A Letter From Bill Peirce

Dear friends,

I want to thank every single one of you for your votes and for all your help during the campaign. Together, we ran a very energetic, passionate, and successful campaign, and we should all be very proud of our efforts. The Peirce/Noble ticket ended up claiming nearly 68,000 votes from Ohioans who are demanding economic liberty and personal freedom. Thanks to you, this campaign also was the third most successful Libertarian gubernatorial effort of this election (we came in just behind the Libertarian gubernatorial candidates in Arizona and Georgia).

Together, we have built a solid base for pressing on with the struggle for freedom in Ohio. I hope so, because I fear that the next four years will present harsh challenges for economic freedom and Ohio’s economy.

Although I do not plan to run for office again, I pledge to support those of you who will carry on the struggle, and I will continue to analyze and comment on the policies, legislation, and issues of Ohio. If you have not already done so, I urge you to consider joining the Libertarian Party of Ohio (LPO.org), so that we can continue to build an organization that will be available to support the efforts of future candidates.

Although the numbers may not seem to reflect it, we have already made a difference. We have demonstrated that we have the drive, courage, and determination to initiate change. This campaign was just the start of many great things to come in Ohio.
With my deepest thanks and highest hopes for the future,

Bill Peirce

Libertarian Election Results

As another election season is winding down, he are some final election results of interest to Libertarians:

• Bill Peirce is finishing up 3rd place with about 1.8% (+/- 67,000 votes). Our last Gubernatorial candidate received 39,114 votes.
• Tom Brinkman, one of the most Libertarian members of the Ohio state house won re-election by a 9% margin
• Michael Jason Vasko received 6.36% of the vote for Fulton County Commissioner.
• State issue 2 will pass. This will raise Ohio's minimum wage and essentially open up every worker's employment records to an 'interested party'.
• State issue 5 passed, issue 4 failed. Issue 5 bans smoking in almost every place open to the public. Issue 4 would have exempted many bars, resturants, bowling alleys, and smoke shops.
• In Kentucky, Brian Houillion received about 5% of the vote in a 3 way race for the US House
• In Indiana, Mike Cole won 4% of the vote for his bid for Secretary of State. A modest vote total, but that allows the LPIN to retain ballot access.
• Rex Bell failed in his attempt for the Indiana house. A poll in the last week of the election showed him in a dead heat with the Republican.

Visit www.LP.org and www.LPO.org for a complete rundown of Libertarian election results.

Election Day Surprise in Indiana

Election Day Surprise

Libertarian candidates magically reappear on ballot after targeted law kicked them off
Indianapolis, IN - Nov 07, 2006 LPIN Supporters:

This is an urgent message that we need your help on! After knocking 11 of our candidates off the ballot months ago on a technicality in new law targeted at Libertarians, some are magically reappearing on the ballot today! You may say "That's great!" but without an opportunity to campaign this ploy is aimed at diminishing our presence in the public eye.

Do not let the R's and D's play this game - please report any inconsistencies on your ballots immediately. Pass this along to friends and talk to every media outlet you can. We are only 5 hours into election day and the problems are rampant. Electronic machines are failing, the ballots are not correct, even former Executive Director Brad Klopfenstein was disenfranchised at the polls this morning.

People are listening, it has already been picked up by the Muncie Free Press: http://www.munciefreepress.com/news/story/2006/11/7/155554/289.

We need supporters out there today talking about this issue. Libertarian Statehouse candidates Tom Mulcahy and Steve Keltner appeared on today’s ballots, surprising Libertarians just as much on Election Day as on the day they were unjustly kicked off the ballot.“This outrageous political ploy demonstrates how low the Old Parties will slink,” said Mark W. Rutherford, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “They would scream about unfairness if this happened to their candidates, but they have no problem doing the same thing to Libertarians and others who challenge their political fiefdoms.”

First, the Old Parties sneaked in a dubious law that creates an impossible threshold for Libertarian candidates must clear and threw off 11 Libertarian candidates, Rutherford said. Then on Election Day, Mulcahy, District 96, and Keltner, District 86, reappeared on Marion County ballots Tuesday morning, said Kyle McDonald, LPIN executive director. In fact, the Indiana Election Division disbanded Mulcahy’s candidate committee on July 11th. This left the candidates no opportunity to campaign.

The new law requires minor parties to file within 10 days their intent to fill vacancies, which the LPIN did, Rutherford said. The State Board of Elections ruled that without specifics about the candidates, the party did not meet the rule.“There is no state form to indicate what information is required. The law also indicates that these candidates are to be selected by elected precinct committeemen. Under Indiana law, minor parties cannot participate in primaries and have no vehicle to elect precinct committeemen, so the law has no rational basis,” Rutherford said.“Voters can – and will – see through these cheap games,” Rutherford added. “Libertarians will stand up to rules that Republicans and Democrats create to reward themselves while they attempt punish anyone who stands up to them.”

Libertarian officials quickly sought answers from Doris Anne Sadler, Marion County Clerk. Sadler acknowledged the presence of the candidates on the ballot but provided no answers as to why they appeared on the Marion County ballot, despite the July removal of the candidates by the IED. The County Clerk is responsible for ensuring that candidates listed on ballots in Marion County have been certified by the Indiana Elections Division.
###
Libertarian Party of Indiana
Kyle McDonald
Executive Director
email: liberty@lpin.org
phone: 317-920-1994