Libertarian National Committee Weighing Whether Purchases Count Toward Party Membership

The Libertarian National Committee is weighing whether purchases such as merchandise and event tickets should count toward the donation threshold required for sustaining membership and eligibility to hold national office within the party.

The discussion stemmed from a February 13 thread on the LNC’s public Business List, when Chair Steven Nekhaila moved to reappoint Robert Vinson to an at-large position on the national committee. In his motion, Nekhaila said Vinson had experienced a brief lapse in his sustaining membership, creating a vacancy under party bylaws.

Several members objected to the motion, arguing the bylaws specify what triggers an automatic resignation. Region 1 Representative Andrew Chadderdon, with the support of his alternate Austin Martin, raised a point of order that the bylaws list explicit causes for resignation, such as missing consecutive meetings, and that a lapsed sustaining membership is not among them. Chadderdon further argued that such a violation alone does not remove a sitting member absent a disciplinary process.

This led to Nekhaila reframing the issue as one of qualification. He argued that the bylaw language requiring members to “be” sustaining members establishes a continuous qualification for office, and that a lapse, however brief, still creates a vacancy that cannot be retroactively cured by renewal.

Chadderdon appealed Nekhaila’s ruling on the same grounds, with Nekhaila defending his interpretation by referencing a prior Judicial Committee response on whether a lapse requires a “for cause” removal.

The discussion shifted to what constitutes a qualifying contribution when LNC Secretary Evan McMahon argued that Vinson’s membership had not lapsed at all. McMahon said Vinson had signed the party’s non-aggression pledge and made qualifying contributions exceeding $25 within the prior twelve months, including payments related to events and other party activities.

“Neither the bylaws or the policy manual define or restrict type of donations. Meaning spending money on events, targeted fundraisers, merch, etc.,” McMahon wrote. “And while traditionally the LNC has excluded such contributions as being applied towards membership, there is nothing in the bylaws or policy manual that supports that restriction.”

Nekhaila agreed with McMahon’s interpretation and reversed his earlier position, ruling that all contributions to the LNC count toward sustaining membership unless explicitly excluded by the bylaws or policy manual. He then ruled his own motion to appoint Vinson out of order on the grounds that Vinson had never vacated his seat.

That reversal prompted further objections. Region 3 South Representative Keith Thompson argued that the party has historically treated dues and donations differently from merchandise sales and event registrations, warning that adopting such an interpretation would represent a significant departure from current practice.

In a later, separate thread on the appeal, Thompson wrote that he does not believe “LP Store merch, T-shirts, event tickets, etc., should count toward dues and lifetime memberships.” He cautioned that such a change could create administrative complications, particularly with the upcoming 2026 Libertarian National Convention and state delegate allocations for affiliates that have already held their conventions.

Nekhaila defended his ruling by arguing that no existing governing documents restrict what types of contributions qualify as donations for sustaining membership purposes. He said election law treats all donations as contributions and that concepts such as fair market value apply to non-profit organizations, not political parties.

To Nekhaila, merchandise sales, convention registrations, and event tickets are all legally classified as contributions, leaving the LNC with no discretion to exclude them. He added that, “If folks would like to see this as the case then a policy manual or bylaw amendment should be passed.”

As of February 17, the LNC is actively voting on whether to sustain or overturn Nekhaila’s ruling. The ballot, which remains open through February 22, is currently tied at four votes to sustain and four to overturn. A majority vote is required to overrule the chair.