Former elected officials
- Jeff Hewitt – District 5 Riverside County Supervisor board member (2019–2023) [26] and former Calimesa city councilmember and Mayor [27]
- Art Olivier – Bellflower city councilor and mayor (1994–1997; 1998–1999)
Libertarian Party of California | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | LPCA |
| Chairman | Adrian Malagon |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Headquarters | 428 J Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95814 [1] |
| Membership (Feb 2024) | 240,618 [2] |
| Ideology | Libertarianism [3] Non-interventionism [4] Fiscal conservatism [5] Economic liberalism [5] Cultural liberalism [5] Laissez-faire [5] |
| Senate | 0 / 40 |
| House of Representatives | 0 / 80 |
| U.S. Senate | 0 / 2 |
| U.S. House of Representatives | 0 / 52 |
| Statewide Executive Offices 1 | 0 / 8 |
| Elected officials | 14 (2016 Est.) [6] |
| Website | |
| ca | |
1 California Department of Education is a nonpartisan state executive position. | |
The Libertarian Party of California (LPC) is the California affiliate of the national Libertarian Party (LP). The party chairman is Adrian Malagon, and is based in Sacramento, California, in Sacramento County. [7] As of 2016 Libertarians represent approximately 0.7% of the state's registered voters. [8]
In 1972 the party considered suing county clerks in Placer and Butte counties for refusing to allow voters to register as Libertarians. [9] In 1978 Ed Clark, who had been the affiliate's chairman from 1973 to 1974 and later the national presidential candidate in 1980, ran as an independent for governor of California to gain party recognition and received over five percent. [10] However, the Secretary of State ruled that the two percent requirement was for retaining party recognition and not gaining party recognition and that since Clark had run as an independent and not a Libertarian it would not count either way. [11] The party filed a lawsuit against the decision, but it was first dismissed then ruled against on appeal. The Libertarian Party of California has hosted the Libertarian National Convention in 1977, 1979, 1980, and in 2000.
Since January 2001, California has had a "modified" closed primary system in which political parties can determine whether or not to allow voters who are not affiliated with any party (i.e. "independent") to participate in the party's primary. The passage of Proposition 14 limited this "modified" closed primary system to primaries for President of the United States, starting with the 2012 primaries. Since the adoption of the "modified" closed primary system, the California Libertarian Party has only started allowing "independent" voters to vote in Libertarian primaries beginning with the 2016 Libertarian Party presidential primaries. [12]
All current Libertarian Party elected officials are in "nonpartisan" elected offices, meaning that the candidates' partisan affiliation is not listed on the ballot.
| Year | Presidential nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | John Hospers (write-in) | 980 (0.1%) |  |
| 1976 | Roger MacBride | 56,388 (0.7%) |  0.7% |
| 1980 | Ed Clark | 148,434 (1.7%) | 1.0% |
