59 delegates convened for the officer elections this morning. On the last day of his term as Northern Vice Chair before devoting himself to his new job as LPWA executive director, C. Michael Pickens nominated Janine Kloss for Chair. He praised her for the work she put into strategy and marketing documents for the LPWA. Kloss told the delegates: “I’m not coming with a plan, but a question: what can the Executive Committee do for you?” A letter from Kloss distributed on the convention floor did not mention any LPCA office or plans, aside from saying “It is now the time to grow the LP by sharing the morality of the non-aggression principle.” Her nomination was seconded by Mark Hinkle, who said she also had the support of Ted Brown and Mary Gingell. (All three are former LPCA Chairs, and Hinkle and Gingell are past LNC Chairs.)
Three-term incumbent Chair Kevin Takenaga spoke on the need for a Chair to build a team and to focus on specific goals. He said that in his most recent term, fighting Top Two had been a higher priority than increasing dues-payers. He said the LPCA was on course to maintain party status via its increased registration numbers, which was necessary now that Top Two keeps the LP off of the November ballot. After Takenaga’s speech, Kloss supporter Starchild perhaps hurt her chances by moving to suspend the rules so that the candidates could be questioned for ten minutes. Kloss said under questioning that she had only joined the LP in December, and that she didn’t know which California counties were the most active.
Takenaga won by 38 votes to 26, with 3 for NOTA. (More delegates had been credentialed since the start of the session.) Gale Morgan was elected by acclamation as Northern Vice Chair, and Glynda Perrotte was similarly elected as Southern Vice Chair. Kloss then narrowly defeated Jose Castenada for Secretary, 33 to 31. Brian Darby was re-elected Treasurer by acclamation.
Ten candidates were nominated for 6 open at-large seats on the Executive Committee:
- Jose Castenada
- Judd Weiss
- Starchild
- Grant Huihui
- Nancy Zardeneta
- Josh Famestead
- Brian Thiemer
- Bill Lopez
- Shawn Fox
- Armando Romero
Yes, I have experienced both reactions, many times .. 🙂
Thank you for the welcome Steve!! I’ve been having a lot of fun getting things rolling here in Sacramento County 🙂 I will be in the LA area in a little over two weeks and I’d love to meet with you, Alan and Jill! Paulie, sometimes adversity grinds you down and sometimes it sharpens your resolve! Of course, I could lament about going back in time and “fixing” all my actions to be perfect, but honestly, even if everything I did was perfect, people still would have antagonized me. It wasn’t about finding a great candidate, but rather keeping hold of power. We will right this situation through party growth and vetting great future party leaders!
Don’t let ’em grind ya down!
Yes, welcome, Janine!
Hopefully Jill and I will have an opportunity to meet you soon. The fact that you had such strong support from former chairs (despite being a newbie) speaks very well of you.
Maybe you can help people learn how to be more receptive to new activists.
Janine,
Welcome to IPR and the California LP…..
Wow, this is a new experience for me! I didn’t run across this article or discussion until just now! I appreciate the fair and inquisitive comments 🙂 What a great community you have here! I was humbled by the show of support I received during this convention. To have, not just fellow newbies, but also Libertarians who’ve been in the party for many years, stand by my side and encourage me to strive for such a challenging position lifted my spirits and gave me so much hope. I, and many others, tried diligently to find a candidate with more experience; however, having no other alternative, I couldn’t turn my back on the people asking for a change. Offering an alternative is what our party is all about so I hope my run for chair is seen in this light (as it was intended) rather than some evil plan.
The question and answer session was horrible and terrifying… also somewhat damaging to my impression of the party. I would say that if we’d like to keep amazing new talented and energetic people around, we might not want to treat them poorly for attempting to get involved. I totally understand not voting for someone if you’re not comfortable, but to be cruel for people for offering an alternative is not necessary. Prior to joining the Libertarian party, I have been declined-to-state. I refused to accept either party because I didn’t believe in them. I am very Libertarian (although I didn’t know it existed until I met Mr. Pickens) so finding this party, this community, and all of you, has been one of the best experiences of my life!
I wish I could have provided a more detailed plan for the members to consider. As it was, I was running day and night during the whole convention. Just getting that letter together meant that I didn’t sleep that night. I had different materials prepared to present, but having them available didn’t work out on short notice. I was surrounded by curious and interested members throughout the whole convention (literally day and night). I am so inspired by the people I’ve gotten to work with and I will continue to serve the liberty movement for many years to come. I can’t change the fact that I didn’t have enough experience for some… I am making my way through life and figuring things out just like everyone else!
