Hawaii, Maryland and North Dakota Libertarians retain ballot access for the first time

Posted at LP.org blog here, here and here:

Tracey Ryan

The Hawaii Libertarian Party met the vote test for the first time in its history, and have retained ballot access through 2016.

In Hawaii, if all of a political party’s candidates running for the state Senate get at least 4% of the cumulative vote, or if all of the party’s candidates running for state Representative receive at least 2% of the cumulative vote, the party retains ballot access for the next general cycle.

The state party met both thresholds in last week’s elections, the first time an alternative party has retained party status using either of these vote tests. Previously the party had attained ballot access by petitioning.

“The Libertarian Party of Hawaii was happy to be able to achieve greater levels of funding, of volunteers, and in numbers of candidates, than ever before in 2014″, said Ms. Ryan. ” It appears the vote totals when all added up were the highest in the state party’s history and allowed it to achieve ballot access by vote and avoid a signature drive.”

The Hawaii LP ran the most candidates for an election in its history, placing 17 candidates on the ballot.

Shawn Quinn and Lorenzo Gaztanaga

For the first time in its history, the Maryland Libertarian Party met the vote test to retain ballot access.

It was also the first time in 44 years that any challenge party in the state was able to retain ballot access.

Gubernatorial candidate Shawn Quinn and candidate for lieutenant governor Lorenzo Gaztanaga received 1.5 percent of the vote last Tuesday, and the state party will appear on the ballot in 2016.

In Maryland, the top-of-the-ticket candidate must get 1 percent, or the party must have at least 1 percent of the registered voters on the last day of the year to continue as a recognized party. In 2016, the LP presidential candidate must get at least 1 percent.

Because of restrictive ballot access laws, no alternative party candidate had run for statewide office between 1970 and 2002, when Spear Lancaster ran for governor as a Libertarian. In addition to having to collect 10,000 signatures, non-Democrat/Republican candidates also had to petition individually to get on the ballot, which during Lancaster’s campaign required more than 34,000 signatures. The individual candidate petition was struck down the next year by the highest court in the state, and now candidates can get on the ballot as long as the party has ballot access.

Roland Riemers

For the first time in party history, the North Dakota Libertarian Party has met the vote test to attain ballot access.

In a non-presidential general election, the candidate for attorney general or secretary of state must get at least 5 percent of the vote for automatic ballot access.

Roland Riemers, the LPND candidate for secretary of state, received 5.3 percent of the vote in the election last Tuesday.

This is only the second time a minor party has met the vote test in North Dakota, the other time being the Reform Party in 1996, when Ross Perot was its presidential candidate, according to Ballot Access News.

To maintain ballot access, the 2016 gubernatorial or presidential candidate must get 5 percent.

In addition, Jack Seaman, candidate for the U.S. House, received 5.8 percent, and the candidate for tax commissioner, Anthony Mangnall, got 6.4 percent. Both candidates were in three-way races with Democrats and Republicans.

Personal IPR reblog note from Paulie: I helped the LP get on the ballot in Maryland and North Dakota the last few times they got on the ballot. Hawaii is the only US State I have never been to, and one of about a dozen I still haven’t petitioned for anything in.