Libertarian Party of Maryland
ChairpersonKyle O'Donnell
Senate leaderNone
House leaderNone
Founded1971
IdeologyLibertarianism
National affiliationLibertarian Party (United States)
Colorsa shade of Blue; Yellow
Website
LPMaryland.org

The Libertarian Party of Maryland is the Maryland affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Kyle O'Donnell. The party, also known as "LPMaryland," or "LPMD" is Maryland's third-largest political party, with 17,364 registered voters across the state as of August 31, 2022. [1] According to its website, the party "speaks to the proper relationship between the state and the individual; it does not speak to what individuals ought to do morally. The state exists to protect it's [sic] residents and their property from those that would harm."[2] LPMaryland also forms coalitions with other civic organizations who share at least some common ground with libertarians, including groups that concern themselves primarily with civil liberties, world peace, fiscal restraint, and government reform. The official views of the party on state-level policy issues are set forth in the Libertarian Party of Maryland Platform.[3]

Governance

The Libertarian Party of Maryland is governed primarily by its Constitution and Bylaws. The Constitution and By-laws entrust all party decision-making to the State Central Committee. Currently, any Maryland resident who is an official party member may become a voting member of the Central Committee as long as they are registered Libertarian and certifies that they agree with the principle that no person (or group of persons) has the right to seek to attain values by initiating the use of force or fraud against any other person (or group of persons).[4] This is one version of the "non-aggression principle," a fundamental principle of liberty and limited government.

Operational management of the party is entrusted to an executive board of the State Central Committee. The board is composed of a chair, vice-chair, treasurer, and secretary, as well as three at-large members. The current membership of the executive board (elected to serve through the 2024 Convention) is as follows:

Chair: Kyle O'Donnell
Vice-Chair: Alex Schlegel
Treasurer: Travis Lerol
Secretary: Anastasia Pyzik
At-Large Members: David Dull, Scott Gearhart, Brian Kunkoski

The Libertarian Party of Maryland is one of three political parties that are recognized by the Maryland State Board of Elections.[5] Its ability to continue nominating candidates for office without qualifying each candidate separately ("ballot access" for short) depends on its ability to demonstrate sufficient popular support for the party every four years by obtaining 1% of the vote in the gubernatorial elections, maintaining 1% of registered voters, or by obtaining 10,000 valid petition signatures. [6]

2022 Libertarian Candidates

Governor | Lt. Governor: David Lashar and Christiana Logansmith [7][8]

Wicomico County Executive: Muir Boda [9][10]

Maryland Senate | District 31: Brian Kunkoski [11]

Maryland Senate | District 43: Bob Gemmill [12]

U.S. Congress | 1st District: Daniel Thibeault [12]

U.S. Congress | 8th District: Kevin Andrés Garcia [13]

House of Delegates | District 1A: Monique M. Mehring [14]

House of Delegates | District 31: Travis Lerol[15] [16]

Anne Arundel County Council | District 2: Dave Sgambellone [17][18]

Baltimore County Council | District 7: Doug Stanley [19][20]

Harford County Council | District F: Matthew Whitlock [12]

Electoral history

James Cook is a Libertarian elected to Rock Hall City Council in 2021. [21]

Muir Boda is a Libertarian elected to the Salisbury City Council in 2015. [22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Maryland State Board of Elections Voter Registration Activity Report" (PDF). Voter Registration Statistics. Retrieved 10 Oct 2022.
  2. ↑ "Our Philosophy | The Libertarian Party of Maryland". 14 January 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "Platform | The Libertarian Party of Maryland". 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  4. ↑ "Governance". Libertarian Party of Maryland. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Voter Registration". Maryland Board of Elections. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Ballot access requirements for political parties in Maryland". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  7. ↑ Fitzgerald, Tom (2022-10-04). "Meet Maryland's Libertarian nominee for governor David Lashar". FOX 5 DC. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  8. ↑ "Lashar for Governor | Liberty, justice, and prosperity for all Marylanders". Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  9. ↑ "Candidates' differences revealed in Wicomico Executive forum". Bay to Bay News. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  10. ↑ "Muir Boda for Wicomico County Executive". Muir Boda for Wicomico County Executive. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  11. ↑ "Kunkoski for Maryland Senate". kunkoski4senate.com. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  12. 1 2 3 "2022 Candidate Listing". Maryland Board of Elections. 10 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Andrés for Congress". Andrés for Congress. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  14. ↑ "Monique Mehring Libertarian Candidate for State Delegate". Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  15. ↑ "Libertarian Travis Lerol running for District 31B seat in Maryland House of Delegates". Capital Gazette. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  16. ↑ "Travis Lerol for MD State House". www.travislerol.com. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  17. ↑ "2022 Voter Guide: David Sgambellone, candidate for Anne Arundel County Council District 2". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  18. ↑ "Sgambellone For County Council". Home. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  19. ↑ Terzi, Ben (10 October 2022). "Democrat Holliday and Libertarian Stanley discuss District 7 problems at local forum". The Dundalk Eagle.
  20. ↑ "Vote Doug Stanley | Libertarian Candidate for Baltimore County Council District 7". Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  21. ↑ "James Cook | Rock Hall Maryland". www.rockhallmd.com. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  22. ↑ "City Council". City of Salisbury MD. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
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