Libertarian Party of New York

Libertarian Party of New York
General Information
Chartered:	April 1, 1973
Region:	8
Officers
Chair:	Jim Rosenbeck
Vice-Chair:	Brian Waddell Shawn Hannon
Secretary:	Blay Tarnoff
Treasurer:	Michael Dowden
Contact
Phone:	(866) 336-3120
Address:	P.O. Box 98 Hamlin, NY 14464
Website:	Website
Social Media
Facebook:	Facebook

The Libertarian Party of New York was one of the first Libertarian parties to organize and run candidates in the US. It was originally named the "Free Libertarian Party" to prevent confusion with New York's Liberal Party. Its first state chair was Ed Clark.

You can now register to vote as a member of the Libertarian Party in New York. About enrolling as a Libertarian in NY

To find out about local meetings near you in NY, please see the LPNY Chapter Meetings page

The Libertarian Party holds an annual convention, where its five officers and five At-Large board members are elected. Those 10 people, the immediate past chair (if any), plus one representative from each recognized affiliate, comprise the LPNY State Committee. The LPNY State Committee conducts business on the lpny_committee mailing list, which every LPNY member is encouraged to join (read-only for non-committee members).

History

1971—1973: Beginnings

The Libertarian Party was established in 1971 and soonafter many states started to work to form state parties. In New York, the party became known as the "Free Libertarian Libertarian." In the June—July 1972 edition of The Libertarian Forum, Murray Rothbard reported that he joined the Academic Advisory Board for the party. Founding members of the party include Edward and Alicia Clark and Jerome J. Klasman. Clark served as the Temporary State Chairman as early as April 1972, when Guy Riggs was running for State Assembly, as one of the first Libertarian candidates in the state. Two other Libertarians ran as candidates in 1972: Walter Block for State Assembly and Gary Greenberg for U.S. House.

In late October, Riggs suspended his campaign after he received only 900 out of the required 1,500 petition signatures to get on the ballot. It was reported that his campaign received nationwide attention including a network radio commentary. Riggs' campaign committee went on to form the Mid Hudson Libertarian Club. The first meeting of the Mid Hudson Libertarian Club was held in late September 1972. By this time, Jerome J. Klasman was Temporary State Chair and was guest speaker to the club's first meeting. From this club, Sanford Cohen announced in candidacy for U.S. House for the 25th congressional district in January 1973. The club continued to hold regular meetings throughout the early-to-mid 1970s.

1973: Founding Convention

The Free Libertarian Party held its founding convention on the weekend of March 29—April 1, 1973 at the Williams Club in Manhattan. Rothbard gives an account of the convention in the April 1973 edition of The Libertarian Forum. The following is an excerpt describing his observations of the people, reporting that there were about 95 in attendance:

"To end the suspense, dear reader. I entered the Williams Club a hopeful skeptic and emerged, exhausted but enthusiastic, forty-eight hours later a celebrant. To my joyful surprise, here was a group of men and women almost all intelligent, dedicated, and knowledgeable about liberty. Here, despite a predictably wide spectrum of temperaments and ideologies, despite occasional emotional hassles, yes despite a twelve (or was it thirteen) hour session on amending the by-laws, here was a group of attractive and intelligent young people who almost literally exuded a spirit of warmth, love, and respect for each other and for the common cause. It was truly a sight to behold. At the risk of being maudlin, I affirm that it was indeed a privilege to be present at the creation of the Free Libertarian Party of New York.

As we shall see further below, the “instincts” of this rather large group of people (approximately 95) were remarkably sound: a blend of high libertarian principle and good common sense and mutual respect that is all too rare in or out of the Movement. And these were Real People; gone was the old predominance of hophead kids, stoned out of their minds and mumbling about “freedom”. These were young people with feet on the ground, who do things, who work in the world: scholars, engineers, television people, advertising men, civil servants. I would say that the typical FLP member is an ex-Objectivist with none of the unfortunate personality traits of the latter, who has been moving rapidly into, or on the edge of, anarcho-capitalism. But both the anarcho-capitalists and the sizable minority of limited archists (or “minarchists”, to use the happy phrase of Sam Konkin), showed a happy willingness to work together for the large spectrum of common ends.

And then, wonder of wonders to a veteran of the New York movement, there was actually a sizable number of girls at the Convention, ranging moreover from attractive to ravishing (and if this be Male Chauvinism, then make the most of it!) It was also a standing wry joke in the New York movement that the proportion of females ranged from zero to somewhere around one per cent: surely this new quantum leap is a fine omen for the growth and success of the movement. Furthermore, I had personally met no more than a dozen of the delegates before — and this in a movement whose members for a long while barely spilled over the confines of a small living room!"

