Libertarian Party of Nevada

Last updated
Libertarian Party of Nevada
Chairperson Charles Melchin [1]
Founded1971;53 years ago (1971)
HeadquartersP.O. Box #70974 Las Vegas, Nevada 89170
Membership (2021)17,554 [2]
Ideology Libertarianism [3]

Non-interventionism [4]
Fiscal conservatism [5]
Economic liberalism [5]
Cultural liberalism [5]

Contents

Laissez-faire [5]
National affiliation Libertarian Party
Colors  Gold-yellow
Nevada Senate
0 / 21
Nevada House of Representatives
0 / 42
U.S. Senate (Nevada)
0 / 2
U.S. House of Representatives (Nevada)
0 / 4
Other elected officials0 (June 2024) [6]
Website
www.LPNevada.org

The Libertarian Party of Nevada (LPN) is the affiliate of the Libertarian Party in the state of Nevada. It is headed by State Chair Charles Melchin.

History

The Libertarian Party of Nevada is the third largest political party in the State of Nevada. It has existed since the founding of the Libertarian Party of the United States in 1971. It is considered a minor political party by the State of Nevada and has been since 1972. This status indicates that the LPN has ballot access, but no primary voting. Instead, it holds its own primary election during its State Conventions.

The Libertarian Party of Nevada has continued to grow in both influence and voter registration since its inception. This is largely due to the big-government ideologies of the Democratic and Republican parties; voters with libertarian ideologies began to look elsewhere.

Assemblyman John Moore of the 8th District switched party affiliation from the Republican Party to the Libertarian Party on January 8, 2016, giving the Libertarian Party their first Assembly seat in Nevada history. [7] Moore went on to lose his re-election bid on November 8, 2016, after the state Libertarian Party censured him for votes cast during a special session of the Nevada Legislature. [8]

Party platform

The current platform for the party was ratified in May 2015 at the convention. The platform includes a variety of topics where civil liberties have been restricted or there has been an overreach by the government. These topics include: Marriage equality, reductions in alcohol regulation (including lowering the drinking age to 18), increasing jobs through encouraging competition, lowering taxes and fees on businesses, abolishing the minimum wage, increasing competition in education, returning federal lands to the State of Nevada and the people, ending eminent domain abuse, adding Constitutional Carry to the Nevada Constitution, promoting open-borders policies, and ending the War on Drugs.

Party bylaws

The current bylaws for the Libertarian Party of Nevada were accepted in Convention in November 2013. The following constitutes a summary of those bylaws, which are presented in full on the Libertarian Party of Nevada's website. [9] [ excessive detail? ]

Preamble

People should be allowed to live as they choose so long as they do not initiate violence or engage in coercion, theft, or fraud. We adopt the Statement of Principles of the National Libertarian Party.

I. Name

The name of this organization shall be The Libertarian Party of Nevada, hereinafter referred to as LPN.

II. Object

The object of this organization shall be to elect Libertarians to public office within the state of Nevada.

III. Membership

Section 1. General Membership: Any person registered to vote as LPN shall be considered a member of the LPN.

Section 2. Dues-paying Membership: Any resident of Nevada shall be considered a dues-paying member of the LPN provided they:

  1. Already qualify as a general member under Section 1,
  2. and have donated at least sixty dollars ($60) in monetary or in-kind contributions to the LPN in the past 365 days.
IV. Convention

Section 1. The LPN shall hold a LPN State Convention (hereafter referred to as "Convention") in even-numbered years for the purpose of choosing Candidates for Public Office as well as whatever other business deemed necessary and proper. This includes, but is not limited to, amending bylaws, choosing delegates to the Libertarian Party National Convention, and filling vacancies in the executive committee. This convention shall take place before the beginning date for a minor political party to file its list of candidates with the Nevada Secretary of State's office. If the beginning date for a minor political party to file its list of candidates with the Secretary of State is prior to February 1 of the even-numbered year, then the Convention may be held up to 60 days before the first date to file even if that moves the convention to the previous year.

