Libertarian Party of Florida

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Libertarian Party of Florida
Chairperson Char-Lez Braden
Founded 1987
Headquarters Palm Harbor, Pinellas County, Florida
Ideology Libertarianism
National affiliation Libertarian Party (United States)
Colors a shade of Blue; Gold
Website
www.lpf.org

The Libertarian Party of Florida or LPF, is the Florida state affiliate of the Libertarian Party (United States). The organization was founded January 21, 1987 by Charles T. Manhart and Patricia Thorpe[1] · Though the LPF was formed in 1971 under the name "Florida Libertarian Party," the party failed to submit registration paperwork and was forced to disband. The party re-emerged and was re-formed in 1987 under the current name "Libertarian Party of Florida."[2] The LPF's Executive Committee (EC) was incorporated in 2012.[3][4]

As of November 2015, the current EC includes Chairperson Char-Lez Braden, Vice Chairperson Vicki Kirkland, Treasurer James Morris, and Secretary Dawn Drellos-Thompson. There are three Directors At Large, including Jared Jones—Director At Large One, Matt Worley—Director At Large Two, and Omar Recuero—Director At Large Three.[5] Each of these positions are elected for two years, with the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Director At Large One, and Director At Large Three chosen by LPF delegates in the odd numbered years. During the even numbered years, the Treasurer, Secretary, and Director At Large Three are chosen my LPF delegates.[6]

There is also a total of 14 Regional Representatives positions from regions designed by the LPF from across the State of Florida sitting on the LPF EC.[7] Regional Representative are chosen annually by the delegates in each region.[8] The number of Regional Representatives was increased from 11 to 14 during the April 2013 EC meeting, just prior to the 2013 Libertarian Party of Florida Annual Convention, to ensure there would be an odd number of Executive Committee members, and significantly decreasing the chances of a tie vote.[9]

Libertarian Party of Florida meeting

Registration

Registration in the state of Florida has experienced significant growth.[10]

Year Registered Members
1994 3,585
1996 5,509
1998 7,037
2000 9,462
2002 11,852
2004 13,806
2006 15,533
2007 14,860
2008 16,883
2010 17,888
2012 19,892
2014 23,665

Libertarian Party of Florida's Platform

The Libertarian Party of Florida Political Platform, adopted on May 19, 2013, reads as follows.[11]

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE:

The Libertarian Party of Florida does not believe in or advocate the initiation of force to achieve social or political goals.

PREAMBLE:

Libertarians seek a society based on personal liberty and responsibility— a society in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives. This most desirable method of organizing society is the natural order that arises when the unalienable rights of individuals to life, liberty and property ownership are respected and protected.

People have the right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and pursue happiness in whatever manner they choose so long as they do not forcibly or fraudulently interfere with the equal rights of others. Libertarians welcome the peace, prosperity, and diversity that freedom brings.

I. STATE GOVERNMENT

1.In the absence of a declaration of war by the United States Congress, for any purpose other than natural disaster relief, we oppose any use of Florida troops by the federal government without the approval of both the Florida Legislature and Governor.

2. Individuals have the right to defend themselves and others. We oppose any law that dilutes the right of any citizen to own a firearm or other means of self defense. We support any laws that further the rights of both concealed weapon permit holders and all Citizens of Florida to openly carry arms.

3. We endorse the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reserves to our state and its people all powers not expressly delegated to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, or prohibited from the states or the people by the U.S. Constitution.

4. We support Equality under the Law, and condemn any law that either rewards or punishes any individual based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or any other group identification. Each person has the same inalienable rights. It is the States duty to protect those rights for each individual equally.

5. State government should be removed entirely from the licensing process, including occupational licensing. It has produced no better results than private licensing and amounts to another tax. For example, marriage licenses are contracts between individuals and should be left to the individuals, their attorneys and religious officials, without the need to pay the state for a stamp of approval.

6. We advocate a sunset law requiring an automatic end to most government offices, agencies, departments, laws, regulations, taxes, and expenditures within ten years if not reauthorized.

7. We oppose immunities for any public officials or employees for illegal acts or omissions. Like any citizen, they should be subject to criminal prosecution and held liable for any injuries caused by their actions.

8. Sunshine laws should apply to all public employees working in any public place. With modern technology virtually every person has the ability to record and report on the actions of our public officials and workers. There should be no laws prohibiting or limiting the electronic recording and reporting using any means of any public official, including law enforcement officers, while performing their duties.

9. The Libertarian party of Florida opposes the participation by the State of Florida in the Real ID Act or similar federal identification database mandates.

10. Privacy—Just as it is true that the only economic situation consistent with individual rights is the free market, so is it also true that life, liberty and happiness cannot prosper under continuous state surveillance. The LPF opposes the use by the state of people or technology to monitor, account for, and keep Floridians under surveillance, especially where there is no evidence of criminal behavior, and thereby restrict the normal interaction of peoples. The LPF opposes passive, yet compulsory, surveillance legislation, such as laws that require individuals and businesses to report legal activities without evidence of criminal acts. The first, second, fourth, fifth and fourteenth amendments to the Constitution are all threatened by unfettered state surveillance. The LPF supports an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect the right of privacy of all citizens, a right that is implied throughout that document, so as to so as to defend individuals from state intrusion, to limit state intervention in private lives, and allow the free exercise of liberty away from the overbearing power of government.

