An independent group of New Hampshire Libertarians is collecting signatures to place Stephen Villee on the state’s general election ballot after the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire declined to support his gubernatorial campaign at its annual convention earlier this year.
Villee, who previously ran for governor in 2024 with the support of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, had sought its endorsement again during its March 14 convention. However, party delegates voted to back “None of the Above” in the gubernatorial race, choosing to leave the party without a candidate. Delegates similarly backed NOTA in the U.S. Senate race, where independent candidate Aaron Day had sought the party’s support.
Following the results, Villee said he would consider continuing his campaign, though he was not yet certain of his plans. That included what designation he would use to appear on the ballot, with Villee saying at the time he was reviewing his options for “running under some other 3rd party.”
During his first gubernatorial bid, Villee appeared on the Libertarian line and campaigned on a platform of adopting approval voting, fully legalizing cannabis, passing Defend the Guard legislation, and revising state zoning laws to make residential housing easier to develop. His current campaign is keeping many of those same priorities this time, though he has replaced the zoning plank with support for medical psilocybin for certain treatment-resistant conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorder, and clinical depression. He says he also wants to earn a showing strong enough to restore party recognition under state law for a Libertarian political organization and further promote libertarianism in New Hampshire more generally, pointing to the influence of organizations like the Free State Project.
However, despite what happened in March, Villee’s campaign is now moving forward with support from an independent group of Libertarian activists who call themselves New Hampshire Libertarians. The group, which does not identify the individuals behind the effort, states on its website that it is working to collect 5,000 petitions across the state to help Villee qualify for the ballot. Under New Hampshire law, candidates running for governor need 3,000 valid signatures from registered voters, including 1,500 from each congressional district, meaning the group’s goal would give Villee a cushion above that minimum in the event some signatures are rejected.
The group has been soliciting donations to fund its canvassing operation, with a goal of $40,000. As of June 19, it reported raising $16,210 toward that amount.
The same group says it previously raised a similar sum during the 2024 election cycle to help Libertarian candidates get on the New Hampshire general election ballot, including the Libertarian Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, Chase Oliver, who did not have the support of the state party. It similarly wants to support Libertarian candidates this cycle and says its mission has since expanded after the Libertarian National Committee voted to end its affiliation with the current New Hampshire party, with any remaining money from the current petition drive expected to support the launch of a new organization representing Libertarians in the state.
With the group’s support, Villee is again looking to earn a spot on the ballot as a Libertarian candidate, which he is able to do because the Libertarian Party is not currently a recognized party under New Hampshire law. For those candidates seeking a spot on the ballot through the petitioning process, like Villee, they are able to list the political organization or principles they represent, so long as the designation is not the same name as that of a currently recognized party, meaning he is free to use the label.
This is also not the first time a candidate outside of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire has used the Libertarian designation on the state ballot. In 2022, two Libertarian candidates, Karlyn Borysenko and Kelly Halldorson, both qualified for New Hampshire’s general election ballot for governor after submitting separate nomination papers.
That year, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, also without state recognition, nominated Borysenko at its convention, while another independent group of Libertarians supported Halldorson. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu ultimately won reelection that year over Democratic nominee Tom Sherman, with Halldorson receiving 5,071 votes to Borysenko’s 2,772 votes. At the time, the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office confirmed to Independent Political Report that both candidates would have their vote totals combined to determine party recognition.
Had Villee received at least 4 percent of the vote in his 2024 bid, it would be a different situation, as the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire would be recognized under state law. In that case, Villee would not be able to use the Libertarian designation without the party’s support now and would instead have needed to seek its nomination through a primary. However, since he is able to use the term, Villee finds himself in a position to potentially help the new group of Libertarians in its aim of becoming the next New Hampshire affiliate of the Libertarian National Committee.
If Villee ultimately qualifies and reaches that 4 percent mark this November, his result could pave the way for state recognition of a new Libertarian political organization in New Hampshire. However, whether such an organization could make its case before the Libertarian National Committee to become a new affiliate still depends on the final outcome of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire’s revocation appeal before the national party’s Judicial Committee, which is expected to be heard in the coming weeks.
Be First to Comment