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LP Sigs Verified: On Ballot in Oklahoma

By Joseph Buchman, PhD on March 21, 2016 1:28 PM

Libertarian_Party_of_Oklahoma_logo

The following PRESS RELEASE was posted on the Oklahoma state government website earlier today:

Monday, March 21, 2016

State recognizes Libertarian Party

NEWS RELEASE        

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:        Date: March 21, 2016

CONTACT:    State Election Board PIO Bryan Dean, (405) 522-6624 [email protected]

State recognizes Libertarian Party

(Oklahoma City) – Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax announced that the Libertarian Party has been certified as a recognized party in the state Monday after election officials reviewed and approved petitions submitted last month.

The Libertarians gathered 42,182 signatures. Of those, 30,517 were deemed valid. The minimum number needed to certify a new party was 24,745.

“This means Oklahomans can register as members of the Libertarian Party, and candidates can run as Libertarian for all partisan offices in the state,” Ziriax said. “The Libertarian Party also will receive a ballot line for President and Vice President in November’s General Election.”

There is a short window for those who would like to register as Libertarians before the June Statewide Primary and August Runoff Elections. Anyone who is currently registered and wishes to change their affiliation must do so by March 31 for the change to be processed before those elections.

The Libertarian Party has also notified the Secretary of the State Election Board that it will allow Independents to vote in its primary and runoff primary elections.

Those who want to change their affiliation or register as new voters in the Libertarian party must fill out and return a Voter Registration Application Form, which can be downloaded at www.elections.ok.gov. Forms are also available in person at county election boards, tag agencies and other locations.

See: https://www.ok.gov/triton/modules/newsroom/newsroom_article.php?id=196&article_id=19580

Joseph Buchman, PhD

Joe is a retired, formerly tenured professor of marketing and finance with a passion for adventure travel, chasing total solar eclipses, and Burning Man. He is a long-time volunteer with the Sundance, Sonoma, and Napa Valley Film Festivals, former Chair of the Utah Libertarian Party, former Chair of the LP Platform Committee, and former Chair and three-term member of the LNC's financial Audit Committee. Dr. Buchman has served as a Contributing Editor for IPR since 2011.

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21 Comments

  1. Andy March 24, 2016

    One of the things that saved the petition drive is that the Oklahoma election officials applied a more relaxed standard for what constitutes a valid petition signature than we had originally thought that they would.

    It is good to see the Libertarian Party back on the Oklahoma ballot after a 16 year absence. Hopefully the LP will become a regular fixture on the Oklahoma ballot.

  2. Cody Quirk March 22, 2016

    AWESOME!

    Congrats Richard Winger and Oklahoma LP’ers!

  3. Matt Cholko March 22, 2016

    This really is awesome news. Maybe we actually will get on all 50+ ballots this year!

  4. George Whitfield March 21, 2016

    Congratulations on the successful ballot petition drive and a “well done” to the National Libertarian and Oklahoma Libertarian Party officers and activists. Special commendation to Richard Winger for his generous contribution.

  5. Michael H. Wilson March 21, 2016

    Congratulations to everyone involved. Great work and well done.

  6. JohnJeremyVines March 21, 2016

    Not a member but congrats and best of luck.

  7. jstryder March 21, 2016

    Congratulations LNC and Nick S., and thanks to Richard Winger! That’s a really big effort for a small state. Hope it pays off in years to come.

  8. Steven Berson March 21, 2016

    This is truly excellent news!! Huge thanks to Richard Winger for his very very generous gift that got this started and rolling – and thanks to everyone who contributed (myself included) to the ballot drive – and to all petition gatherers, LNC and the OK-LP for a job very well done!

  9. Nicholas Sarwark March 21, 2016

    The credit should go to Richard Winger for his challenge donation that got this process started and to Tina Kelly and the activists and petitioners who got over 42,000 Oklahomans to demand a political choice.

  10. Stewart Flood March 21, 2016

    Great job Nick! We know there are still more to go, but this was one of the toughest.

  11. Nicholas Sarwark March 21, 2016

    The national Libertarian Party press release is here:

    Libertarian Party will be on November ballot in Oklahoma

    March 21, 2016 Today the Oklahoma State Election Board announced that the Libertarian Party’s (OKLP) petition submitted on February 22 is valid, allowing candidates to appear on the state’s November ballot as Libertarians. OKLP has not been recognized as an official political organization in the state since 2000.

    To become a recognized political party, Libertarians had to complete a massive signature drive. Although state lawmakers passed a bill in 2015 to reduce the signature requirement to 24,745, it’s still among the highest number of signatures required to get statewide Libertarians on the ballot of any state in the country where the LP needs to petition this year. Only Illinois’s is higher, requiring 25,000 signatures.