My nomination for Secretary was unexpected and I declined at first. The room was extremely encouraging, in spite of my resistance to jumping into a race with someone who wanted the chance to prove himself and to whom I’d already given my support. I had planned to run for at-large (which comes after the Secretary race). The crowd wanted me to serve in this fashion so I agreed. Consequently, many folks that knew me and saw my resistance, voted for Jose (as did I), who really felt strongly about serving the party in this position.
Overall, I think we ended up with a nicely balanced Executive Committee. It’s comprised of many talented people who are passionate about furthering the liberty movement here in California! I’m excited about our future!
Update: I’ve been elected to Chairman of Sacramento County and we are having a blast! I’m headed off to a meeting now 🙂 Thanks again!!
The higher numbers are reflected in the candidate totals. They are higher than the morning counts, but not that much higher. Still much lower than a few years ago.
I got some great information about the CA convention tonight. I heard there were many more people than the numbers above suggest. Turns out CA had some screwy new rule that they only take a count in the AM, so anyone coming in late didn’t count (I’ll try to find out more specifics). I hear that camaradery was great, and the parties were even better! Hopefully I can have another article or two to post about it soon.
I’d love to go, Mark! Too bad you’re on the other side of the country. I haven’t been to New York since I was 8 years old. I don’t remember much except my folks lost my little brother at the fair for a few hours.
I’m sure it will be a great day!
Jill–
Come to the LPNY Convention on April 27.
No fireworks–just liberty, libations, luscious victuals and fun.
Fantastic speakers, lovely setting.
http://www.ny.lp.org for more information and registration data.
How’s that for blatant advertising?
I think a lot of the reason the convention was poorly attended was the lack of value for the cost. We knew absolutely nothing about anyone running for any office, except for Glynda Perrotte for southern vice-chair–and she would have won no matter who ran against her, I think–and there were no compelling speakers. Nothing against Steve Collette or Judge Gray, but we’ve heard them several times. I would have been interested in Glynda’s panel discussion and Susan Marie Weber’s and the Bitcoin talk, but that wasn’t worth the $700 or $800 it would have cost us to go. I would have like to hear Brett Pojunis, too, I guess. Anyway, my little dog was attacked by a racoon the week before the convention, so I probably wouldn’t have gone even if we’d planned to. I did feel bad all weekend, though, and wished I could be there.
Starchild:
My guess is that many longtime LPC members including myself might not have answered the five-most-active-counties question correctly either.
Would Kevin been able to answer that question? Would the Treasurer been able to answer that question? I do not think so.
The Treasurer after giving his officer’s report did not have many answers to the questions posed to him. I heard a lot of, “I don’t have the answer to that and I don’t know.”, from the Treasurer. He also spent a lot of time conferring with Kevin and the office manager Bo when answering questions. The Treasurer did not seem prepared or to have any answers.
@18:
Yes. Officers serve for a two year term.
@16 David:
There was a time during the 80’s, 90’s, and up to about seven and eight years ago there would be 100+ delegates to California Party conventions. I feel the belief that we should have Trump Tower style conventions and the addition of $75 to $150 floor fees that has depressed attendance. It is too expensive to attend Party conventions!
So Takenaga gets 2 more years before the next vote, yes?
@13-15:
If Janine had been involved in the Party for a longer period of time she would have been elected Chair. I was told by some they would not vote for her because she just joined the Party in October. That she did so well shows me that another candidate such as Allen Pyatt (he had been asked to be a candidate – but he declined – though he wanted to run the time was not right) or if Janine had been involved in the Party for a longer period of time she would have defeated Kevin.
Gail Lightfoot was asked if she would run for Chair but she declined.
The delegates wanted change but we could not find a candidate for chair.
Also, I agree Janine was asked a lot of trick questions (some of the questions were embarrassing – For example Janine was asked if she would be taking orders from an activist from Washington.) but she handled them like a pro. I was impressed.
Sorry, fellow Libertarians. Not everyone can be Brett Pojunis and run for Chair like it’s an open primary for a month or two before the convention. Which, in my opinion, is a bloody shame – there’s definitely some early mover advantages there if you have the willingness to seize them.
That said, and I don’t mean this as a reflection for or against Takenaga’s performance as Chair – I honestly don’t know enough about the guy to have an educated opinion one way or another – 60-65 credentialed delegates for a state party as large as California’s seems a little lean to me. Granted, it’s an off year, and I definitely didn’t see the advertising for it that I saw when they held their convention in Nevada(!) last year, so that might have had something to do with it. Plus I know the LPCA is a little more willing to embrace door fees for business meetings – a curious philosophy that I’ve had to wrestle with when dealing with transplants here in Reno.
