Libertarian Party of Maryland Criticizes Newly Recognized New Hampshire Affiliate Over Membership Rules

The Libertarian Party of Maryland has come out against the Libertarian National Committee’s decision to recognize the Granite State Libertarian Party as its new affiliate in New Hampshire, specifically criticizing the state group’s membership rules.

The Maryland party made its remarks on Monday, one day after the LNC voted to recognize the Granite State Libertarians. The national committee considered applications from two organizations vying for recognition in New Hampshire, ultimately selecting the Granite State Libertarians over another organization using the same name as the former affiliate.

“[A]fter removing the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (LPNH), National Libertarian chairman replaces LPNH with a clique of about a dozen people, who had an invite-only Convention,” the Maryland affiliate said, including photos of LNC Chair Evan McMahon and Rachel “Blackfyre” Danner, the new affiliate chair.

The Maryland affiliate also accused the Granite State Libertarians of creating what it called “a first-of-it’s-kind membership review board” that could deny voting membership to libertarians who do not share “their progressive brand of left libertarianism.”

The Granite State Libertarian Party formed in late August following the national party’s disaffiliation of the former Libertarian Party of New Hampshire. National committee members revoked that party’s affiliation shortly after the 2026 Libertarian National Convention, pointing in part to its 2024 endorsement of Republican Donald Trump and what the committee called “anti-libertarian positions” espoused by the group. The Libertarian Party’s Judicial Committee later upheld the disaffiliation by a unanimous vote in August.

Nearly two dozen people participated in the Granite State Libertarians’ founding convention, including organizers drawn from members of Danner’s earlier New Hampshire Libertarians group, former state Libertarian leaders, and former and current officeholders. Delegates elected Danner, who has publicly said she was previously a dues-paying member of the Maryland affiliate, as chair and adopted bylaws establishing several levels of membership.

Under the bylaws, most new members must spend at least one year as Pledge Members before they can apply for Activist status, which additionally requires approval by the party’s Membership and Credentials Committee. The committee can also establish additional promotion standards beyond the tenure requirements. After another year, Activist Members can then seek Sustaining status, which makes them eligible to vote at state conventions.

“This behavior is a cancer to the party, disenfranchising thousands of libertarians in New Hampshire and preventing anyone else from becoming national delegates,” the Maryland affiliate said. “Shame and dishonor on you two.”

National convention delegates must be at least Activist Members, meaning most new members must spend at least one year as Pledge Members and receive committee approval before becoming eligible. Those who participated in the original ratification of the party’s bylaws are classified as Charter Members and considered Sustaining Members once they pay their dues, though they are not subject to the same waiting periods.