LPWA News Room
April 18, 2008
April 19, 2008
Pierce County – The Libertarian Party of Washington State (LPWA) is holding its 2008 Convention Saturday, April 19, in Pierce County’s Titlow Lodge.
“On the anniversary of ‘The Shot Heard ‘Round the World’,” explains 2008 LPWA Convention Chair, Rachel Hawkridge, “we will repeat an echo (albeit non-violently) of the struggle for freedom that started with the early American patriots. We are continuing the struggle for personal and economic freedom – and we’re working with new technologies and organizations to make that happen.”
The convention will feature several events including a panel of National Libertarian Presidential Candidates, Dr. Peet from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, elected libertarians and local libertarian candidates, and more to be announced later. Visit LPWABLOG. http://www.lpwablog.blogspot.com/
“This will be a beautiful event,” states LPWA Chair Scott Lindsley, “and I invite everyone to come partake in the what promises to be a benchmark of progress for Libertarians in Washington pursuit of sound government. I strongly encourage everyone to come spend the day with us.”
More information about the convention, including the schedule and registration, is available at the 2008 convention link above.
April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kelly Steele, (206) 992-9922
Statement on Sam Reed’s “Eliminate Choice” Ballot
SEATTLE – In response to Secretary of State Sam Reed’s release of rules regarding I-872, Washington State Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz issued the following statement:
“Today, Sam Reed made it official that Washington state has outlawed minor parties. The Libertarian, Green, Independent, and Progressive parties can sell their office furniture and computers, because they will never again see their names on a meaningful ballot in our state. Dishonestly framed under the auspices of promoting choice, Sam Reed’s Top Two annihilates voters’ right to choose among a wide range of candidates and the ideas they represent.
“In 2006 there were five parties to choose from in the US Senate race – Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, and Independent. If that election were held today, under Sam Reed’s Eliminate Choice rules, you would be free to choose between Mike McGavick and Maria Cantwell. If you are a Libertarian or Green or Independent you no longer have any choice. Reed describes his ballot as a blow to the Democratic and Republican parties, when in fact it insures they will be the only two parties considered in Washington.
“Part of our political heritage in America has been the right to cast a protest vote. That right no longer exists in Washington state. Moreover, Sam Reed is also now promoting the same system that nominated David Duke in a Louisiana governor’s race, with no opportunity or ability for the Republican Party to clarify the former Klansman isn’t a Republican.
“Starting today, under Sam Reed’s Eliminate Choice rules, a Republican in Seattle will be free to choose between two Democratic candidates for the legislature, while a Democrat in Ritzville will be free to choose one of two Republican choices for the legislature.
October 3, 2007
For Immediate Release Oct 1, 2007
Libertarian Party Eyes Victory in Supreme Court
Working in conjunction with the state Republicans and Democrats, Libertarian Party confident in Supreme Court win in Washington primary case
Washington D.C. – The Libertarian Party is confident that it scored a resounding victory on the first day of the Supreme Court’s new session. Working in conjunction with the Washington Republican and Democratic parties, the Washington state Libertarian Party is fighting Washington’s “top-two forward” primary system that inherently weakens state political parties and makes it virtually impossible for third party candidates to get on the ballot. “From everything we’ve heard here at headquarters, we anticipate a very favorable outcome for us in this case,” says Libertarian Party National Chairman, William Redpath.
“We’re hearing from inside the courtroom that the Libertarian Party had a very good day in court,” Redpath continued. “We’re confident the ruling will be in our favor. The implications of this case are paramount to the future of the Libertarian Party as a whole. Washington’s primary system dramatically limits the ability of a third party candidate to appear on the state’s ballot. If the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s ruling, it will ensure elections in the state of Washington, as well as the nation, are more democratic and fair for all participants.”
The current “wide-open” primary system in Washington allows voters to select any candidate for office. The top two vote getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance to fill the two spots for that office on the ballot. The state’s political parties argue that because of this system, the two candidates for governor could potentially be from the same political party. Libertarians, as well as Republicans and Democrats, claim this system weakens political parties because the government does not allow them to nominate their own candidates. Additionally, this system almost ensures a third party candidate will never make it on the ballot.
Lifetime Libertarian Party member and one of the nation’s top ballot access experts, Richard Winger, agrees with the three political parties. “It’s a must win case,” says Winger, who was present in the courtroom during the oral arguments. “Without a victory, the system would spread to other states.”
Winger says Washington’s blanket-primary system was struck down in 2000 after a Supreme Court case from California challenged the blanket primary system’s legality. Washington then developed the top-two forward primary system based on the majority opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia in that case. However, Winger says Scalia was not responding well to the state’s arguments for keeping their primary system and predicted Scalia would side with the political parties.