| 1984 | David Bergland | 49,951 (0.5%) |  1.2% |
| 1988 | Ron Paul | 70,105 (0.7%) | 0.2% |
| 1992 | Andre Marrou | 48,139 (0.4%) | 0.3% |
| 1996 | Harry Browne | 73,600 (0.7%) | 0.3% |
| 2000 | Harry Browne | 45,520 (0.4%) | 0.3% |
| 2004 | Michael Badnarik | 50,165 (0.4%) | 0.0% |
| 2008 | Bob Barr | 67,582 (0.5%) | 0.1% |
| 2012 | Gary Johnson | 143,221 (1.1%) | 0.6% |
| 2016 | Gary Johnson | 478,500 (3.4%) | 2.3% |
| 2020 | Jo Jorgensen | 187,895 (1.1%) | 2.3% |
| Year | Senate nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Joseph Fuhrig | 107,720 (1.4%) | |
| 1988 | Jack Dean | 79,997 (0.8%) | 0.6% |
| 1992 | Richard Benjamin Boddie | 247,799 (2.3%) | 1.5% |
| 1994 | Richard Benjamin Boddie | 179,100 (2.1%) | 0.2% |
| 2000 | Gail Lightfoot | 187,718 (1.8%) | 0.3% |
| 2006 | Michael S. Metti | 133,851 (1.6%) | 0.2% |
| 2012 | Gail Lightfoot | 101,648 (2.1%) | 0.5% |
| 2018 | Derrick Michael Reid | 59,999 (0.9%) | 1.2% |
| Year | Senate nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | David Bergland | 202,481 (2.4%) | |
| 1986 | Breck McKinley | 66,261 (0.9%) | 1.5% |
| 1992 | June R. Genis | 235,919 (2.2%) | 1.3% |
| 1998 | Ted Brown | 93,926 (1.1%) | 1.1% |
| 2004 | Jim Gray | 216,522 (1.8%) | 0.7% |
| 2010 | Gail Lightfoot | 175,235 (1.8%) | 0.1% |
| 2016 | Gail Lightfoot Mark Matthew Herd | 141,105 (1.9%) [lower-alpha 1] | 0.1% |
| Year | Gubernatorial nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Ed Clark [lower-alpha 2] | 377,960 (5.5%) | 0.6% |
| 1982 | Dan P. Dougherty | 81,076 (1.0%) | 4.4% |
| 1986 | Joseph Fuhrig | 52,628 (0.7%) | 0.3% |
| 1990 | Dennis Thompson | 145,628 (1.9%) | 1.2% |
| 1994 | Richard Rider | 149,281 (1.7%) | 0.2% |
| 1998 | Steve Kubby | 73,845 (0.9%) | 0.8% |
| 2002 | Gary David Copeland | 161,203 (2.2%) | 1.3% |
| 2003 | Ned Roscoe Ken Hamidi John Hickey | 5,887 (0.1%) [lower-alpha 1] | 2.1% |
| 2006 | Art Olivier | 114,329 (1.3%) | 1.3% |
| 2010 | Dale Ogden | 150,898 (1.5%) | 0.2% |
| 2014 | None | None | 1.5% |
| 2018 | Zoltan Istvan Nickolas Wildstar | 26,028 (0.4%) [lower-alpha 1] | 0.4% |
| 2021 | Jeff Hewitt | 50,028 (0.7%) | 0.3% |
| Year | Lieutenant nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Bob New | 180,896 (2.1%) | |
| 1998 | Thomas Tryon | 109,888 (1.4%) | 0.8% |
| 2002 | Pat Wright | 104,920 (1.4%) | 0.1% |
| 2006 | Lynnette Shaw | 142,851 (1.7%) | 0.2% |
| 2010 | Pamela Brown | 574,640 (5.9%) | 4.2% |
| 2014 | None | None | 5.9% |
| 2018 | Tim Ferreira | 99,949 (1.5%) | 1.5% |
| Year | Attorney General nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Richard N. Burns | 274,335 (3.3%) | |
| 1998 | Joseph S. Farina | 149,430 (1.9%) | 1.5% |
| 2002 | Ed Kuwatch | 127,152 (1.8%) | 0.1% |
| 2006 | Kenneth Weissman | 177,469 (2.1%) | 0.3% |
| 2010 | Timothy J. Hannan | 246,583 (2.6%) | 0.5% |
| 2014 | Jonathan Jaech | 99,056 (2.4%) | 0.1% |
| 2018 | None | None | 2.4% |
| Year | Secretary of State nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Peggy Christensen | 248,748 (3.0%) | |
| 1998 | Gail Lightfoot | 216,853 (2.7%) | 0.3% |
| 2002 | Gail Lightfoot | 204,527 (2.8%) | 0.1% |