Section 2. The LPN shall hold a Convention in odd-numbered years anytime from January to May for the purpose of electing Executive Committee members, amending bylaws, and whatever other business deemed necessary and proper.

Section 3. A special Convention shall be held within one-hundred and twenty (120) days upon petition of one-third of the LPN members or a three-fourths vote of the executive committee. Such a petition shall state the business of the special Convention, and no other business shall be considered at such a Convention.

Section 4. All LPN members are qualified to be delegates to a LPN Convention. No Convention fee may be levied of any LPN member to participate in the business sessions of any Convention; however, fees may be required for participation in other convention events. A quorum of a Convention shall be a majority of the dues-paying members serving as delegates to the convention. The Convention Secretary shall provide the executive committee with draft convention minutes no later than ten (10) days after the conclusion of the State Convention, and the executive committee is empowered to approve Convention minutes. Only Dues-paying LPN members shall be eligible to serve as delegates to amend bylaws, choose delegates to the National Convention, and fill vacancies in the executive committee. All other business, including the selection of candidates for public office, is conducted by any LPN members serving as delegates.

Section 5. The executive committee shall publish the time, date, and location for Conventions at least sixty (60) days before the State Convention. This publication will be sufficient if it is prominently placed on the LPN's official website. The Secretary of the LPN shall mail notice to all dues-paying members at least 30 days before the convention.

Section 6. A nomination for "None of the above" (NOTA) shall be considered valid. Should NOTA receive a majority of the vote in the balloting for any office or candidacy, the names of all nominees shall be kept on the ballot but the nominations for that office shall be reopened for additional nominees and another ballot taken. In any election held at the State Convention, should NOTA receive a majority on two successive ballots, then no candidate shall be nominated for that office.

Section 7. The business session of each State Convention shall be recorded by video device and a copy of the recording shall be provided to the chair and the Secretary of the LPN along with the approved minutes from the state convention no later than thirty (30) days after the convention. In the event the proceedings of a State Convention are challenged by a LPN member, the recording of the convention and its minutes shall be provided to the Secretary and the Chair immediately - even if the minutes are in draft form.

Section 8. The LPN may nominate Candidates for Public Office by ballot of the convention during an even-numbered year.

  1. Candidates for President and Vice President shall be nominated by the National Convention of the Libertarian Party. The Secretary of the LPN will certify this nomination for the Nevada Secretary of State's office within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of the National Convention, or in accordance with Nevada Law, whichever is sooner.
  2. Candidates for United States Senator, all statewide offices, and any office for which the district lies within more than one affiliate shall be nominated at the convention.
  3. Affiliates may nominate candidates for any office where the district lies entirely within the affiliate's territory. The Secretary of an affiliate shall file a list of its nominated candidates with the Secretary of the LPN by the start of the convention.
  4. The LPN may nominate a candidate for any office that falls completely within one affiliate, unless the appropriate affiliate convention has either selected a candidate or voted NOTA for that office for that election. Only one candidate may be selected to be the nominee of the Libertarian Party for any partisan office.
  5. The Secretary of the LPN or the Secretary's representative shall file a list of the nominated candidates with the Secretary of State of Nevada, in accordance with Nevada law.
  6. Except for President and Vice President, candidates must be LPN members.

Section 9. National Convention Delegates. The LPN may nominate delegates to the Libertarian Party National Convention by majority vote of the convention during an even-numbered year.

  1. Should any vacancy arise prior to the start of the National Convention, the executive committee is empowered to select a replacement by a majority vote of the executive committee.
  2. Should a vacancy arise after the start of the National Convention, the credentialed delegates to the National Convention are empowered to select replacements by a majority vote. This vote shall be conducted by the delegate chair, who is selected by the majority of Nevada, National Convention, credentialed delegates.
V. Executive Committee

Section 1. The executive committee (EC) of the LPN is responsible for handling the affairs and business of the LPN.

Section 2. The executive committee shall consist of seven members: Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Southern Regional Representative, Northern Regional Representative, and 1 At-Large Representative.

