History

CONTENTS	20 YEARS
FAQ Statement History Glossary Platform Promotion Petitions LOD LTE/Articles LP Links Liberty links Books Movies	The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party, in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place every imaginable roadblock in our path in order to keep our candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice. Libertarians believe the answer to America's political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the, abundance and prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade as prescribed by America's founders. What began with a small group of activists in Colorado has, in 20 short years, become America's third largest political party. We are proud of our heritage and the progress we have made in these last 20 years. And the best is yet to come! 1971: Libertarian Party founded Dec. 11, in the home of David Nolan. Disillusioned Republicans, Democrats and political newcomers hope to create an alternative to the old parties. 1972: First national convention held in June in Denver, CO. John Hospers, a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California, is nominated as presidential candidate. LP vice presidential candidate Tonie Nathan becomes the first woman in U.S. history to receive an electoral vote. 1975: National convention in New York City. Roger MacBride is nominated as the LPB presidential candidate, David Bergland as his running mate. 1976: MacBride achieves ballot status in 32 states, and receives over 170,000 votes. 1978: Ed Clark receives 5 percent of the vote in his race for governor of California. Dick Randolph of Alaska becomes the first elected Libertarian state legislator. 1979: Presidential nominating convention held in Los Angeles. Ed Clark and David Koch named as presidential and vice presidential candidates. Permanent ballot status achieved in California as more than 80,000 voters register Libertarian. 1980: Ed Clark appears on the ballot in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, and receives almost one million votes. His campaign runs extensive national television ads and offers many Americans their first look at what the LP has to offer. Many in the media recognize the LP for the first time as a serious political force. Dick Randolph is re-elected to Alaska state legislature. Ken Fanning, also running as a Libertarian, is elected to Alaska legislature. 1982: Louisiana congressional candidate James Agnew receives 23 percent of the vote. Alaska gubernatorial candidate Dick Randolph receives 16 percent of the vote. Arizona gubernatorial candidate Sam Steiger receives 5 percent of the vote. 1983: David Bergland is nominated in New York City as the LPs presidential candidate. Jim Lewis is his running mate. 1984: On the ballot in 39 states, David Bergland and Jim Lewis come in third in the race for president for the first time in the LPs history. Bergland publishes Libertarianism in One Lesson, a campaign book that eventually sells over 75,000 copies, and is still used by the LP today as an introductory text. Andre Marrou becomes the third Libertarian elected to the Alaska legislature. Libertarians are elected to 11 more local offices around the country. 1986: More than 200 candidates across the United States receive 2.9 million votes. Ray Cullen, candidate for Treasurer in California, gets 570,000 votes, largest vote total ever for a third party candidate in California. 1987: Doug Anderson is elected Elections Commissioner in Denver. Libertarians are elected to every seat on the city council in Big Water, Utah. Former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul resigns from the Republican Party and joins the LP. Seattle convention nominates Ron Paul for president and Andre Marrou for vice president. 1988: Ron Paul, on the ballot in 46 states and the District of Columbia, comes in third, receiving more than 430,000 votes nationwide &emdash; almost twice the total of any other "third" party. 1990: Approximately two million people vote for LP candidates. Election Day is "Double Digit Day," as numerous LP candidates for U.S. Congress and state house draw percentage numbers in teens, twenties, and thirties. New Mexico state legislature candidate Illa Mae Bolton gets 31 percent of the vote. California congressional candidate Joe Shea receives 27 percent of the vote. A 5 percent vote for New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate Miriam Luce qualifies LP of New Hampshire as an official party with ballot status. More than 440,000 Texans vote for Court of Criminal Appeals candidate Carol Caul. More Libertarian candidates win election in local races &emdash; city council, school board, etc. 1991: New Hampshire state legislators Calvin Warburton and Finlay Rothhaus resign from the Republican Party and join the LP. Chicago nominating convention names Andre Marrou and Nancy Lord as presidentiall/vice presidential ticket. 1992: In New Hampshire's presidential primary election Andre Marrou beats incumbent President George Bush in Dixville Notch, the town whose voters always vote first in the nation. Marrou receives eleven votes to Bush's nine.

