The Free New Mexico Party will hold its annual state convention at Botts Hall in Albuquerque’s Special Collections Library. The event is free and open to the public, though only members in good standing as of February 28 will be eligible to vote.
According to the convention notice, the business meeting will convene on March 29 at noon. An early agenda includes a speech by chair Derek Scott, elections for new party officers and director positions, proposed bylaw amendments, and the selection of national delegates and alternates. The party is also hosting a potluck, with members encouraged to contribute items.
It remains unclear whether the inclusion of delegate elections was an error or a reflection that the party does not plan to reconvene before the next Libertarian National Convention.
The Free New Mexico Party is the state affiliate currently recognized by the Libertarian National Committee. It emerged following a 2022 split between the national and state organizations, triggered by a dispute over the validity of the New Mexico affiliate’s bylaws and constitution. Both sides ultimately disaffiliated from one another.
The disaffiliated state organization went on to co-found the Association of Liberty State Parties, which rebranded in 2024 as the Liberal Party USA and now operates under the Liberal Party of New Mexico name.
Following the split, a new Libertarian Party of New Mexico group was formed and recognized by the LNC as the official affiliate. Due to ongoing legal battles over the use of the Libertarian name, the group rebranded as the Free New Mexico Party in September 2023. According to proposed meeting minutes from its December 2024 meeting, the party has since regained the assets of the former Libertarian Party of New Mexico and was last discussing how best to use them.
I am the campaign director for the Free New Mexico Party and basically all we got was the name, which our SoS does not permit us to use, and so we are still the Free New Mexico Party. The LPNM did not turn over any records of funds to us.
Talk about taking a wrong turn at Albuquerque…
“The only specific asset they list is the Libertarian Party of New Mexico name (“name, etc.”)”- Jordan Willow Evans
Well, that’s good.
NewFederalist: I couldn’t find specific information. However, while reviewing the past agenda and minutes section of the Free New Mexico Party site, it appears that they discussed this news for the first time just last December. The only specific asset they list is the Libertarian Party of New Mexico name (“name, etc.”)
Furthermore, as you may recall, the Libertarian Party completely overhauled its website at the beginning of this year. They now list the Libertarian Party of New Mexico website URL under the state affiliate page, rather than linking to the Free New Mexico Party website. Internet archives show that the party did not list any website for its New Mexico affiliate prior to the overhaul. Additionally, archives of the Liberal Party USA website indicate that the Libertarian Party of New Mexico—the faction associated with them—changed its name sometime in early December. That month seems to be when everything came to a head.
When did this affiliate gain access to the assets?