Libertarian Party of Iowa

Libertarian Party of Iowa
General Information
Chartered:	April 19, 1975
Region:	Regionless
Officers
Chair:	Jules Cutler
Vice-Chair:	Jeremiah Weigert
Secretary:	Geilesha Kurfman
Treasurer:	Nathan Kleffman
Contact
Phone:	515-423-0093
Address:	PO Box 480 Des Moines, IA 50302
Website:	Website
Social Media
Facebook:	Facebook
Twitter:	Twitter

The Libertarian Party of Iowa (LPIA) is the Iowa affiliate of the Libertarian Party. In April 1975, 10 people gathered in Ames, Iowa to approve the Constitution of the Libertarian Party of Iowa and to apply for national party affiliation. In 2017, the party qualified for major party status after Gary Johnson received over 2% of the vote in the Presidential election. The party lost major party status in 2018 after not recieving enough votes to cross the 2% threashold in the Governor's race. In 2022 the Governor candidate Rick Stewart received over the 2% vote threshold and re-qualified the party for major party status.

Leadership

Chair

• Jules Cutler (2022 - current)

Vice-Chair

• Jeremiah Weigert (2024 - current)

Secretary

• Geilesha Kurfman (2024 - current)

Treasurer

• Nathan Kleffman (2022 - current)

At-Large Representative

• Chris Hanson (2024 - current)
• Jacob Stevens (2022 - current)

District Representatives

• Nicholas Gluba, District 1 (2024 - current)
• Dan Anderson, District 1 Alternate (2022 - current)
• Greg Fischer, District 2 (2024 - current)
• Fred Perryman, District 2 Alternate (2024 - current)
• AJ Fisher, District 3 (2020 - current)
• Jeni Kadel, District 3 Alternate (2024 - current)
• John Ewing, District 4 (2024 - current)
• Robert Fairchild, District 4 Alternate (2024 - current)

Past Chairs

see List of Chairs of the Libertarian Party of Iowa

Other Past Officers and State Executive Committee Members

see List of Past Officers and State Executive Committee Members

Governing Documents

Platform

• Platform Revised January 29, 2022 (info)

For historical platforms see Index of Iowa State Party Platforms

Bylaws

• Bylaws Revised January 29, 2022 (info)

For historical bylaws see Index of Iowa State Party Bylaws

Constitution

• Constitution Revised January 29, 2022 (info)

For historical constitutions see Index of Iowa State Party Constitutions

SCC Meeting Minutes

• Index of Iowa State Party Meeting Minutes

History

The Libertarian Party of Iowa was founded in April of 1975, four years after the national party, by a small group of mostly young adults dissatisfied with the direction our country was heading. Dr. Bill Bockhoven was our first Chairman. Other members included Bill's wife Doris, John Ball (our first governor's candidate), Gary Roewe, Ben Olson, his mother, Dorothy, and two others. These members promoted Libertarian ideals by speaking to small groups throughout the state and running for public office. They were active in Ed Clark's 1980 presidential campaign, helping him earn the second highest percentage vote totals for any Libertarian presidential candidate.

The party dissolved in 1985 when several of the founding members began families or moved out of state. The party also faced financial problems.

Members of the National Libertarian Party living in Iowa came together to reestablish the state party with a new charter in 1987. Previously, memberships in the national and state party were separate. A new program called the United Membership Program (UMP) allowed members to join both parties for a single fee with the proceeds being split evenly and the national party handling the record keeping and renewal functions.

Over the next 15 years, the party continued to grow in membership and won several local elections. In 1996, LPIA had approximately 80 dues-paying members. The party's first official newsletter was named “Prairie Fire”. In the 1990s the name was changed to “Libertarians in Action” (LIA) because an Iowa socialist group had also begun using the name “Prairie Fire". From the 1990s and throughout the 2010s, 500 printed copies of Libertarian's in Action were mailed out to members and interested people, quarterly and bimonthly. “LIA” is no longer published.

In 1997, www.lpia.org was launched to promote party principles and events. This web page remains the official party page. A Facebook presence began in 2006.

In 2002, Clyde Cleveland of Fairfield spent a year traveling the state, raising nearly $70,000 dollars for his campaign for Iowa Governor. He recruited members to run for nearly every statewide office and authored a book, Restoring the Heart of America. Hughie Tweedie of Montrose also ran a very active campaign for State House. Because of their efforts membership in the state party swelled to over 250 in 2004.

The national party decided to end their UMP policy in 2005. Members could no longer pay a single fee to become a member of both the state and the national parties. This confusion caused membership in the state party to fall to only 23 members in July of 2006. According to former LPIA Secretary Kevin Litten, the party had no money coming in to run its functions. The bylaws were rewritten to include voting (dues-paying) or supporting members. An effort was made to inform members of the change and recruit expired members. By the end of 2006, voting membership was back up to nearly 100. The party had to cease its 500+ newsletter mailings and the Executive Committee lost some key members after a disagreement over dues.

In 2005, with the help of the ACLU, the Libertarian Party of Iowa and the Green Party sued the Secretary of State’s office over ballot access. In 2007, the Secretary of State’s office settled the lawsuit and in 2008, Iowan’s could register as Libertarians. The state offered the Iowa LP Non-Political Party Status (NPPO) beginning in January 2008. By the end of 2008, the party had nearly 1100 voters who had switched their registration to LIB (Libertarian Party). In 2014, Secretary of State candidate Jake Porter uncovered a database error that was preventing thousands of Iowans to register as members of the Libertarian and Green parties. The issue was resolved with help from the Iowa Senate Democrats.

