Alaska Libertarian Party: Difference between revisions

Since Libertarian presidential candidates were on the ballot in 1976 Alaska has been a stronghold for Libertarians with it being their best performing state in every election until 1992 and was in the top five except in 2004 and 2008 and many of the first offices held by Libertarians are in Alaska.

==History==

The [[Alaska Libertarian Party]] was founded shortly after the national party and grew to become a stronghold for the new party in the late seventies and throughout the eighties. In 1973 [[John Hospers]] and [[Tonie Nathan]], the party's 1972 presidential and vice-presidential nominees, spoke at the party's first state convention in Fairbanks to fifty members of the party.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hospers featured speaker for Libertarian meeting|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31148439/fairbanks_daily_newsminer/|3=|access-date=2019-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501222237/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31148439/fairbanks_daily_newsminer/|archive-date=2019-05-01|dead-url=no|df=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Libertarian leader explains difference at confab here|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31148481/fairbanks_daily_newsminer/|3=|access-date=2019-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501222837/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31148481/fairbanks_daily_newsminer/|archive-date=2019-05-01|dead-url=no|df=}}</ref> During the 1980 Presidential election [[Ed Clark]] and [[Eugene McCarthy]] both appeared and spoke at their state convention.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alaska Libertarian Party 1980 convention|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2310894/alaska_libertarian_party_1980_convention/|}}</ref> Two years later the party gained the most votes for a non-write in third party candidate for governor with [[Dick Randolph]] receiving 14.91% of the vote and would maintain it until 1990. However, in 1985 Randolph left to run as a Republican in the 1986 gubernatorial election.<ref>{{cite web|title=Libertarian Leader Quits Party; Seeking GOP Nod For Governor in '86|url=https://apnews.com/d6550b0179ea3d33d2a2a1c53e80c90c|3=|access-date=2019-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410140300/https://apnews.com/d6550b0179ea3d33d2a2a1c53e80c90c|archive-date=2019-04-10|dead-url=no|df=}}</ref> Despite the success in 1982 the 1986 Alaska gubernatorial election proved to be a failure as the party leadership rejected the primary winner, [[Mary O'Brannon]], and after failing to remove her with a lawsuit due to her failing to meet the residency requirements they instead chose to launch a write-in campaign with the lieutenant governor candidate and runner up in the primary, [[Ed Hoch]], as their candidate.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alaska Libertarian Party launches write-in against Libertarian Party primary victor 1986|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2312064/alaska_libertarian_party_launches/|}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626121018/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33258687/daily_sitka_sentinel/|title=Former Libertarian in Jail Over Ads|publisher=Daily Sitka Sentinel|date=March 17, 1986|accessdate=June 26, 2019}}</ref>  O'Brannon defeated Hoch in terms of popular vote with 1,050 against his 107 write-in votes, but she had lost over 14% and 28,000 votes from Randolph's 1982 campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.alaska.gov/returns/90genr.pdf |title=1986 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Alaska |accessdate=2009-08-31 |publisher=''Alaska Division of Elections'' |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090902154442/http://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/86GENR/86genr.pdf |archivedate=2 September 2009 |deadurl=yes }}</ref> Also in 1986 [[Andre Marrou]], the only sitting Libertarian in a state legislature at the time, lost reelection to the state house.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626115815/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33258499/daily_sitka_sentinel/|title=Libertarians Lose

|publisher=Daily Sitka Sentinel|date=November 5, 1986|accessdate=June 26, 2019}}</ref>  

==Executive Committee==

;Chair

*[[Grant LaPoint|Grant C LaPoint]] (c. 1973-1974)

*[[Len Karpinski]] (1994)

*[[Jason Dowell]]

;Vice-Chair

*[[Trenton Pool]]

*[[Sara Chambers]]

;Secretary

*[[Cean Stevens]] (at least 2015-present)

*[[Len Karpinski]]

;Treasurer

*[[Chuck Green]] (2012-2014)

*[[Terrence Shanigan]] (2015)

;Fundraising Director

;Membership Director

*[[Dave Lyle]] (c. 2014)

;Other

*[[Ron Windeler]], constitution & bylaws

*[[John Wood]] platform committee (1982)

==Affiliates==

==Elections==

''See: [[Alaska Libertarian Party Historical Election Results]]''

==Size and Influence==