“The case went really well,” says Winger. “I’m absolutely convinced the parties will win.”
“The American government has historically had more interference with political parties than any other free nation in the world,” Winger continued. “In the past few of years, political parties have been fighting back. The Libertarian Party has allied three times with the two other major parties in Supreme Court cases involving party rights. The Libertarian Party has been a pioneer in bringing back freedom for political parties to run their affairs the way they want.”
The Libertarian Party worked with Republicans and Democrats for Supreme Court victories in 1999 and 2000. Today’s case marks the third time the three parties have come together since 1999.
As an example of how a primary system like Washington’s would undermine the efforts of third parties, Winger highlights the gubernatorial win by Jesse Ventura in 1998. “Jesse Ventura had less than three percent of the votes in the 1998 Minnesota primary,” says Winger. “But he went on to win governor for the Reform Party.” Winger then noted Ventura would have been prevented from being on the ballot had Minnesota adopted the same system as Washington.
“Today was a good day for all political parties across the nation,” Redpath concluded, “as it was for the American people, who want free and equal elections for all parties. We hope the Supreme Court will stand in our favor and strike this misguided primary system from existence.”
Today’s case was Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party.
The Libertarian Party is America’s third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
July 29, 2007
Let’s try instant runoff voting before we send it packing
JAMES WALTON AND KELLY HAUGHTON Published: July 29th, 2007 01:00 AM
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/othervoices/story/120984.html
Last fall we were among a clear majority of Pierce County voters who supported an amendment to the charter enacting instant runoff voting (or ranked choice voting) for most county offices.
We believe the voters’ choice should be respected. We believe in majority rule instead of spoiler-ridden elections. We believe that November elections should present us with a full field of candidates rather than one reduced in low-turnout primaries where voters must choose among candidates in only one party. We believe independent voters deserve more choices, too.
We are dismayed that some county politicians are now trying to restore the pick-a-party primary and gut ranked choice voting before it’s even been implemented. They are ignoring the overwhelming success and popularity of ranked choice voting in other areas and apparently are ready to put their political interests over the public good.
Since our vote last November, Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy convened a task force to study how best to implement the system. The task force recommended that the County Council use its authority to enact some enabling ordinances and put a clarifying charter amendment on the ballot. This was envisioned by the original charter amendment and allows for efficient implementation.
Pierce County will use exactly the same equipment and software that will also be used for the first time next year in Oakland, Calif. Implementation has not been wrinkle-free, but it’s in line with what voters wanted: a ballot with choices in November rather than the pick-a-party primary.
The stated case against moving forward is pitifully weak. Opponents are complaining loudest about a feature of almost comic insignificance: that the new software limits voters to ranking three candidates rather than all. In races with five or more candidates, they say, a voter might want to rank more than three candidates.
Our campaign was never about how many candidates could be ranked – it was about establishing a voting method that accommodates voter choice when it really matters (in November) and not eliminating most candidates in August pick-a-party primaries.
San Francisco’s limitation of three rankings has not been remotely controversial, even though one election had 22 candidates. Opponents suggest that San Francisco is having problems, but they ignore that San Francisco’s problems have nothing to do with ranked choice voting and the system has delivered everything that was promised and won overwhelming popularity in exit polls.
After San Francisco’s first citywide election with ranked choice voting in 2005, for example, San Francisco State University found that voters preferred the new system by a whopping 5-to-1 margin over their old one. That support rises to a remarkable 8 to 1 among young voters.
This is in stark contrast to the most-hated election system in Washington: the pick-a-party primary.
Perhaps one reason why our partisan officials are concerned is that the winning candidate in Burlington, Vt.’s first mayoral election using ranked choice voting was not the candidate with the most money.
Expensive negative attacks are less effective with ranked choice voting. Money will always matter in politics, but it doesn’t necessarily earn you first choice support when voters have real choices.
News Tribune columnist Peter Callaghan asks why county politicians are considering delay or repeal. “Could it be because (they) … don’t want to be subjected to a voting system they can’t control or predict? And could it be that they didn’t like it in the first place and resent that the voters don’t listen to their leaders?”
There is no legitimate reason to force a revote on ranked choice voting and make a mockery of our charter-revision process and the people’s vote. Let’s move forward on the county auditor’s plan to implement the system in 2008.
We’re confident that like other areas adopting this majority vote system, voters will like it. They deserve a chance to find out. We believe the County Council has all the tools to make it work. We believe the voters should be respected.
Former Tacoma City Manager James Walton and Kelly Haughton, a financial industry executive and advocate of instant-runoff voting, served on the Pierce County Charter Review Commission in 2006.
