Libertarian Party of NY -- Official -- 1999 Convention

Pre-convention Press Release: Libertarian Party Challenges Conventional Ideas

1999 NY State Libertarian Convention
The Year of the Local Convention

Summary of opening remarks, given by Jim Harris.
The state committe's responsibility is to become a major party in NY state, and to open up local chapters. We need to practice petitioning and running so that we are ready for 20-ought-2. As members, scattered throughout the state, it's your responsibility to

• show up when candidates speak
• OPH (what's OPH, you ask?)
• Pass out copies of the Nolan quiz, our best outreach tool. Get copies of it from any local LP member, or from the good folks at Self-Gov.org.

Summary of first speaker, Steve Dasbach, speaking on "Change"
The National Party is now on the ballot (as a major party) in 29 states. The most difficult ballot drives for 2000 will be North Carolina, West Virginia, Florida, and Oklahoma. NY's is probably next, after those.

As we get on the ballot in more states, ballot access becomes a lower and lower percentage of the national party's budget, and they can focus more on getting the word out about the candidates and party. In 1992, ballot access consumed 26% of the LP Nat'l budget, which was $1 million. In 1996, ballot access had decreased to 17% of the $2.2 million dollar budget, and in 2000, the National Committee estimates it will be less than 1% of its $4-8 million dollar budget. Libertarian Party membership has doubled in the last three years, helping to grow that budget.

Several states are starting to have paid staff at the state level: California, Washington and Indiana have paid, full-time directors, Illinois has a full-time office manager, and Florida is working on it. All of these changes are leading to a more professional party that will be more successful.

Defend Your Privacy was a recent big success by the LP. 171,000 signed the petition at the LP's site, out of the 225,000 total messages received by the FDIC.

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