The party went on to adopt a set of bylaws and then discussed adopting a party platform. The platform committee was presented with what Rothbard referred to as a "Randian archist platform" by Paul Hodgson. To offset this, the anarchists submitted a minority platform. However, neither platform gained any traction and it was decided to move forward with no state platform. The following day, April 1, 1973, state officers were elected. Andrea Millen, a TV producer, was elected Chair. Howard Rich, a candidate in Rockland County was elected Vice Chair along with Dr. Raymond Strong, leader in the Brooklyn party. Mike Nichols was elected Secretary and Jerome J. Klasman was elected Treasurer. There were also three At-Large positions, and those elected were Gary Greenberg, an attorney, Samuel Edward Konkin III, Editor of New Libertarian Notes, and Joe Castrovinci.

The following candidates were chosen to run for the 1973 local elections in New York City: Fran Youngstein for Mayor, Bill Lawry for City Council President, Tom Avery for Comptroller, Louis Sicilia for Manhatton Borough President, Paul Streitz for City Council At-Large, Ray Goldfield for City Council, and Spencer Pinney for City Council.

1973—1974

In 1973, it ran a slate of candidates in the New York City municipal elections including Fran Youngstein for mayor and Gary Greenberg for Manhattan district attorney. The LPNY has run statewide candidates regularly since 1974 when its candidate for governor was Jerome Tuccille.

"It is a measure of the state of the Free Libertarian Party of New York that our marathon annual convention (March 29-31) was scarcely enough to finish the Party business. This despite a preceding Special Convention at which we wrangled over the party logo and chose delegates to the National Convention in Dallas in June, and despite the fact that the Convention began every morning promptly at 10:00 A. M. and lasted through special caucuses and post-mortems until after the bars closed at 3:00 A. M. Yet we concluded with no resolutions on issues and no platform. these being put back to yet another mini-convention at the end of April. Three conventions in two months begins to resemble the unfortunate and frenetic Peace and Freedom Party of 1968, which reached a crescendo of almost continuous conventioneering before its rapid demise."

— The Libertarian Forum, April 1974

"Meanwhile. New York's Free Libertarian Party has had its annual spring convention. Your editor is living in California for the spring, and so was not able to attend, but from all reports the convention was almost remarkably smooth and harmonious, free of the factionalism and of the barely suppressed hysteria of the year before. In a personal triumph, the able but formerly widely attacked Gary Greenberg has been elected state chairman."

— The Libertarian Forum, April 1975

1987—present

In 1987, a new publication, Free New York, was created as a newsletter for the party.

In 1994, Howard Stern sought the Libertarian Party nomination for Governor of New York and won the nomination at the State Convention. However, he later dropped from the ticket.

The 1998 State Convention was held in Poughkeepsie, where Christopher Garvey and Donald Silberger were nominated to head the governor / lt. governor's ticket. Conti and Goodman also ran for statewide offices. Bill McMillen and Ambassador Alan Keyes are candidates for U.S. Senate, and McMillen is given the nomination. Among the noted speakers at the convention included Sharon Harris, Michael Cloud, John Cushman, Ron Crickenberger, and Muni Savynon. Jim Harris was voted as the new state chair.

In July 1998, delegates from New York attended the national convention in Washington, D.C. David Bergland served as chair and Muni Savyon as Regional Representative. In August 1998, the LPNY handed over 27,862 signatures in Albany to get the statewide candidates on the ballot.

In 2015, there began a rapid growth of forming new county chapters.

In May 2017, the LPNY adopted a Divisional Structure, which divided the committees into five categories.

Leadership

• Mark E. Glogowski, Chair (elected April 2015)
• Jim Rosenbeck, Vice Chair (elected April 2015)
• Brian Waddell, Vice Chair (elected April 30, 2016)
• Blay Tarnoff, Secretary (elected April 30, 2011)
• Michael Dowden, Treasurer (elected April 30, 2016)
• Mark Potwora, At-Large Committee Member (elected April 30, 2016)
• Michael McDermott, At-Large Committee Member (elected April 30, 2016)
• Aaron Commey, At-Large Committee Member (elected April 30, 2016)
• Shawn Hannon, At-Large Committee Member (elected April 29, 2017)
• Tony D'Orazio, At-Large Committee Member (elected April 29, 2017)

Appointed positions

• M Carling, Parliamentarian (appointed June 24, 2010)
• Mark Glogowski, Administrative Director (appointed May 7, 2017)
• Andrew Martin Kolstee, Communications Director (appointed May 7, 2017)
• Rich Purtell, Political Director (appointed January 7, 2018)
• Mitchell Langbert, Finance Director (since February 11, 2018)
• Shawn Hannon, Outreach Director (appointed July 2, 2017)

Committees

Administrative Division

• IT Committee (December 4, 2016)

• Christopher Edes, Chair (December 4, 2016—June 4, 2017)
• Michael Dowden, Chair (June 4, 2017—present)

• Strategic Planning Committee (February 12, 2017)

• Andrew Martin Kolstee, Chair (February 12, 2017—present)

• Historical Committee (June 4, 2017)

• Andrew Martin Kolstee, Co-Chair (June 4, 2017—present)
• Jim Rosenbeck, Co-Chair (June 4, 2017—present)

Political Division

• Ballot Access & Petitioning Committee
• Candidate Recruitment Committee
• Candidate Support Committee

Communications Division

• Communications Committee (December 4, 2016)