CONTENTS

20 YEARS

History

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party, in the United States. Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place every imaginable roadblock in our path in order to keep our candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.

Libertarians believe the answer to America's political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the, abundance and prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade as prescribed by America's founders.

What began with a small group of activists in Colorado has, in 20 short years, become America's third largest political party. We are proud of our heritage and the progress we have made in these last 20 years. And the best is yet to come!

1971:

Libertarian Party founded Dec. 11, in the home of David Nolan. Disillusioned Republicans, Democrats and political newcomers hope to create an alternative to the old parties.

1972:

First national convention held in June in Denver, CO. John Hospers, a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California, is nominated as presidential candidate.

LP vice presidential candidate Tonie Nathan becomes the first woman in U.S. history to receive an electoral vote.

1975:

National convention in New York City. Roger MacBride is nominated as the LPB presidential candidate, David Bergland as his running mate.

1976:

MacBride achieves ballot status in 32 states, and receives over 170,000 votes.

1978:

Ed Clark receives 5 percent of the vote in his race for governor of California.

Dick Randolph of Alaska becomes the first elected Libertarian state legislator.

1979:

Presidential nominating convention held in Los Angeles. Ed Clark and David Koch named as presidential and vice presidential candidates.

Permanent ballot status achieved in California as more than 80,000 voters register Libertarian.

1980:

Ed Clark appears on the ballot in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, and receives almost one million votes. His campaign runs extensive national television ads and offers many Americans their first look at what the LP has to offer. Many in the media recognize the LP for the first time as a serious political force.

Dick Randolph is re-elected to Alaska

state legislature.

Ken Fanning, also running as a Libertarian, is elected to Alaska legislature.

1982:

Louisiana congressional candidate James Agnew receives 23 percent of the vote.

Alaska gubernatorial candidate Dick Randolph receives 16 percent of the vote.

Arizona gubernatorial candidate Sam Steiger receives 5 percent of the vote.

1983:

David Bergland is nominated in New York City as the LPs presidential candidate. Jim Lewis is his running mate.

1984:

On the ballot in 39 states, David Bergland and Jim Lewis come in third in the race for president for the first time in the LPs history.

Bergland publishes Libertarianism in One Lesson, a campaign book that eventually sells over 75,000 copies, and is still used by the LP today as an introductory text.

Andre Marrou becomes the third Libertarian elected to the Alaska legislature.

Libertarians are elected to 11 more local offices around the country.

1986:

More than 200 candidates across the United States receive 2.9 million votes.

Ray Cullen, candidate for Treasurer in California, gets 570,000 votes, largest vote total ever for a third party candidate in California.

1987:

Doug Anderson is elected Elections Commissioner in Denver.

Libertarians are elected to every seat on the city council in Big Water, Utah.

Former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul resigns from the Republican Party and joins the LP.

Seattle convention nominates Ron Paul for president and Andre Marrou for vice president.

1988:

Ron Paul, on the ballot in 46 states and the District of Columbia, comes in third, receiving more than 430,000 votes nationwide &emdash; almost twice the total of any other "third" party.

1990:

Approximately two million people vote for LP candidates.

Election Day is "Double Digit Day," as numerous LP candidates for U.S. Congress and state house draw percentage numbers in teens, twenties, and thirties.

New Mexico state legislature candidate Illa Mae Bolton gets 31 percent of the vote.

California congressional candidate Joe Shea receives 27 percent of the vote.

A 5 percent vote for New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate Miriam Luce qualifies LP of New Hampshire as an official party with ballot status.

More than 440,000 Texans vote for Court of Criminal Appeals candidate Carol Caul.

More Libertarian candidates win election in local races &emdash; city council, school board, etc.

1991:

New Hampshire state legislators Calvin Warburton and Finlay Rothhaus resign from the Republican Party and join the LP.

Chicago nominating convention names Andre Marrou and Nancy Lord as presidentiall/vice presidential ticket.

1992:

In New Hampshire's presidential primary election Andre Marrou beats incumbent President George Bush in Dixville Notch, the town whose voters always vote first in the nation. Marrou receives eleven votes to Bush's nine.