOfficial
Instagram: @LPNYOfficial

News Release
Contact: W. Cody Anderson
LPNY Public Engagement Chair
canderson@lpny.org
Date: July 28, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Green Party and Libertarian Party File Joint Lawsuit Fighting Ballot Access Restrictions

Albany, New York, July 28, 2020 – The Green Party of New York (GPNY) and the Libertarian Party of New York (LPNY) filed a Federal lawsuit today in the Southern District of New York to invalidate restrictive ballot access provisions passed as a rider to the FY2021 State Budget.

Since 1936, minor political parties in New York have been required to obtain 50,000 votes for their gubernatorial candidate every four years in order to achieve and maintain ballot status. The GPNY achieved ballot status in 2010, and has since maintained it, while the LPNY achieved ballot status in 2018.

In an act of blatant political retribution against the Working Families Party (WFP), Governor Cuomo’s hand-picked “Public Campaign Finance Commission,” led by state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs, recommended in December 2019 that not only should the requirement to achieve and maintain ballot access be increased from 50,000 votes to the greater of 130,000 votes or two percent of votes cast, but also that the qualifications should occur every two years, at the gubernatorial and presidential elections. At the same time, signature requirements for independent nominating petitions were recommended to be increased threefold. After the legislature declined to modify the recommendations, they automatically became law twenty days later.

Ultimately, the legislature’s abdication of its law-making powers to this executive commission caused a NYS Supreme Court judge in Western New York to declare the commission and all its actions unconstitutional. Bent on settling political scores, and under the cover of the COVID-19 crisis, Governor Cuomo and the legislature subsequently re-enacted the ballot access provisions in Part ZZZ of the FY2021 State Budget, leaving minor political parties in NYS facing an uncertain future.

The lawsuit filed today by attorneys James Ostrowski and Michael Kuzma on behalf of the GPNY and LPNY names NYS Board of Elections Co-Chairs Peter Kosinski and Douglas Kellner, Commissioner Andrew Spano, and Co-Executive Directors Todd Valentine and Robert Brehm as Defendants. The complaint alleges infringement upon First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to organize, identify, and vote for minor parties under the United States Constitution, and that the new voter and petitioning requirements are therefore unconstitutional.

“Whatever justification they may use for it, the choice by Gov. Cuomo and the Legislature to create new and onerous ballot-access thresholds this year is clearly designed to eliminate any threat of competition, preserve the state’s anemic and uncompetitive electoral system, and satisfy their corporate paymasters. The Green Party stands with all other affected political parties, as well as the voters of New York State, who deserve a robust and expansive democracy,” said Peter LaVenia, Co-Chair of the GPNY.

Anthony D’Orazio, Chair of the LPNY added, “Under cover of the COVID-19 pandemic and the already byzantine New York State budget process, the Governor and his advisors decided to destroy political competition in New York and preserve power for the two major parties. The Libertarian Party stands with all minor political parties of New York in fighting against such tyranny.”

For more information about the Green Party of New York, visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/GreenPartyNY, Twitter @GPNY, or their website, www.gpny.org.

For more information about the Libertarian Party of New York, visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/LPNYOfficial, Twitter @LPNYOfficial, Instagram @LPNYOfficial, or their website, www.lpny.org.

Contacts:
Gloria Mattera
Co-Chair
Green Party of New York
canderson@lpny.org
917-886-4538

W. Cody Anderson
Public Engagement Chair
Libertarian Party of New York
canderson@lpny.org
866-336-3120

ACTION NEEDED: Lead a Peaceful Libertarian Convoy In Your County

ACTION NEEDED: Lead a Peaceful Libertarian Convoy In Your County

for release by the LNC on 07/14/2020

For too long, a third-party candidate has been silenced by the corrupt duopoly who has in turn, only protected itself. The Commission of Presidential Debates is refusing to allow third parties to debate without polling at 15% in polls they conduct. The caveat? They don’t ask about third party candidates in those polls.

The time to end that is now.

The first nationwide peaceful protest convoy called “Let Her Speak” is happening in 3 weeks and we are looking for Libertarian leaders to help host and promote convoys in as many counties in the nation as possible. This a COVID-safe demonstration to demand that libertarian presidential nominee Jo Jorgensen be allowed to speak in the primary debates.

At exactly 12:30 pm EST/ 9:30 am PST all the attendees throughout the nation will be going LIVE on social media to tell their friends and family about what we are doing and why. All the videos and photos will be compiled for a short film after the event.

Attendees will be decorating their cars, talking to the press, blasting music, passing out flyers and swag… coming together to be noticed and demand fair representation of Jo Jorgensen and third parties in the debates.

The main goal of this coordinated effort is to get Jo Jorgensen on the debate stage and there are many sub-goals and benefits, including:

  • Spreading the word about Jo Jorgensen and the Libertarian Party to increase awareness to your local community.
  • Peacefully gather in our cars to respect society’s concerns over COVID and display the Non-Aggression Principle.
  • Show the country we are a lot bigger, more diverse, and more organized than they thought.

You will be given all the marketing and press materials needed. You’ll get guidance for planning, organizing, promotion, media outreach, and conducting the convoy. You’ll have opportunities for regular training and questions. All hosts and attendees will be able to share ideas and have rallies before the event.

Join me in spreading the word by signing up in the link below. We’re looking for regional leaders to speak at and lead these demonstrations, as well as enthusiastic participants.

Register To Host A Convoy HERE: Let-Her-Speak.org

Here is the video commercial for the event: https://youtu.be/2ZzAX9Uzrak

Here’s an interactive map that will show all the convoys happening around the country: https://j.mp/3emr0nu

And here is a flyer:

Victory and Ballot Access Updates

Victory and Ballot Access Updates

released by LNC on 06/30/2020

This month has seen several major decisions handed down by the Supreme Court that impact individual sovereignty, including the freedom from state discrimination based upon sexual orientation. This ruling was particularly celebratory as June is Pride Month.

For Libertarians, it is a foundational belief that all people must be equal in the eyes of the law. Until such a time that the state is drastically scaled back to its original functions, protections and provisions by the government must be applied equally.

Ballot Access Updates From June

On June 25, the Maine Libertarian Party asked U.S. District Court Judge Lance E. Walker to reconsider part of his ballot access ruling of June 11. Baines v Dunlap.

Last week, the Libertarian Party of Minnesota appealed its ballot access case, Minnesota v Choi, to the Eighth Circuit.

U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Leitman ruled on June 11th that Michigan had to give some ballot access relief to initiative proponents, either a reduction in signatures, or a later deadline. The state of Michigan has appealed this decision.

We were recently informed that U.S. District Court Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. will hear Libertarian Party of Virginia v Virginia State Board of Elections on Monday, July 13, at 9 a.m. This is the lawsuit over ballot access relief for minor party and independent petitioning candidates, in connection with the health crisis.

Queens Libertarian Party