• Andrew Martin Kolstee, Chair (December 4, 2016—present)

Outreach Division

• Chapter Development Committee (April 25, 2015)

• Phil Ricci, Chair (April 25, 2015—August 2015)
• Jim Rosenbeck, Chair (August 2015—present)

• Youth Outreach Committee (June 4, 2017)

• Shawn Hannon, Chair (June 4, 2017—July 2, 2017)
• Nate Dinet, Chair (July 2, 2017—present)

Finance Division

• Budget Committee (February 12, 2017)

• Jim Harris, Chair (February 12, 2017—May 7, 2017)
• Gregg Fort, Chair (May 7, 2017—September 24, 2017)
• Vacant (September 24, 2017—October 1, 2017)
• Jim Harris, Chair (October 1, 2017—present)

• Fundraising Committee (February 12, 2017)

• Gregg Fort, Chair (February 12, 2017—September 24, 2017)
• Vacant (September 24, 2017—October 1, 2017)
• Jim Harris, Chair (October 1, 2017—present)

Former appointed positions and committees

Main: Leadership of the Libertarian Party of New York

See also: Libertarian Party of New York State Committee

See also: List of Chairs of the Libertarian Party of New York

Conventions

Main: List of Libertarian Party of New York State Conventions

Elections

See: Libertarian Party of New York Historical Election Results

Size and Influence

Year	Minimum Unique Voters	Registered Voters (Oct/Nov)	Signature Members (Dec)	LNC Total Donors 2004 - 2016 Or Active Members 1972 - 2003 (Dec)
2017			5,180	680
2016	176,598	7,128	5,468	902
2015			5,011	517
2014	26,583	5,376	4,913	561
2013			4,808	626
2012	47,256	3,874	4,676	674
2011			4,473	640
2010	48,359	2,680	4,359	681
2009			4,241	682
2008	19,596	1,545	4,019	705
2007			(Nov) 3,775	(Nov) 570
2006	40,472	1,061	3,682	480
2005			3,410	635
2004	19,073	362		(Aug) 770
2003				647
2002	23,213			780
2001				966
2000	7,649			1,103
1999				1,093
1998	19,864			1,041
1997				932
1996	12,220			850
1995				564
1994	19,202			417
1993				403
1992	108,530			493
1991				376
1990	24,611			432
1989				384
1988	12,109			332
1987
1986	988
1985
1984	11,949
1983
1982	24,925
1981
1980	52,648
1979
1978	18,990
1977
1976	12,197
1975
1974	14,779
1973
1972	6

Local chapters

The Libertarian Party of New York contains 18 local chapters.

Chapter	Chartered	Notes
Brooklyn Libertarian Party	May 17, 2009	Previous: October 16, 1999—June 23, 2001
Capital Region Libertarian Party	Before 1999
Chautauqua County Libertarian Party	October 4, 2015
Erie County Libertarian Party	September 13, 2015
Genesee County Libertarian Party	June 8, 2013
Hudson Valley Libertarian Party	Before 1999
Livingston County Libertarian Party	April 3, 2016
Manhattan Libertarian Party	August 31, 2000
Monroe County Libertarian Party	April 1, 2007	Previous: April 29, 2000—May 7, 2006
Nassau County Libertarian Party	Before 1999
Onondaga County Libertarian Party	April 30, 2016
Otsego County Libertarian Party	October 16, 2016
Libertarian Party of Queens County	April 2, 2017	Previous: ?—November 3, 2006
Staten Island Libertarian Party	April 4, 2010
Suffolk County Libertarian Party	Before 1999
Tioga County Libertarian Party	May 9, 2017
Warren County Libertarian Party	2016
Westchester County Libertarian Party	February 12, 2017

Former

• Broome County Libertarian Party (c 1980—fl. 1985)
• Brooklyn Borough Libertarian Party (fl. 1973)
• Brooklyn-Queens Libertarian Party (February 4, 2007—?)
• Central New York Libertarian Party (November 20, 1999—?)
• Chemung County Libertarian Party (fl. 1989)
• Clinton County Libertarian Party (fl. 2005)
• Cortland County Libertarian Party (fl. 1982)
• Erie-Niagara Libertarian Party (December 2, 1999—?)
• Genesee Region Libertarian Party (fl. 1982—1994)
• Ithaca Libertarians (February 18, 2005—November 9, 2014)
• Mid Hudson Libertarian Club (established in September 1972; 1974)
• Monroe County Libertarian Party (fl. 2000)
• Niagara County Libertarian Party (September 13, 2015—June 4, 2017)
• North County Libertarians (fl. 2005)
• Queens County Libertarian Party (founded in 1994, later decharted and merged with Brooklyn; decharted and reformed, decharted again in 2016)
• Rochester Libertarian Party (fl. 1984)
• Saratoga Libertarian Party (December 7, 2014—2016)
• Southern Tier Libertarian Party (chartered June 23, 2001)
• Tompkins County Libertarian Party (fl. 1992–1994)
• Westchester-Putnam Libertarian Party (fl. 1981—1986)

External Links

• Official Libertarian Party of New York website