    The Election Board deemed 30,517 of the 42,182 signatures that Libertarians turned in to be valid.

    “Thanks to the hard work of the Oklahoma Libertarian Party and the signatures of over 42,000 Oklahomans, every voter in the state will be able to vote this year for a Libertarian, identified with the party label, for the first time in 16 years,” said Nicholas Sarwark, Chair of the Libertarian National Committee. “Every American deserves a Libertarian choice on their ballot and the Libertarian Party is committed to making sure every American has that choice this election year.”

    Oklahoma requires partisan candidates on the November ballot to be registered with their party by March 31, leaving very little time for Libertarians who wish to run in November to change their voter registration. However, the Oklahoma Attorney General and Election Board may extend the deadline to early April because state law allows 15 days for candidates wishing to run in newly-recognized political parties to re-register.

    First-time voters must register in the Libertarian Party or as independents by June 3 to participate in the June 28 Libertarian primary.

    OKLP will field Libertarians for state and federal offices this year, including the party’s presidential and vice presidential nominees, on the Libertarian ticket.

    “Oklahoma Libertarians are excited by the prospect of seeing candidates on the ballot that represent us politically,” said OKLP Vice Chair Tina Kelly. “For the most part we don’t agree with the direction the old parties have been taking our state and our country. This year there will be principled liberty options to cast votes for, and I expect the electorate to be inspired by that and to re-engage in a big way. ”

    To remain an official political party in Oklahoma, the Libertarian presidential candidate must receive 10 percent of the vote in the November. A bill is pending, which has passed in the state senate, to reduce that requirement to 2.5 percent.

  12. Stewart Flood March 21, 2016

    That’s the Starr Chamber. The WAR cabal was merely a small room in the chamber.

    Yes, thunderous applause via the Internet!

    Excellent job!!!

  13. Bondurant March 21, 2016

    But…but…the Sarwark led LP doesn’t get anything done according to remains of the WAR cabal.

    Great job and many thanks to everyone involved with this effort!

  14. Jill Pyeatt March 21, 2016

    Thanks to everyone who made this happen! Congratulations!!!

  15. Joseph Buchman Post author | March 21, 2016

    Hear Here!!! Here’s to RICHARD WINGER, OKLAHOMA HERO!

  16. Steve m March 21, 2016

    To Richard Winger!

  17. Steve m March 21, 2016

    Very cool. Congratulations to Paulie and all.

  18. NewFederalist March 21, 2016

    And don’t forget to give lots of credit to Richard Winger for providing the substantial seed money to make this all possible. That is faith and integrity in action! Great job by everyone.

  20. Nicholas Sarwark March 21, 2016

    The Libertarian Party of Oklahoma’s press release:

    Oklahoma Libertarian Party on the General Election Ballot for 2016
    Oklahoma Officially Recognizes Libertarians, but Gives Short March 31st Deadline for Registered Voters to Re-register

    For the first time since 2000, Libertarian Party candidates for state and federal offices will be on the Oklahoma ballot. Oklahoma is the only state in the union that had only two candidates for president on the ballot the last three elections. Today’s official recognition by the state of Oklahoma means more political competition in our state and more choices for Oklahoma voters.

    However, Oklahoma law gives very little time for voters registered as Republican, Democrat, or Independent to re-register as Libertarian. The deadline for changing party affiliation is March 31, 2016. Those who re-register as Libertarians will be able to participate in the April 23rd Libertarian Party State Convention. (See details at http://oklahomalp.org/2016-state-convention/)

    The deadline for first time voters to register in the Libertarian Party is June 3, 2016. All registered Libertarians and Independents will be able to cast votes for Libertarians in the June 28th statewide primary election. Along with presidential candidates, the Oklahoma Libertarian Party (OKLP) expects to field candidates for state and federal offices for the general election in November 2016.

    The deadline for candidates wanting to run as Libertarians is also March 31st. However, Oklahoma state law allows 15 days for candidates wishing to run in newly recognized political parties. The OKLP remains hopeful that the Oklahoma Attorney General and Election Board will accommodate the 15 day requirement, allowing candidates to register into early April.

    The leadership of the OKLP said, “We would like to acknowledge all those who worked to bring another option to the voters of Oklahoma. A successful petition drive was just the beginning and now our focus will be reaching voters and candidates with the reality of looming deadlines.”

  21. Joseph Buchman Post author | March 21, 2016

    And when we say
    Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
    We’re only sayin’
    You’re doin’ fine, Oklahoma!
    Oklahoma, You’re OKAY!

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