| 2006 | Gail Lightfoot | 171,393 (2.0%) | 0.8% |
| 2010 | Christina Tobin | 157,974 (2.2%) | 0.2% |
| 2014 | None | None | 2.2% |
| 2018 | Gail Lightfoot | 155,879 (2.4%) | 2.4% |
| Year | State Treasurer nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | John Petersen | 335,452 (4.1%) | |
| 1998 | John Petersen | 183,436 (2.3%) | 1.8% |
| 2002 | Marian Smithson | 168,401 (2.3%) | 0.0% |
| 2006 | Marian Smithson | 334,056 (4.%) | 1.7% |
| 2010 | Edward Teyssier | 217,818 (2.3%) | 1.7% |
| 2014 | None | None | 2.3% |
| 2018 | None | None | |
| Year | State Controller nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Cullene Marie Lang | 128,378 (1.6%) | |
| 1998 | Pamela Pescosolido | 147,397 (1.8%) | 0.3% |
| 2002 | None | None | 1.8% |
| 2006 | Donna Tello | 188,934 (2.7%) | 2.7% |
| 2010 | Andrew Favor | 291,657 (3.0%) | 0.77% |
| 2014 | None | None | 3.0% |
| 2018 | None | None | |
| Year | Insurance Commissioner nominee | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Ted Brown | 346,007 (4.2%) | |
| 1998 | Dale Ogden | 169,922 (2.1%) | 2.1% |
| 2002 | Dale Ogden | 236,688 (3.3%) | 1.2% |
| 2006 | Dale Ogden | 305,772 (3.7%) | 0.4% |
| 2010 | Richard Bronstein | 362,037 (4.0%) | 0.3% |
| 2014 | None | None | 4.0% |
| 2018 | None | None | |
| Year | Number of candidates | Votes | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 46 | 343,366 (3.3%) | |
| 1994 | 35 | 166,510 (2.1%) | 1.2% |
| 1996 | 26 | 142,577 (1.5%) | 0.5% |
| 1998 | 38 | 144,427 (1.9%) | 0.3% |
| 2000 | 52 | 316,668 (2.8%) | 1.0% |
| 2002 | 36 | 162,472 (2.4%) | 0.48% |
| 2004 | 34 | 324,414 (2.9%) | 0.3% |
| 2006 | 21 | 122,036 (1.5%) | 1.3% |
| 2008 | 15 | 171,324 (1.4%) | 0.1% |
| 2010 | 18 | 115,714 (1.2%) | 0.2% |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 1.2% |
| 2014 | 1 | 30,735 (0.4%) | 0.4% |
| 2016 | 4 | 130,798 (1.0%) | 0.6% |
| 2018 | 5 | 145,514 (1.2%) | 0.2% |
Libertarian voter registration in the state of California has experienced significant growth. [28]
| Year | Registered voters | Voter gain or loss from previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 204,345 | 8,237 |
| 2020 | 196,108 | 42,760 |
| 2019 | 153,348 | 11,980 |
| 2018 | 141,368 | 93 |
| 2017 | 141,461 | 1,656 |
| 2016 | 139,805 | 17,929 |
| 2015 | 121,876 | 1,072 |
| 2014 | 120,804 | 11,168 |
| 2013 | 109,636 | 900 |
| 2012 | 108,736 | 16,490 |
| 2011 | 92,246 | 1,135 |
| 2010 | 91,111 | 7,748 |
| 2009 | 83,363 | 211 |
| 2008 | 83,574 | 154 |
| 2007 | 83,420 | 45 |
| 2006 | 83,465 | 503 |
| 2005 | 83,968 | 5,649 |
| 2004 | 89,617 | 77 |
| 2003 | 89,540 | 955 |
| 2002 | 90,495 | 2,865 |
| 2001 | 93,360 | 1,540 |
| 2000 | 94,900 | 12,561 |
| 1999 | 82,339 | |
The Libertarian Party of California is a "political party that has detailed statutory provisions applicable to its operation", which are in division 7, part 3 of the California Elections Code. [29] [30] The Libertarian State Central Committee, the governing body of the Libertarian Party of California, functions pursuant to its standing rules and bylaws. [31] The regular officers of the Central Committee are the chairman, two regional vice chairmen, secretary, and treasurer.
