Diary: Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) regains party status

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org

For Immediate Release: November 10, 2008

Contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@lppa.org or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org

Harrisburg, PA - Over 170,000 Pennsylvanians voted for Libertarian Auditor General candidate Betsy Summers, thereby enabling the Libertarian Party to regain political party status in Pennsylvania.

With party status, the LPPa can participate in special elections and voter registration forms will include the LP as a pre-printed option. Unfortunately, the LP is still subject to Pennsylvania's restrictive ballot access laws. According to State Senator Mike Folmer, "No state makes it more difficult for minor party and independent candidates to run for public office than Pennsylvania."

In other state-wide races, LPPa candidate Marakay Rogers captured over 105,000 votes for Attorney General and Berlie Etzel received over 116,000 votes for State Treasurer. LP Presidential candidate Bob Barr received just over 19,000 votes in Pennsylvania but over a half million votes nationally.

Per Media Relations Chair, Doug Leard, "We are happy to have regained party status and encouraged by the election results. Pennsylvanians cast 440,502 votes for Libertarian candidates. Betsy Summers received the second highest vote total in LPPa history. Berlie Etzel received the third highest total. Nationally, Bob Barr did the best of all our presidential candidates since Ed Clark in 1980."

"We are also very optimistic about our future" continued Leard. "The big spending, big government, big bailout path of the Republican and Democratic parties present a significant opportunity for the Libertarian Party to become the standard bearer for Americans who believe in small, limited government."

In other races involving the LPPa, James Fryman received 2.2% of the vote in the 5th Congressional District and Mary Lea Lucas received 15.5% of the vote in the 21st State Senate District. In General Assembly races, David Posipanka received 11.1% in the 35th district. Michael Robertson received 2.3% in the 63rd district. Vance Mays obtained 13.2% in the 64th district and Erik Sanchez received 1.8% in the 180th district.

LPPa Chairman Michael Robertson stated "I would like to thank all of our candidates and their supporters in this past election. The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania and its candidates bring perspectives to the political discourse that others do not. We will continue to promote the fundamental American principles of individual liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government."

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Pennsylvania and the United States. More than 200,000 people across the country are registered Libertarians, and Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.