Quit mucking around with RCV voting
THE NEWS TRIBUNE Published: July 29th, 2007 01:00 AM
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/120975.html
The Pierce County Council should stop looking for ways to muck around with the instant runoff voting system county voters approved last fall.
The voters made it clear – not by any squeaker of a margin, either – that they want to elect most county officials by ranking their choices in one election in November.
It’s called ranked choice voting or instant runoff voting; the terms are interchangable. We’ll use RCV because county Auditor Pat McCarthy thinks it’s more descriptive of the process.
The council, incredibly, could decide Tuesday to ask voters to “tweak” the first RCV vote with as many four proposed charter amendments on this November’s ballot.
If any amendments are needed at all, just one will do.
The reason there’s even any talk of an amendment is that the auditor is worried that the only software available for tabulating RCV ballots in 2008 allows voters to rank just their top three choices. Last year’s charter amendment could be interpreted to mean voters wanted to rank all the candidates in each race.
To avoid any potential legal challenge, she asked for an amendment that would clearly specify that RCV in Pierce County means ranking the top three choices. She’d like to keep it that way in the future, too.
But the better alternative – and the only remotely justifiable one – is Councilman Tim Farrell’s proposed amendment. His would authorize top-three ranking in 2008 and thereafter require allowing voters to rank all candidates in each race – provided suitable software is available.
That’s it. That’s all the council needs to do to move ahead and honor the wishes of the voters.
McCarthy would prefer to stick with top-three ranking permanently because it’s simpler, and she wouldn’t have to buy any additional software after 2008. But the voters didn’t vote last year for an amendment that said “only your top three choices, folks.”
Councilman Dick Muri proposes delaying RCV voting until 2010, which would primarily spare all of the 2008 candidates for county executive, county council, assessor and sheriff from facing the unknowns of an RCV election.
Three council members are declared candidates for executive; auditor McCarthy is likely to declare after November’s elections. Only the politicians stand to gain from this proposal.
The worst of all is County Executive John Ladenburg’s proposed amendment, which would simply repeal RCV and restore primary voting for the applicable county races. Ladenburg complains about the expense of converting to RCV and even argues, weakly, that top-three ranking in 2008 would not legally be instant runoff voting.
The unspoken motivation for repeal is to ensure that the two major parties retain control of the primary nominating process. That is precisely what voters voted against last November.
On Tuesday, the council should do only one thing: Put Farrell’s proposed amendment on the ballot. Respect the voters.
April 3, 2006
BELLEVUE – The Libertarian Party of Washington State (LPWA) is holding its 2006 convention this Saturday and Sunday, April 8-9, in Bremerton. Unlike most partisan political events, which focus on internal business and membership issues, this weekend was planned with the public in mind.
“Our theme this year is ‘Building Tomorrow Together’,” explains LPWA Executive Director Travis Wright, “because we want to stress the importance of cooperation in achieving political change.” He adds, “We’re building a party in the sensible center to give every American more personal and economic freedom – and we’re working with like-minded people and organizations to make that happen.”
The convention will feature a broad list of speakers, including Washington Supreme Court Justices Richard Sanders and Tom Chambers who will address concerns about property rights in this state. Keynote speakers include former Libertarian Party presidential candidate David Bergland, Evergreen Freedom Foundation President Bob Williams, and television game show host David Ruprecht.
The line-up also includes policy experts from the Reason Foundation, Pacific Research Institute, Cascade Policy Institute, Washington Farm Bureau, American Association of Patients and Providers, and the CATO Institute. Presentations will cover such topics as education, environment, health care, transportation, and property rights.
“This is going to be a great event,” states LPWA Chair Ruth Bennett, “and I strongly encourage everyone to come spend a day with us.” She continues, “We have an impressive group of speakers and I think people will really enjoy the refreshing changes in our party, especially those who are tired of politics as usual.”
The convention is open to the public with single-day floor passes starting at $20. The basic floor pass allows access to all regular speakers. Passes for keynote events and meals can be purchased separately or in packages. The business session on Sunday afternoon is free to all LPWA members.
More information about the convention, including the schedule and registration, is available at www.LPWA.org/convention2006.
December 27, 2005
BELLINGHAM — Ken Schoolland, author of the libertarian classic The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible, will be speaking in Bellingham on Sunday, January 8, 2006. The event is being hosted by Bruce Guthrie, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Whatcom County.
Guthrie, a lecturer for the College of Business and Economics at Western Washington University, is encouraging everyone to attend, stating “[Dr. Schoolland] lives in Hawaii, so this is a rare opportunity to hear him speak.”
Dr. Schoolland is presently an associate professor of economics and political science at Hawaii Pacific University. Prior to that, he was the Director of the Master of Science in Japanese Business Studies program at Chaminade University of Honolulu and head of the Business and Economics Program at Hawaii Loa College.