Section 3. The executive committee members shall be elected by a majority vote of the convention and shall serve until the end of the Convention at which their successors are elected. The executive committee shall be elected at odd-numbered year Conventions. In the event of a vacancy in an executive committee position, the executive committee shall fill the vacancy by Pro-Tempore appointment (a majority vote of the EC members), until the next Convention.

Section 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws, no member who has been convicted of a felony against person or property shall be an endorsed candidate, officer, or hold any other position of leadership in either the LPN or an affiliate without the consent of two-thirds vote of the executive committee members in favor.

Section 5. The executive committee members must be dues-paying members of the LPN. No member shall hold more than one office at a time within the LPN. Members of the LPN Executive Committee shall not be restricted from serving in officer or representative positions within an Affiliate. The executive committee members shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the LPN. These duties shall include the following:

  1. The Chair shall preside at all LPN Executive Committee meetings and Conventions.
  2. The Vice Chair shall assist the chair in the performance of the Chair's duties. At meetings of the executive committee the Vice Chair shall preside in the absence of the chair, or in the case of a disciplinary hearing for any member of the LPN leadership (except when it is the vice-chair, then the Secretary shall preside).
  3. The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of party meetings and conventions, and all non- financial records of the LPN including but not limited to these bylaws and all committee reports. The Secretary shall send out membership notices of meetings and conventions. The Secretary shall also follow all duties required by Nevada State law, including filing a list of candidates for partisan public office, filing a certificate of existence at least annually (or after any change to the EC or bylaws), and certifying the nomination for president and vice-president of the United States as selected by the Libertarian Party National Convention.
  4. The Treasurer shall maintain the LPN's bank accounts, deposit all revenues, and pay all bills. A formal Treasurer's Report shall be presented annually, at the convention. The Treasurer shall maintain the LPN's financial records in accordance with all applicable laws and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
  5. The Northern Regional Representative shall represent and reside in one of the Counties of Washoe, Carson City, Storey, and Douglas. The Northern Regional Representative shall present a report of the LPN activities in the Northern part of Nevada annually at the convention.
  6. The Southern Regional Representative shall represent and reside in the County of Clark. The Southern Regional Representative shall present a report of the LPN activities in the Southern part of Nevada annually at the convention.
  7. The At-Large Representatives shall represent the entire state of Nevada.

Section 6. Meetings of the LPN Executive Committee shall be held at least quarterly, either in person or by publicly available electronic means. Additionally, the executive committee shall maintain an e-mail list or message board for conducting business in between quarterly meetings. A majority of the members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum. Executive Committee Meetings shall be open to all LPN members, except when in Executive Session. Minutes of all Executive Committee meetings shall be posted on the LPN website no later than ten (10) days after they have been approved.

Section 7. Notice of the date, time, and location of Executive Committee Meetings shall be posted on the LPN web site within twenty-four (24) hours of when Executive Committee members receive such notice.

VI. Affiliates

Section 1. Once five dues-paying members of the LPN have signed a letter indicating their willingness to serve as officers in a county affiliate, it shall be the responsibility of the LPN Executive Committee to hold an organizing convention.

Section 2. The organizing convention shall be scheduled in the county to be organized no sooner than thirty (30) days and no later than sixty (60) days after the LPN Executive Committee is presented with a letter as described in the aforementioned section.

Section 3. Timely notice of the affiliate organizing convention shall be mailed to all members of the Libertarian Party in the county at issue giving them notice of the meeting, time and place. Notice shall also be published prominently on the state party's website at least thirty (30) days before the affiliate convention.

Section 4. At the organizing convention, the members of the Libertarian Party in the county being organized shall elect officers. At the conclusion of the organizing convention, the affiliate is officially formed. The organizing convention shall be chaired by the State Chair or his/her designee approved by the executive committee. All LPN members who reside in the county boundaries in question and are in attendance at the organizing convention shall become voting members of the new affiliate by virtue of attending the organizing convention.

Section 5. All members of the Libertarian Party of Nevada that reside within an affiliated county shall automatically be a member of that affiliate.