II. ELECTIONS

1.The only electoral duty of the State government should be providing for fair and efficient conduct of elections. Political parties, like any private voluntary group, should be free from government control and allowed to establish their own rules for nomination procedures and conventions. All taxpayer-funded subsidies to candidates for public office and political parties, including primaries and conventions, should be eliminated.

2. We support the addition of the alternative “None of the above is acceptable” to all ballots. We further propose that in the event that “None of the above is acceptable” receives a plurality of votes in any election, a new election shall be held for which none of the losing candidates shall be eligible. Other forms of voting should also be considered, such as instant runoff voting or proportional representation.

3. Campaign finance laws are unwarranted restrictions of free speech or association and should be repealed. Keeping in accordance with the tradition of all government being run in the Sunshine, we support making all political contributions public records.

III. COURTS

1.The common law authority of a trial by jury preceded our constitution and is the foundation of our legal system. If a jury of peers deems a law unjust, oppressive or inappropriately applied, it has the right and duty to acquit the defendant. We support the right of defendants to a fully informed jury, which would require judges to instruct jurors of their authority to judge not only the facts, but also the justice of the law according to their own good consciences.

2. We support restitution for victims of crimes or civil infractions at the expense of the perpetrator. The victim should have the right to pardon the perpetrator, provided the victim is not threatened or coerced.

3. Private adjudication of disputes by mutually acceptable judges or mediators should be encouraged.

4. No-fault laws should be repealed because they deprive the victim of the right to recover damages from those responsible for causing harm.

5. The right of trial by jury should be allowed in all civil or criminal cases where the value exceeds one oz of gold.

6. The use of civil asset forfeiture to enforce laws circumvents constitutional protections and should be ended.

7. Random police roadblocks and other searches without probable cause bypass constitutional protections and should be prohibited.

8. We support equal treatment and oppose sexual discrimination in any judicial proceeding adjudicating a parental right, privilege or obligation concerning his or her child.[12]

To continue reading the Libertarian Party of Florida's Political Platform, please click here.

2010 - 2012 Elections and Candidates

In 2010, the LPF had a statewide candidate on the ballot for the first time with Alexander Snitker for U.S. Senate.[13]

In the 2012 Election, Libertarian Party of Florida candidates included Calen Fretts[14] for Florida's 1st congressional district, Peter Richter,[15] Franklin Perez, and Jonathan Loesche[16] for Florida House of Representatives. The LPF also had several candidates for county and municipal races statewide.

In 2012 the Libertarian Party of Florida was sued by Franklin Perez, the 2012 Libertarian candidate for the Florida State House of Representatives (District 28), for not refunding a candidate filing fee that political parties receive after the LPF de-vetted him and removed him from the party's state website. The courts awarded Perez $620.[17][18]

2014 Elections and Candidates

In 2014, the LPF Candidates on the Election Ballot included, for the first time, a candidate for Governor—Adrian Wyllie,[19] a candidate for Attorney General—Bill Wohlsifer,[20] and a candidate for Florida's Congressional District 13—Lucas Overby.[21] Even though Adrian Wyllie was initially invited to participate in the 2014 Florida Gubernatorial Debates with Democratic Candidate Charlie Crist and Republican Candidate Rick Scott,[22] the Florida Press Association revised its inclusion criteria less than a month before the debate.[23] This decision appeared to be made by the Florida Press Association's CEO Dean Ridings, whose ties to the Crist campaign definitely amounted to a conflict of interest regarding the decision to exclude Wyllie from the Gubernatorial Debates.[24] Nevertheless, Wyllie's campaign produced record vote totals for a Gubernatorial Candidate not from the two major parties—222,660, or just under four percent of the vote.[25] Also helped by Wyllie's candidacy was Libertarian Attorney General Candidate Bill Wohlsifer, who secured 168,757 votes, or approximately three percent of the vote total.[26]

Meanwhile, Lucas Overby won five percent of the vote in the March 2014 special election.[27] Reason defended Overby's decision to run in the election, and pointed out the flaws from the mainstream media accusing him of costing Alex Sink the victory in the special election.[28] In November 2014's General Election for Florida's Congressional Seat 13, Overby received 55,318 votes, or approximately 24.7% of the vote total.[29] Finally LPF EC Member and Region 11 Representative Martin Sullivan won a seat on the Frostproof, FL city council in 2015,[30] and is one of five Libertarians currently serving in office across the State of Florida.[31] The other four Libertarians serving in a political office in the State of Florida include Bruce Reichert (Collier County, FL Soil and Water Board, Seat One), Carol Morris (Fort Myers, FL Fire District Board, Seat Three), Gary Gerstein (Fisher Island, FL Community Council), and Richard D. Paul (Lee County Mosquito Control District, Area Four).[32] Due to all of the LPF success, the National Libertarian Party has chosen to host the 2016 Libertarian Party National Convention in Orlando, FL.[33]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/statistics/elections.shtml
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ http://libertarianpoc.org/photos/alex-snitker-floridas-first-libertarian-candidate-for-us-senate-at-wftw-am-1260-23-april-2010/
  14. ↑ http://www.lp.org/candidates/liberty-candidates-12/calen-fretts
  15. ↑ http://www.lp.org/candidates/liberty-candidates-12/peter-d-richter
  16. ↑ http://www.lp.org/candidates/liberty-candidates-12/jonathan-loesche
  17. ↑ http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2013/01/24/51014482bf775
  18. ↑ http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2012/09/06/5048a1620e9b1
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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