The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey, has twice been revised and expanded in English (1995 & 2001) and has been translated into over 30 language editions abroad. It has been adopted and published by more than a dozen public policy institutions in as many countries. Some of these other language editions have gone to second, revised and expanded editions as well. Several editions are available on the internet.
More information about the author and his book can be found online at www.jonathangullible.com. Details about the speaking event can be found on the LPWA Events Calendar.
December 13, 2005
BELLEVUE — Raymond William Bradford passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2005 at the age of 58. He was the founder of Liberty magazine and a founding co-editor and publisher of The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies. He died at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, surrounded by family and friends, after many months of battling cancer.
Mr. Bradford is survived by his wife Kathleen, sister Tacy Tolosa, brother James, and sister Barbara.
“I have known Bill and Kathy since 1981 when he was a speaker at the National Convention in Denver,” states LPWA Chair Ruth Bennett. She continues, “I have been a guest in their home and Bill credited me with being the first subscriber to Liberty. I am greatly saddened by his death.”
Stephen Cox, the new senior editor of Liberty, has announced that “an upcoming issue [of Liberty magazine] will feature a commemoration of Bill’s life. His work will continue.”
Although Bill Bradford was often controversial, he will be remembered for his dedication, his contribution to the libertarian movement, and his undeniable zest for life.
November 25, 2005
SEATTLE — On Tuesday, November 29, former Seattle Chief of Police Norm Stamper will be speaking at the University of Washington about the controversial USA PATRIOT Act. Entitled Caught in the (Patriot) Act, the event will feature a variety of speakers from the Seattle area discussing their personal and professional familiarity with the Act.
The USA PATRIOT Act, commonly called the Patriot Act, contains provisions that many Americans feel undermine their Constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure. These provisions authorize law enforcement agents to enter private property, run telephone wiretaps, search library records, and access private customer databases without a warrant.
Mr. Stamper will bring his considerable law enforcement experience to bear on this issue when he addresses the UW audience on the pros and cons of the USA PATRIOT Act. Stamper has recently gained national attention with his book Breaking Rank, in which he challenges the Patriot Act, the War on Drugs, and other federal policies.
According to Don Rasmussen, President of Libertarians at the UW, the purpose of this event is to provide the UW community with a balanced presentation about the dangers of the Patriot Act. “Libertarians believe the Act is unconstitutional and poses a severe threat to our liberty,” explains Rasmussen, “After we present the facts to the audience, I’m confident that they’ll come to the same conclusion.”
Caught in the (PATRIOT) Act is sponsored by the Libertarians at the UW. The Muslim Student Association, the UW chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, and Young Democrats at the UW are co-sponsoring the event and providing additional speakers. The College Republicans will present a speaker in support of the Act.
The event will be held Tuesday, November 29 at 6 pm in the Husky Union Building Auditorium. It is free for UW students and staff, while tickets for the general public cost $2 and will be sold at the door starting at 5:30 pm. Directions to the Husky Union Building are available online.
October 20, 2005
SEATTLE — On Wednesday, October 19, the Libertarians at the University of Washington (LUW) hosted a bake sale in front of the Husky Union Building to benefit earthquake victims in Pakistan. In about five hours the group raised over $450 which will be donated to Pakistan Relief, an organization that provides direct aid in the effected region.
Pakistan Relief is one of many organizations working to help victims of the 7.6 earthquake that hit Pakistan earlier this month. With nearly 80,000 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced, there is a desperate need for food, clothing, medicine, and shelter. To date, however, international aid has been lackluster when compared with the response to the Indonesian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. It was this lack of support that prompted LUW to hold the bake sale.
“Several of our members expressed frustration with the lack of public attention given to the Pakistan disaster,” explains LUW President Don Rasmussen, “so we decided to raise awareness and money by holding the bake sale.”
The group also plans to help the Pakistan Association of Greater Seattle with an upcoming Tent Drive to raise money for temporary shelter for the thousands of people left homeless by the earthquake. When asked why a political organization was raising money for Pakistani earthquake victims, LUW founder Travis Wright responded simply, “Because somebody has to.” Wright added, “We all have an obligation to help people in need and we can’t just pass that off to the government or expect someone else to do the work.”
That basic premise is behind an ongoing charitable effort that LUW calls People Helping People. “LUW is primarily a Libertarian political group,” states Rasmussen, “but some issues should not be about politics. Some issues are just about people, and this project reflects that attitude.”
LUW is a registered student organization affiliated with the Libertarian Party. More information about the group is available online at www.uwlibertarians.org. For more information about earthquake relief efforts or to contribute online, visit www.pakistanrelief.org or www.pakistanseattle.com.
—
Next Page »
