I’m here on the ground and the liveblog, as usual, will be in the comments. As always others are welcome and encouraged to join me in covering the convention. There are probably other state LP conventions in other states this weekend; I don’t know off hand which states but if someone wants to provide updates from any such conventions feel free to use this thread or make or request your own.
Where and when will the state platform be published? Nothing critical about ballot access in the platform?
I join others in my thanks, Paulie. I don’t always get to read live but I do always check them out later.
Delegates were in the mid to high 30s according to the treasurer. No count was ever announced but that sounds about right,
Convention adjourned.
Back to platform debates.
3700 signatures in hand including a new turn in from NW Arkansas.
Thanks for the correction. Not easy to guess on names I only hear verbally. Break, the candidate training with Shane Knight.
‘Ricky…Hinton? Replaces James Michael Hood for 4th District. Shane Knight and Tom Canada nominated for at large. Canada declines.’
That’s Ricky Harrington, Jr. He’s active in the Jefferson County party and is a potential candidate for US Senate.
Harlos pitch for national memberships.
LNC panel – Harlos, Bishop-Henchman, Bilyeu
New platform adopted. Takes out sex work, death penalty and abortion planks. Adds agriculture policy. Some other “consolidation” changes. Business meeting will have another 45 minutes for amendments.
Proposal being discussed no institute a new state platform. Arkansas has not had one.
Unanimous motion passes to have a special candidate nominating convention this October, moving on to platform. No motion from the platform committee.
Motion passes to support two pronged strategy to gather signatures and sue the state.
Thanks for reading and commenting! I always feel better about doing these things when people let me know they are reading.
Motion to have exec com to reevaluate whether to continue paid drive at 15k raw sigs.
Thanks for liveblogging this, Paulie!
Swafford wins At Large.
Break, then one more hour of business. Ethan Bishop-Henchman is here also.
Vornheder, Bollinger
https://lpar.org/2018-candidates/
CAH speech.
William Brackeen – chairman’s award.
Mark West, another award. I did not catch what it was called.
Shane Knight…campaign leadership award.
Kevin…missed last name….outreach award, tie with Joseph…Voluntary?
Volunteer award. James….Holland? from Craighead County.
Ran 32 candidates last year. Mark West – candidate award.
Awards, then CAH speech.
Swafford speaks for both of them.
Canada accepts but speaks for Swafford.
Shane Knight would rather have one of the other two. They undecline.
Joe Swafford also nominated and seconded for at large. Declines.
Ricky…Hinton? Replaces James Michael Hood for 4th District. Shane Knight and Tom Canada nominated for at large. Canada declines.
Brian….Campegna? (sp?) replaces James “Woody” Woodall – 3rd District.
William Brackeen repaces Shane Knight – 2nd district.
Chris Lutterloh -another term District 1.
Another spelling correction on names
Chris Lutterloh
District caucuses, then at large, then lunch.
Secretary and Treasurer will take applications for assistants. Wait elected on hand vote with one vote for NOTA.
Stephen Wait nominated for another term as Treasurer. Accepts nomination but would like another candidate. None other steps forward.
Copeland accepts nomination via text in absentia. Copeland elected on hand vote with one vote for NOTA (Schwarz).
Correction on spelling Olson. Brooke Million nominated for another term, declines for Secretary. Nominates Casey Copeland instead.
Olsen elected on unanimous hand vote over NOTA
Chris Olsen nominated and seconded for vice chair. Willing to serve another term. Sent along speech to be read.
Several exec com members and candidates in absentia – Chris Olsen (current vice chair), Casey Copeland. Chris Lutterlow took over gavel. Pakko only human nominated for chair, accepts. Has been chair for 4 years and treasurer before that. Elected by acclaim and takes over gavel.
Taking a short break before business resumes.
Schwarz ran for mayor – “Mayor Schwarz be with you”
https://1011fmtheanswer.com/
No bylaws motions from the floor either, election of state party officers is next.
Those fail, back to bylaws. No report from the committee.
Someone else wants to discuss petitioning strategy first.
Schwarz wants to discuss candidate recruitment and races first.
Bylaws is next.
LNC members recognized by the state chair for being here. Shane Knight, political director, remarks next.
The Schwarz is with us.
Bill Redpath continuing that pitch via skype.
Pakko pitch for volunteer petitioning.
Bonner here now. There’s now also a college Libertarian chapter at UALR.
Secretary and Treasurer reports, then skype from Bill Redpath about ballot access.
Moved and seconded to waive 60 day membership rule for convention voting members and open it up to recently joined state party members. Passed on voice vote. I did not hear an official count of delegates. I’m guesstimating 30ish at this time.
90 day window is also part of the lawsuit. Asking for whole law to be declared invalid. 3% thrown out in court twice before, deadline also thrown out repeatedly before.
Michael Pakko – chair’s opening remarks. Mark West 2.9% for governor, just short of the 3% for retention. Legislature changed ballot access for worse rather than better. Being sued now. Arkansas LP has about 5 times as many candidates per capita as average LP state. Two candidates set (Ewald and one other) set new national records for their positions and many other double digit and close results. Nearly 10% on average including three way races. LNC has not chipped in for ballot access here as in the past. Money for 10k valid sigs raised without LNC help so far. 5k matching donation from Michael Chastain was matched in February. Kohlhaas raising money on commission. LPAR also had 10k in the bank before that. 8400 from Kohlhaas so far. Good media coverage and LP turnout at hearings. Emergency injunction hearing in court soon. 2 or 3 thousand signatures collected so far. Candidate and petition deadlines also moved back, also thrown out in court before and part of the lawsuit. 90 day rolling deadline, under new deadline Sept 4 2019 deadline for petition and candidates must file a full year in advance. Considering special nominating convention in October.
Now in session.
Here and set up. Out of staters i recognize so far: Paul and Whitney Bilyeu (TX), Caryn Ann Harlos (CO), Joe Bishiop-Henchman (DC), myself (AL). Darryl Bonner (PA) is supposed to be here at some point today but is not here yet. Whitney Davis (formerly AR, now TX) and husband or boyfriend (didn’t catch name) were here at the unofficial milling around last night but have a different event to attend today. Official start time running fashionably late.