I generally agree with Brian’s analysis above (sorry by the way Brian that we never really managed to say hello this convention!) Janine’s letter above didn’t do much for me, nor did her speech as a candidate.
I thought she did okay fielding questions though. There was a small enough group of delegates attending that I figured her response that she’d only recently the LP in December would not come as any particular revelation, but perhaps I was wrong. I thought her answer to the question of which five California counties are most active was astute and honest. She first pointed out that it sounded like a trick question (deliberately asked to expose her lack of detailed knowledge about the LPC), which I think it was. She then candidly admitted she didn’t know the answer, but was in the process of learning more about the party. My guess is that many longtime LPC members including myself might not have answered the five-most-active-counties question correctly either. Being able to recite such details seems much less important to me than having sound libertarian beliefs, good priorities, and a good leadership temperament. But again maybe Brian is right and other delegates felt differently.
Kevin’s responses weren’t particularly reassuring and probably didn’t help him much either. I was actually a bit surprised there were not more votes for NOTA.
It does seem possible that my successful move to allow time for candidate questions hurt Janine’s chances, as he speculates. But it seemed to me like the right way to proceed under the circumstances. I thought delegates should have the opportunity to ask questions, given both Janine’s recent arrival status and Kevin’s habits of not communicating with other Executive Committee members, operating the ExCom list as a secret list unreadable by members, etc., which I myself wanted to ask him a tough, direct question about.
Here is the only piece of candidate literature distributed at the convention this weekend. It was distributed only minutes before the officer elections began.
It was very strange that there was no pre-convention publicity. In fact, that was one of the factors that helped us decide not to go this year. It sounds like everyone did just fine without us.
The At-Large Ex-Com members elected in 2012 are
Flavio Fiumerodo
Ken Gillespie
Glynda Perrotte
Dana McLorn
Rich Vanier
Perrotte resigned when she was elected SVC, so the lowest vote-getter of the 6 elected today will serve out the final year of her term.
no one in the entire state wanted to run for chair
Some might not want to run for Chair unless they’re confident they will win.
Takenaga won by a rather narrow margin vs someone who has only been in the party since December
Her showing was not unsurprising for a well-spoken attractive young professional woman with the support of three former Chairs. What I found surprising was that 1) three former Chairs supported her, and 2) her candidacy seemed to have no pre-convention publicity.
Gale Morgan and Glynda Perrotte were elected northern and southern vice-chairs respectively by acclamation, as they faced no competition for the positions.
Newcomer and defeated chair candidate Janine Kloss was narrowly elected secretary over Jose Castenada, and Brian Darby was elected treasurer without a rival (a few people voted no).
In the At Large race, I believe (don’t quote me) those elected were:
Judd Weiss
Brian Thiemer
Bill Lopez
Shawn Fox
Grant Huihui
Josh Famested
Jose Castenada – 1st alternate
Nancy Zardeneta – 2nd alternate
I was not elected, however this outcome did not bother me. I actually hadn’t decided up to the time of nominations whether I wanted to run for reelection or not. Someone nominated me, so I explained in my candidate speech that I had very mixed feelings about running again because between being on the Libertarian National Committee and local activism as well as a possible run for office again in the next couple years I’d have plenty on my plate. Also, frankly, that I’d been hoping for a new state chair to work with. But I said that I would serve if the delegates felt my voice was needed badly enough to vote me in anyway.
Richard, did you get the info about SB 351? They’ll be voting on it Tuesday.
Kevin Takenaga’s initiation of a LP lobbying day at the state capitol on the day before the convention was an inspiration to me. I am sorry missed the Saturday and Sunday sessions, but I will be up at the Capitol lobbying tomorrow (Monday) and Tuesday.
Takenaga won by a rather narrow margin vs someone who has only been in the party since December… that is not a very good referendum vote.
Hopefully he can build more consensus in his next term.
Well, especially CA because it’s such a large state. It involves a tremendous amount of travel.
Jill @ 5.
I have a similar situation in New York, except without the newbie.
State Chair is a lot of work.
It’s amazing that no one in the entire state wanted to run for chair (besides Kevin) besides a newbie. Wow.
Very surprising results on the At-Large reps. Brian, do you know who the At-Large reps who will continue on are?
Very interesting, On FB, I have found these people for the At-Large reps: Grant Huihui – Bill Lopez – Shawn Fox – Josh Famestad – Judd Weiss – Brian Thiemer
Alternate At-Large Reps; Jose Castaneda, Nancy Zardeneta
With what party was Ms. Kloss affiliated before last December?
I left the convention before the At-Large results were announced. The list above is in descending order of my estimates for the vote totals.