On September 26, a lower state court refused to force the city of Charlotte to hold a primary for the Libertarian Party for mayor. The primary is September 27, and two Libertarians had filed for the post before the party was decertified. The Charlotte Libertarians will now choose a candidate for Mayor by either private mail ballot or a convention. The party will return to court in mid-October 2005, seeking a preliminary injunction to put its various city candidates on the November 2005 ballots. Libertarian Party of North Carolina v State Board of Elections, 05-cvs-13073, Wake Co.
I was a Libertarian even before the national LP was formed in 1971 (and a libertarian even earlier).
I say that first because I want to say second that I am getting concerned about the many, many lawsuits filed by various branches of the party.
Most libertarians, and I suppose most Libertarians, are fearful of activist courts and judges.
Too often suits are attempted end runs around the legal process, around laws and state codes and even constitutions.
Of course Libertarians should be on the ballot — every ballot, in my opinion.
But if a Libertarian Party has so few members it falls off, if it fails to legally qualify for ballot status, then a primary might be more of an embarrassment than a success.
Plus there is the moral question of forcing governments to spend taxpayers’ (stolen) money for our political activities.
I wonder if the money spent on lawsuits wouldn’t be better spent recruiting new members.
It could buy ads, it could hire meeting halls and pay for speakers, all activities that might do much more to help the party grow than all the lawsuits.
Especially in N.C. No one gets higher than 2%.