[Lnc-business] Fwd: LPME Official Party & Ballot Access Reform

Sun Jul 22 06:55:59 EDT 2018

Normally I would first speak to the Region 8 representative but as that
seat is TBD and vacant, I am forwarding this directly to the list - the
sentiment that other states are a priority and Maine is not, concerns me.
Many states feel that way and it is a disfunction in our organization.  I
would like for us to be able to give Chris a direct answer but also put
remediating this sentiment in general in our Party.  It can be done.  I did
it in Region 1.  I trust that the Region 8 representative when elected will
do so as well.

-Caryn Ann

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chris Lyons <chrislyons752 at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jul 22, 2018 at 3:38 AM
Subject: LPME Official Party & Ballot Access Reform
To: "Nicholas J. Sarwark" <chair at lp.org>, alex.merced at lp.org,
treasurer at lp.org, secretary at lp.org, joe.bishop-henchman at lp.org,
sam.goldstein at lp.org, alicia.mattson at lp.org, william.redpath at lp.org,
joshua.smith at lp.org, richard.longstreth at lp.org, craig.bowden at lp.org,
steven.nekhaila at lp.org, victoria.page.lee at lp.org, elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org,
dustin.nanna at lp.org, jeffery.hewitt at lp.org, kenneth.olsen at lp.org,
james.lark at lp.org, susan.hogarth at lp.org, john.phillips at lp.org,
phillip.anderson at lp.org, whitney.bilyeu at lp.org, erin.adams at lp.org

Good morning officers of the LP.

I am currently the chair of the Libertarian Party of Maine and held this
position in 2016 into 2017 as well. During both these times, I have
requested support, not just moral support, repeatedly to ensure LPME
maintains official party status and thus, ballot access.

Even though we have enjoyed growth and success,99% by our own means, it is
apparent we are not a priority and other states are. So be it.
With no choice to but accept this reality, I respectfully request support
in 3 other areas:

1) Will LP support our legal counsel to pressure and possible go to court
with the state of Maine to not have our 5,800 enrolled Libertarians be
unenrolled by the state after the general election and that Mainers will
still be able to enroll as Libertarians once we lose official party status.
It is my understanding that 8 cases have been argued on this matter and 7
were successful. Will LP support this?

2) LPME is working out the details with other organizations to begin a
citizens' initiative for Ballot Access Reform. The Maine Green Independents
(43,000 + registered) are on board. The language and details are being
worked out and covers lowering the number of registered voters to achieve
official party status, nomination by convention and if need be, lowering
the number of petitioning signatures for candidates to be on the ballot.
The number of signatures required for the initiative is 61,000+. The Greens
are on board and other organizations will be as well. We intend to sublit
and launch this coming September. We will be using volunteers and paid
petitioners to get the signatures. We will also need funds to educate the
voters to be successful on the general election in 2019. Will the LP, on
our behalf, solicit donations for this initiative?

3)LPME has been hosting raffles for guns and lobsters. In August, we will
be holding another raffle of Box of Maine. https://www.boxofmaine.com/
Would LP direct the management of the national party to post this raffle on
the LP fb page on August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31?  I will have the particulars
before this date so it merely needs to be posted. The revenue from these
raffles goes towards growing county structures and is being saved to launch
another registration drive in 2019 to gain official party status, again.

Thank you.

Cordially,
Chris Lyons
LPME, Chair

-- 
-- 
*In Liberty,*
*Caryn Ann Harlos*
Libertarian Party and Libertarian National Committee Secretary - Caryn.Ann.
Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org> or Secretary at LP.org.
Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee - LPedia at LP.org

