Crisis Campaigning for Ballot Access

Crisis Campaigning for Ballot Access

for distribution by the Libertarian Party on 03/24/2020

“Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.”

— Milton Friedman

As of right now, AMERICANS IN ONLY 35 STATES will have a third choice in November. This is not enough! We cannot stop until we have secured 50 state ballot access for the Libertarian Party once again.

We have already deployed, or had planned to deploy petitioners in several states to collect the mandatory number of signatures to grant us access to each ballot. That method has become IMPOSSIBLE to continue with while also following suggested guidelines and essential requirements of social distancing in order to protect against the Coronavirus. Moreover, knowing that asymptomatic people can still spread the virus makes any attempts to continue with this method far too risky for both our petitioners, and the many thousands of people they would come into contact with. For this reason, we have shifted our strategy to one of appealing to the good sense and empathy of the Governors and other officials of the states in question.

So far letters have been sent to Governors and Secretaries of State in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, and Minnesota. Ten more states are preparing letters at this time, and in Texas similar action is being taken in an attempt to grant permission to postpone their state convention — a date that is currently mandated by law. Please contact your state chair IMMEDIATELY to find out how you can assist in this campaign. While any sensible and rational person would grant the requests in each of these appeals at such a time as this, we have to remember that politics can poison even the most sensible. In the case that any of these appeals are rejected, we will take this fight to the courts. Libertarianism will not become victim to political abuse of power no matter how dire the situation becomes. Our fight will continue until our Libertarian candidate has a place on every ballot once more.

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Queens Libertarian Party