Libertarian Party of Tennessee

Libertarian Party of Tennessee
ChairpersonJosiah Baker
Founded1971
IdeologyLibertarianism
National affiliationLibertarian Party (United States)
Colorsa shade of Gray; Yellow
Tennessee Senate
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Tennessee House of Representatives
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U.S. Senate (Tennessee)
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U.S. House of Representatives (Tennessee)
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Other elected officials2 (June 2024)[1]
Website
www.lptn.org

The Libertarian Party of Tennessee (LPTN) is a political party in the United States that operates in the state of Tennessee. It is a recognized affiliate of the national Libertarian Party of the United States. On September 20, 2010, the party gained the legal right to ballot access after a restrictive Tennessee law was struck down in the case Libertarian Party of Tennessee v. Goins.[2] The party's annual convention is held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[3]

History

2024

Main articles: 2024 Libertarian National Convention and 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries

Following the 2024 Libertarian National Convention and the subsequent naming of Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat to be the libertarian nominees, the Libertarian Party of Tennessee protested, stating that Oliver was too divisive within the party, and opposed to Libertarian orthodoxy, with state chairman Josiah Baker announcing that the Tennessee party would nominate an alternate ticket of Clint Russell and Josie Glabach.[4]

Ballot access

In a joint lawsuit filed on January 23, 2008, by the Libertarian, Green and Constitution Parties of Tennessee against the State of Tennessee, a 1972 state law that limited state ballot access was challenged and overturned. The law had required a petition with signatures amounting to 2.5% of the most recent gubernatorial votes be submitted to the State Board of Elections 120 days before the election in which parties wished to have their party listed on the state ballot.[5] Prior to the lawsuit, the LPTN had never applied for ballot access in Tennessee, though the Populist Party, the Reform Party, the Constitution Party and the Green Party had unsuccessfully applied.[6]

In the September 20, 2010 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge William Joseph Haynes struck down the petition deadline, the precise wording of the petition requirements and the volume of signatures required.[7]

Current leadership

  • Josiah Baker, Chair [8]
  • Chris Darnell, Vice Chair
  • Keith McQuarrie, Secretary
  • Zachary Houk, Treasurer

Elected officials

  • Joshua Beal -- Montgomery County Commissioner
  • Erika Ebel -- Smith County Commissioner
  • Cole Ebel -- Carthage City Council
  • Stephen Chambers -- Trousdale County Mayor

College Libertarian Chapters

College Libertarians of UT-Martin (University of Tennessee – Martin)[9]

Notable Tennessee Libertarians

See also

References

  1. ^ "Elected Officials". Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  2. ^ [1], "Minor Parties Win Tennessee Ballot Access Lawsuit" Ballot Access News Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  3. ^ "2013 Libertarian Party Tennessee State Convention". LPTN. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  4. ^ Evans, Jordan Willow. "Tennessee Libertarian Chair Voices Opposition to National Ticket, Will Support Alternate Ticket". Independent Political Report. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  5. ^ [2][permanent dead link‍] Plaintiff Memorandum: Libertarian Party v. Goins United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division.
  6. ^ [3][permanent dead link‍] Plaintiff Memorandum: Libertarian Party v. Goins United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division. p. 6 para 2.
  7. ^ [4][permanent dead link‍] Haynes, Judge William Ruling Order: Libertarian Party v. Goins United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
  8. ^ "State Leadership". Libertarian Party of Tennessee. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  9. ^ "State Affiliates". 21 March 2017.