For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LPAR Headed for the Ballot in 2012
(Little Rock, AR) The Libertarian Party of Arkansas (LPAR) has launched a ballot access petition drive in order to place libertarians on Arkansans’ ballots in 2012. Petitioners are collecting signatures from registered voters in different parts of the state.
“This is a huge step for the LPAR,” says Rodger Paxton, Chairman. “We are ready to put our philosophy into action as we become a real political force that can make a difference here in Arkansas.”
The LPAR is the only state affiliate of the National Libertarian Party to never place a candidate on the ballot for any partisan race other than president, according to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News. The LPAR has met the requirement of gathering 1,000 valid signatures in order to place the Libertarian presidential candidate on the ballot since 1980.
“Giving Arkansans more choice in the voting booth is a win-win,” said LPAR member Julia Foreman. “I was too fiscally conservative to be a Democrat, but too socially liberal to be a Republican, so now to potentially have a party on the ballot that encompasses all of my beliefs is a nice variation from the ‘vote for the lesser evil’ school of thought.”
The LPAR has 90 days to collect signatures of registered voters in Arkansas. The petitions will then be turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office where they will have 30 days to certify that at least 10,000 signatures are valid. Upon certification, the LPAR will be recognized by the state as a political party and will be able to place candidates on the ballot as “Libertarian” in partisan races.
In order to retain ballot access and bypass the signature-gathering process for the 2014 election, the 2012 Libertarian candidate for president must receive at least 3% of the vote.
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The Libertarian Party of Arkansas is a state affiliate of the National Libertarian Party. The LPAR has been active since the mid-1970’s and has consistently placed a Libertarian Presidential candidate on the ballot since 1980.
In 2002 the LPAR successfully achieved placing “Axe the Food Tax” on the ballot. The amendment was defeated in the general election but was later adopted by other parties and a proposal to reduce the tax on groceries became law in 2007.
For more information please visit www.lpar.org or find us on facebook.
CONTACT:
Jessica Paxton
501.570.6542
media@lpar.org