In 2016, Presidential candidate Gary Johnson received over 2% of the vote in the general election which gave the party major party status which allows the party to hold special conventions and primary elections. In 2017, Bryan Jack Holder became the first Libertarian to run as a major party candidate in his special election for Iowa House District 22. As of November 2017, the party had 9,517 registered Libertarians in the state. In order to maintain major party status, the party must receive at least 2% in the race for Iowa Governor in 2018. Former Secretary of State candidate Jake Porter is facing Marco Battaglia in the first Libertarian Primary for Governor.

See LPIA History By Kevin Litten

Timeline

1975

The Libertarian Party of Iowa is chartered on April 19, 1975.

1979

A chapter is formed at the University of Iowa called Hawkeye Libertarians by Randall Grant and Michael Lewis.

1985

The Libertarian Party of Iowa files dissolution paperwork with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board when party Chair Michael Lewis moved out of state.

1987

The party takes out an ad in the Cedar Rapids Gazette on March 11, 1987, and announces that it will be reorganizing with Tim Hird as the acting state chairman

1997

LPIA.org is established

LPIA.org in 1999

2004

Richard Campagna from Iowa City, Iowa wins the Libertarian nomination for Vice-President.

2005

The ACLU files a lawsuit against the Iowa Secretary of State's office to allow Iowans to register as members of the Green and Libertarian parties.

2007

The Iowa Secretary of State settles the lawsuit filed by the ACLU and allows Iowa voters to register as members of the Libertarian and Green parties.

2014

Jake Porter runs for Secretary of State and works with the Iowa Senate Democrats and the Iowa Secretary of State's office to fix a database issue at the Department of Transportation which prevented thousands of Iowans from registering as members of the Libertarian and Green parties.

Douglas Butzier was killed in a plane crash in Dubuque weeks before the election while flying back from Des Moines while campaigning for U.S. Senate.

2016

The state party achieves major party status after Gary Johnson receives over 2% of the voter for President. Major party status gives the party access to have primaries.

2017

The state party officially files for major party status in Iowa.

Libertarian Party of Iowa files for major party status in 2017.

Bryan Holder becomes the first Libertarian to run as a major party candidate in the Iowa House District 22 Special Election.

Affiliates

Iowa currently has nine county affiliates.

• Benton County Libertarian Party
• Libertarian Party of Black Hawk County
• Johnson County Libertarian Party
• Linn County Libertarian Party
• Libertarian Party of Muscatine County
• Polk County Libertarians
• Harrison County Libertarian Party
• Pottawattamie County Libertarian Party
• Libertarian Party of Scott County
• Washington County Libertarian Party

Awards

• The Golden Crock Award

Elections

See: Libertarian Party of Iowa Historical Election Results

Size and Influence

Year	Minimum Unique Voters	Minimum Percent Of Voters	Registered Voters (Oct/Nov)	Percent of Registered Voters	Signature Members (Dec)	Signature Members Per Million Population	LNC Total Donors 2004 - 2016 Or Active Members 1972 - 2003 (Dec)	LNC Donors Per Million Population	State Rank Of Total LNC Donors (Of 51)
2018	262,131	19.65%	13,018	0.65%	1,083	343	138	43.72	34
2017			9,517	0.48%	1,070	340	137	43.55	33
2016	59,186	3.74%	8,366	0.42%	1,157	369	207	66.04	29
2015					1,027	329	119	38.09	31
2014	36,945	3.23%	4,632	0.24%	1,009	325	101	32.51	32
2013					990	320	127	41.07	33
2012	12,926	0.81%	2,203	0.11%	960	312	146	47.47	31
2011					906	296	123	40.13	31
2010	33,854	2.99%	1,416	0.07%	884	290	126	41.31	31
2009					861	284	132	43.52	30
2008	4,590	0.30%	762	0.04%	834	276	131	43.42	33
2007					793	264	117	39.01	32
2006	5,735	0.54%			774	260	94	31.52	31
2005					714	241	153	51.61	30
2004	15,218	1.00%					198	67.04	31
2003							194	65.94	29
2002	49,206	4.73%					181	61.69	31
2001							267	91.06	29
2000	17,542	1.33%					219	74.77	34
1999							200	69.70	34
1998							204	71.30	33
1997							167	58.51	33
1996	3,311	0.26%					147	51.61	35
1995							85	29.92	35
1994	2,772	0.27%					62	21.91	35
1993							44	15.60	37
1992	1,076	0.08%					64	22.80	35
1991							57	20.42	35
1990							61	21.94	35
1989							64	23.10	32
1988	2,494	0.20%					53	19.14	31
1987
1986
1985
1984	1,844	0.14%
1983
1982	4,507	0.43%
1981
1980	13,123	1.00%
1979
1978	3,947	0.47%
1977
1976	1,454	0.11%
1975
1974
1973
1972

External links

• Official Libertarian Party of Iowa website

https://www.facebook.com/notes/libertarian-party-of-black-hawk-county-iowa/40th-anniversary-of-the-libertarian-party-of-iowa/437988469695801/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa/articles/2017-03-02/libertarian-party-earns-political-party-status-in-iowa

LPIA History By Kevin Litten

Moss, J. (1979, November 18). Libertarians offer alternative viewpoint. Cedar Rapids Gazette, p. 33.

AP. (1985, July 25). Libertarians hit the skids in Iowa. Fairfield Ledger, p. 1.

http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/state-settles-voter-registration-lawsuit/article_2c5c2751-dafc-5f9b-93f6-86251a80d4f6.html

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/14/politics/iowa-candidate-plane-crash/index.html

http://www.kmaland.com/news/holder-makes-another-run-for-house-district/article_3d7fb92a-5823-11e7-8f28-db00285b0160.html