Section 6. Each affiliate shall hold an Affiliate Convention every year prior to the convention. This Affiliate Convention shall be to amend the Affiliate Bylaws, nominate candidates for public office, or any other proper business. The Treasurer of the LPN and each Affiliate Treasurer shall work together to ensure Federal Election Commission (FEC) compliance.

Section 7. Each affiliate may nominate candidates for partisan public office to any office, which lies completely within its borders, subject to the provisions of Nevada law. NOTA is considered a candidate and the Convention shall not be able to nominate candidates to any office for which NOTA was nominated at an Affiliate Convention. Each Affiliate must report its list of nominated candidates to the LPN Secretary prior to the convention.

VII. Parliamentary Procedure

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the LPN in all cases to which they apply, and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws, any special rules of order the LPN may adopt, and any statutes applicable to the LPN.

VIII. Amendments

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of two-thirds of the dues-paying member delegates at any Convention.

Section 2. To be considered in convention, all bylaws' amendment proposals must be presented in writing to the LPN Secretary at least seven days before the convention. An email address which can be used for these submissions shall be posted prominently on the web site. After a bylaws proposal is submitted, the Secretary shall post it on the LPN web site within three days.

Current Libertarian office-holders and committee members

The Libertarian Party of Nevada holds none of the state's six statewide offices, and no seats in the Nevada Senate or Nevada Assembly. Libertarians hold none of the state's U.S. Senate seats and none of the state's four U.S. House of Representatives seats.

Executive Committee [1]
Nevada Libertarian National Committee Members

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party (United States)</span> American political party

The Libertarian Party (LP) is a political party in the United States that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism, and limiting the size and scope of government. The party was conceived in August 1971 at meetings in the home of David F. Nolan in Westminster, Colorado, and was officially formed on December 11, 1971, in Colorado Springs. The organizers of the party drew inspiration from the works and ideas of the prominent Austrian school economist Murray Rothbard. The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the Nixon administration, the Vietnam War, conscription, and the introduction of fiat money.

The Association of State Green Parties was an organization of state Green Parties in the United States between 1996 and 2001. In 2001, it evolved into the Green Party of the United States.

The Libertarian National Convention is held every two years by the Libertarian Party to choose members of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), and to conduct other party business. In presidential election years, the convention delegates enact a platform and nominate the Libertarian presidential and vice-presidential candidates who then face the nominees of other parties in the November general election.

Montana Democratic Party (MDP) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Montana and one of the two major political parties in the state. The party as of 2021 is chaired by Robyn Driscoll. The National Committeeman is Jorge Quintana, and the National Committeewoman is Jean Lemire Dahlman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Key Club</span> Student service-leadership organization

Key Club International, also called Key Club, is an international service organization for high school students. As a student-led organization, Key Club's goal is to encourage leadership through serving others. Key Club International is the high school branch of the Kiwanis International family, classified as a Service Leadership Program and more specifically as a Kiwanis Youth Program. Many Key Clubs are sponsored by a local Kiwanis club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Party of Oklahoma</span> Political party in the United States

The Green Party of Oklahoma is a political party in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was formed in 2002 through a gradual coalition of various state green groups and received its accreditation from the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) in May 2005. Its stated aims are a commitment to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice, and grassroots democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Republican Party</span> Political party

The Utah Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Utah. It is currently the dominant party in the state, and has been for almost all of its history. It currently holds Utah's entire congressional delegation, all statewide executive offices, and supermajorities in both state legislative chambers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Connecticut</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Connecticut is a statewide affiliate of the U.S. Libertarian Party. According to the bylaws posted on its web site, the Connecticut Libertarian Party has the basic aims of furthering individual freedom and opposing the initiation of force against individuals, among other things. It does this by engaging in political, educational, and social activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Oregon</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Oregon is a political party representing the national Libertarian Party in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is organized as a minor party for state election law, and recognized by the Oregon as a statewide nominating party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Libertarian National Convention</span> United States political event

The 2008 Libertarian National Convention was held from May 22 to May 26, 2008, at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver, Colorado. The delegates at the convention, on behalf of the U.S. Libertarian Party, nominated Bob Barr for president and Wayne Allyn Root for vice president in the 2008 presidential election. The convention was televised nationally on C-SPAN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Democratic Party</span> Political party in Arizona