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
*We defend your rights*
*And oppose the use of force*
*Taxation is theft*
-------------- next part --------------
   Normally I would first speak to the Region 8 representative but as that
   seat is TBD and vacant, I am forwarding this directly to the list - the
   sentiment that other states are a priority and Maine is not, concerns
   me.  Many states feel that way and it is a disfunction in our
   organization.  I would like for us to be able to give Chris a direct
   answer but also put remediating this sentiment in general in our
   Party.  It can be done.  I did it in Region 1.  I trust that the Region
   8 representative when elected will do so as well.
   -Caryn Ann
   ---------- Forwarded message ----------
   From: Chris Lyons <[1]chrislyons752 at gmail.com>
   Date: Sun, Jul 22, 2018 at 3:38 AM
   Subject: LPME Official Party & Ballot Access Reform
   To: "Nicholas J. Sarwark" <[2]chair at lp.org>, [3]alex.merced at lp.org,
   [4]treasurer at lp.org, [5]secretary at lp.org,
   [6]joe.bishop-henchman at lp.org, [7]sam.goldstein at lp.org,
   [8]alicia.mattson at lp.org, [9]william.redpath at lp.org,
   [10]joshua.smith at lp.org, [11]richard.longstreth at lp.org,
   [12]craig.bowden at lp.org, [13]steven.nekhaila at lp.org,
   [14]victoria.page.lee at lp.org, [15]elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org,
   [16]dustin.nanna at lp.org, [17]jeffery.hewitt at lp.org,
   [18]kenneth.olsen at lp.org, [19]james.lark at lp.org,
   [20]susan.hogarth at lp.org, [21]john.phillips at lp.org,
   [22]phillip.anderson at lp.org, [23]whitney.bilyeu at lp.org,
   [24]erin.adams at lp.org
   Good morning officers of the LP.
   I am currently the chair of the Libertarian Party of Maine and held
   this position in 2016 into 2017 as well. During both these times, I
   have requested support, not just moral support, repeatedly to ensure
   LPME maintains official party status and thus, ballot access.
   Even though we have enjoyed growth and success,99% by our own means, it
   is apparent we are not a priority and other states are. So be it.
   With no choice to but accept this reality, I respectfully request
   support in 3 other areas:
   1) Will LP support our legal counsel to pressure and possible go to
   court with the state of Maine to not have our 5,800 enrolled
   Libertarians be unenrolled by the state after the general election and
   that Mainers will still be able to enroll as Libertarians once we lose
   official party status. It is my understanding that 8 cases have been
   argued on this matter and 7 were successful. Will LP support this?
   2) LPME is working out the details with other organizations to begin a
   citizens' initiative for Ballot Access Reform. The Maine Green
   Independents (43,000 + registered) are on board. The language and
   details are being worked out and covers lowering the number of
   registered voters to achieve official party status, nomination by
   convention and if need be, lowering the number of petitioning
   signatures for candidates to be on the ballot. The number of signatures
   required for the initiative is 61,000+. The Greens are on board and
   other organizations will be as well. We intend to sublit and launch
   this coming September. We will be using volunteers and paid petitioners
   to get the signatures. We will also need funds to educate the voters to
   be successful on the general election in 2019. Will the LP, on our
   behalf, solicit donations for this initiative?
   3)LPME has been hosting raffles for guns and lobsters. In August, we
   will be holding another raffle of Box of Maine.
   [25]https://www.boxofmaine.com/  Would LP direct the management of the
   national party to post this raffle on the LP fb page on August 3, 10,
   17, 24 & 31?  I will have the particulars before this date so it merely
   needs to be posted. The revenue from these raffles goes towards growing
   county structures and is being saved to launch another registration
   drive in 2019 to gain official party status, again.
   Thank you.
   Cordially,
   Chris Lyons
   LPME, Chair
   --
   --
   In Liberty,
   Caryn Ann Harlos
   Libertarian Party and Libertarian National Committee Secretary
   - [26]Caryn.Ann. Harlos at LP.org or Secretary at LP.org.
   Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee - LPedia at LP.org
   A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
   We defend your rights
   And oppose the use of force
   Taxation is theft

References

   1. mailto:chrislyons752 at gmail.com
   2. mailto:chair at lp.org
   3. mailto:alex.merced at lp.org
   4. mailto:treasurer at lp.org
   5. mailto:secretary at lp.org
   6. mailto:joe.bishop-henchman at lp.org
   7. mailto:sam.goldstein at lp.org
   8. mailto:alicia.mattson at lp.org
   9. mailto:william.redpath at lp.org
  10. mailto:joshua.smith at lp.org
  11. mailto:richard.longstreth at lp.org
  12. mailto:craig.bowden at lp.org
  13. mailto:steven.nekhaila at lp.org
  14. mailto:victoria.page.lee at lp.org
  15. mailto:elizabeth.vanhorn at lp.org
  16. mailto:dustin.nanna at lp.org
  17. mailto:jeffery.hewitt at lp.org
  18. mailto:kenneth.olsen at lp.org
  19. mailto:james.lark at lp.org
  20. mailto:susan.hogarth at lp.org
  21. mailto:john.phillips at lp.org
  22. mailto:phillip.anderson at lp.org
  23. mailto:whitney.bilyeu at lp.org
  24. mailto:erin.adams at lp.org
  25. https://www.boxofmaine.com/
  26. mailto:Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org