There are semi-autonomous county central committees for many of California's 58 counties. The counties which currently have active affiliates are as follows:
The Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) is a left-wing political party with ballot status in California. Its first candidates appeared on the 1966 New York ballot. The Peace and Freedom Party of California was organized in early 1967, gathering over 103,000 registrants which qualified its ballot status in January 1968 under the California Secretary of State Report of Registration.
A write-in candidate is a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot but seeks election by asking voters to cast a vote for the candidate by physically writing in the person's name on the ballot. Depending on electoral law it may be possible to win an election by winning a sufficient number of such write-in votes, which count equally as if the person were formally listed on the ballot.
The 2006 California gubernatorial election occurred on November 7, 2006. The primary elections took place on June 6, 2006. The incumbent Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, won re-election for his first and only full term. His main opponent was California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, the California Democratic Party nominee. Peter Camejo was the California Green Party nominee, Janice Jordan was the Peace and Freedom Party nominee, Art Olivier was the California Libertarian Party nominee, and Edward C. Noonan was the California American Independent Party nominee.
The Libertarian Party of Colorado (LPCO) is the Colorado affiliate of the national Libertarian Party (LP).
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.
The 2008 United States presidential election in California took place on November 4, 2008, in California as part of the 2008 United States presidential election. Voters chose 55 electors, the most out of any of the 50 states, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.
The Libertarian Party of Maine (LPME) is the Maine 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.
The California state special elections, 2009 were held on May 19, 2009 throughout the state of California. The elections were authorized by the State Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as a part of a budget signed into law on February 19, 2009. Voters voted on six ballot propositions, 1A through 1F, for the open 26th State Senate district seat, and in a primary for the open 32nd congressional district seat. All of the propositions except 1F were defeated.
The Libertarian Party of Nebraska is the Nebraska affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The party is headed by chairperson Chris Childs.
The Government of San Diego County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution, California law, and the Charter of the County of San Diego. Much of the Government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments such as the Government of San Diego County. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas.
The 2018 California gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor of California, concurrently with elections for the rest of California's executive branch, as well as elections to the United States Senate and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jerry Brown was ineligible to run for re-election for a third consecutive term due to term limits from the Constitution of California. The race was between the incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and businessman John H. Cox, a Republican, who qualified for the general election after placing first and second in the June 5, 2018, primary election.
The 2016 United States presidential election in California was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. California voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. California had 55 electoral votes in the Electoral College, the most of any state.
The 2018 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent California, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
The 2018 California State Senate elections were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, with the primary election being held on June 5, 2018. Voters in the 20 even-numbered districts of the California State Senate elected their representatives. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including for governor and the California State Assembly.
The 2020 United States presidential election in California was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, as part of the 2020 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. California voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, incumbent President Donald Trump, and running mate Vice President Mike Pence against Democratic Party nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his running mate Kamala Harris, the junior senator from California. California had, in the 2020 election 55 electoral votes in the Electoral College, the most of any state. California was one of six states where Trump received more percentage of the two-party vote than he did in 2016. This election also marked the first time since 2004 that the Republican candidate won more than one million votes in Los Angeles County, due to increased turnout statewide.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in California were held on November 8, 2022, to elect representatives for the 52 seats in California. This marked the first time in the state's history where it lost a seat.
The Libertarian Party of Wyoming (LPWY) is the affiliate of the US Libertarian Party (LP) in Wyoming, headquartered in Riverton. As of 2021 it was the third-largest political party in Wyoming by voter registration, with a share of votes cast that has exceeded 5%.
Jeffrey Hewitt is an American politician who served on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors from 2019 to 2023, and as its chair from 2022 to 2023. A member of the Libertarian Party, Hewitt previously served on the Calimesa City Council and as the city's mayor.
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.
{{cite web}}: External link in |ref= California political parties | ||
|---|---|---|
| Major parties (ballot-qualified) |  | |
| Minor parties (ballot-qualified) | ||
| Minor parties (not ballot-qualified) | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