The Arizona Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Arizona. Its headquarters are in Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Michigan</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Michigan is the state affiliate of the Libertarian Party of the United States (LP) for Michigan. Like the national LP, the Libertarian Party of Michigan advocates for libertarian political goals. The party gained primary ballot access status in 2016 due to the vote total of presidential nominee Gary Johnson, but lost it after 2018 gubernatorial nominee Bill Gelineau failed to reach the required threshold in the general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montana Republican Party</span> Montana affiliate of the Republican Party

The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Montana. It is headquartered in Helena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Oklahoma</span> Overview of the procedure of elections in the U.S. state of Oklahoma

Elections in the State of Oklahoma are established by the Oklahoma Constitution in Section 1 of Article 3. They are governed by the Oklahoma State Election Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Louisiana</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Louisiana(LPL) is the Louisiana affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Heide Alejandro-Smith. It is the third largest party in Louisiana and one of five officially recognized parties in the state. The LPL has two legislative accomplishments to its credit, one a friendlier ballot access law passed in 2004, and the other, a defeat of a bill which would have redefined any party under 40,000 registered voters as a "minor" party and not deserving of federal primary elections. The party is currently organizing individual parishes with their own party committees and is fielding candidates in state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of Maryland</span> Maryland State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of Maryland is the Maryland affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kyle O'Donnell. The party, also known as "LPMaryland," or "LPMD" is Maryland's third-largest political party, with 17,364 registered voters across the state as of August 31, 2022. According to its website, the party "speaks to the proper relationship between the state and the individual; it does not speak to what individuals ought to do morally. The state exists to protect it's [sic] residents and their property from those that would harm." LPMaryland also forms coalitions with other civic organizations who share at least some common ground with libertarians, including groups that concern themselves primarily with civil liberties, world peace, fiscal restraint, and government reform. The official views of the party on state-level policy issues are set forth in the Libertarian Party of Maryland Platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libertarian Party of North Carolina</span> State affiliate of the Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) is the North Carolina affiliate of the Libertarian Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Kansas</span> Political elections for public offices in Kansas

The number of elections in Kansas varies by year. Kansas has a gubernatorial election every four years. Members of the state's United States congressional delegation run for election or re-election at the times set out in the United States Constitution. Primary elections assist in choosing political parties' nominees for various positions. On a regional basis, elections also cover municipal issues. In addition, a special election can occur at any time.

The 2012 Libertarian National Convention, in which delegates of the Libertarian Party (LP) chose the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2012 general election, was held May 2–6, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino. Former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson won the presidential nomination on the first ballot. Retired California state court judge Jim Gray won the vice presidential nomination, also on the first ballot. The convention also chose to replace most of the Libertarian National Committee party officers and members-at-large.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Libertarian National Convention</span> U.S. political event

The 2024 Libertarian National Convention was a political event to select the Libertarian Party nominees for president and vice president in the 2024 election. It was held from May 24 to the early morning of May 27, 2024, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

References

  1. 1 2 "Executive Committee". Libertarian Party of Nevada. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  2. Winger, Richard. "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  3. Rothbard, Murray Newton (1978). For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto . p.  152. ISBN   9780020746904. Even more remarkably, the Libertarian party achieved this growth while consistently adhering to a new ideological creed "libertarianism" thus bringing to the American political scene for the first time in a century a party interested in principle rather than in merely gaining jobs and money at the public trough.
  4. "Libertarian Party opposes further intervention in Iraq". 18 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Ideological Third Parties and Splinter Parties". Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2017.{{cite web}}: External link in |ref= (help)
  6. "Elected Officials" . Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. "Nevada Assemblyman John Moore joins Libertarian Party". 8 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  8. "Libertarian Assemblyman John Moore of Nevada Censured by the Libertarian National Committee". 4 November 2016.
  9. "Bylaws of the Libertarian Party of Nevada". Libertarian Party of Nevada. Retrieved 2016-03-22.