The Hill has this short article on Joseph Kennedy, who is running as an independent candidate in the special U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts in January 2010. The article says that Kennedy is registered as a Libertarian. This is factually incorrect. Kennedy would not be allowed to be an independent candidate in Massachusetts if he were a registered Libertarian, because the Libertarian Party is a ballot-qualified party. Kennedy is a dues-paying member of the Libertarian Party but he is registered “independent”, because the law requires it.
He cannot easily run as the Libertarian Party nominee for U.S. Senate because Massachusetts makes it very difficult for anyone to get on the primary ballot of a small qualified party. The state requires 10,000 signatures, and only registered party members, and registered independents, can sign to get a candidate on a partisan primary ballot. Other states that make it difficult for members of small qualified parties to get on primary ballots are Maine, and New York (for district and local office, not statewide office).
So, if he is elected will he serve as an elected Libertarian Senator? Of course he will.
So, why the double standard?
All these Republican legislators in New Hampshire for example, who are dues paying members of the LP don’t get counted as “Elected Libertarians.”
Can’t have it both ways Richard.
I vote for calling as many people as we can “Elected Libertarians,” regardless that they’re also affiliated as Republicans or Independents.
Many minor party candidates have been on state ballots with the label “independent” all around the USA, for decades. This is sometimes because it is easier to qualify as an independent than as a minor party nominee. But if the person in real life is a minor party nominee, that counts. But that’s not the same thing as a minor party nominee who appears on the ballot as the nominee of a major party (with no other party nomination at the same time). “Independent” doesn’t really necessarily mean “independent” of all parties. It is somewhat neutral.
In Massachusetts, independent candidates are free to choose a partisan label beyond just the word “independent”. I don’t know what Kennedy’s exact choice of a ballot label is going to be.
I have selected the designation of “Liberty” it still must be approved on the hill, but that is my intended “label” and that is what has appeared on my Nominating Papers.
Thank You
-joe