Libertarian Party Nominating Convention Announced

3/27/98
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Mike Brinkman
(517) 241-9613

LIVONIA. The annual Libertarian Party of Michigan convention will be held at the East Lansing Marriot the weekend of April 3, 4 and 5 it was announced today.

"1998 being an election year," observed party Chairman, Tim O'Brien, "we will, of course, be nominating all of our candidates for the fall ballot."

With more than 80 party members already having announced their intention to seek party nomination LPM officials are hoping to have a full slate of candidates throughout the state. Or nearly a full slate.

"Unfortunately," O'Brien observed, "the delegates probably won't want to nominate anyone for Governor because of the risk of losing our ballot status [for the 2,000 presidential election]." Under Michigan election law party representation is determined exclusively by the votes garnered by its 'top-of-ticket' candidate. "Many voters will actually vote straight-ticket Libertarian," O'Brien continued, "except for the top race -- like Governor -- never realizing that is the one race upon which our very existence as a ballot-qualified political party depends. Despite widespread complaints about having to choose between 'the lesser of two evils,' we're still fighting the 'wasted vote' argument and trying to convince people that there is nothing in our constitution or laws declaring our republic a 'two party system.'"

Because of the danger of losing a place on the ballot for its presidential nominee in 2,000 the party's top candidates in this year's election are expected to be for State Board of Education. "It is important for us to present as large a slate of candidates to the voters as possible," continued LPM board member, Doug MacDonald, who has taken primary responsibility for what the party has billed it's 'Full Slate in '98' effort. "We want voters to see that we are a genuine political party with a coherent philosophy and real-world policy proposals," he concluded, "and not merely a personality cult built around a disgruntled billionaire."

1984 Libertarian presidential candidate, David Bergland, currently seeking the national LP Chairmanship, and national LP Communications Director, Bill Winter, among other major Libertarian figures will attend and address the Michigan LP convention -- testimony to the growing national influence of the Michigan party which has tripled its membership and risen to third largest state party affiliate in just the last four years.

The convention will also be electing new party officers for the coming year, as well as nominating up to 61 delegates and 50 alternates to the biennial national LP convention in Washington DC this summer.