Libertarian Party of Oregon

LPO Holds 2008 Business Convention at Portland World Trade Center

The Libertarian Party of Oregon held its 2008 annual business convention at the Portland World Trade Center building on the weekend of March 8 and 9. Among the many matters voted on at this convention were the selection of delegates to the LNC national convention, selection of Judicial Committee members, and the selection of new State Committee officers. Complete minutes of the convention will be posted, when available, to the State Committee section of this website.

LPO Launches Meetup Group

Click here to check out
The Libertarian Party of Oregon!

Meet Libertarians and get involved through our new group on Meetup.com.

In the past few years, Meetup.com has proven to be a powerful tool for organizing political activists. Nationwide, the interest level for libertarian-themed meetups has been large enough that Meetup.com has created a category for libertarian politics.

Although the LPO had previously been succesful in organizing through meetup.com, these efforts ended when meetup.com started to charge group organizers a monthly subscription fee. The LPO's new managmement has deemed meetup.com to be a good investement in building the party and has thus reactivated the group. The Portland libertarian meetup group is for anyone who wants to learn more about the Libertarian Party of Oregon or who wishes to get politically involved.

LPO comes away from 2007 legislative session with a victory
Oregon Senate

LPO plays important role in defeat of the so-called "open primary" bill.
The bill, SB 53/650, was defeated in the senate by four votes and would have limited voter choices in general elections.

In a Democratically controled legislature with a Democratic governor, working for limited government is always an uphill battle. But LPO Staff, with members of the Pacific-Green Party, can point to a victory as they helped to defeat Senate Bills 53 and 650. Click HERE to read Oregonian press coverage of the LPO's opposition. Click HERE to read Oregon Public Broadcasting's coverage.

The bills would have "reformed" Oregon's election system by creating a primary election in which anyone from any party could run as a candidate. All voters would be eligible to vote in this primary, and the two top candidates would advance to the general election. The bill failed by four votes in the senate.

Because the best funded candidates tend to be Republicans and Democrats, candidates from other parties would routinely be excluded from general election ballots. This would also hurt voters since they would have fewer choices in November and hear fewer perspectives during the campaign season. The LPO's opposition to the open primary bill was well covered in the media.

Four LPO members win bids for re-election, two lose in local races

Inessa Hamilton-Lee celebrates her victory at the Election Night victory party by writing a donation check to the LPO!

LPO members Richard Burke, Charles Radley, Inessa Hamilton-Lee and Greg Rohde all won their re-election bids in the May 15th municipal elections. It is the first time that four LPO members have been re-elected at the same time.

With 57% of the vote, Burke won a third term on the Tualatin Valley Water District Board of Commissioners - his fifth election victory. Charles Radley retained his seat on the Tigard Water Board, while Hamilton-Lee and Greg Rohde retained their Local School Committee seats in the Beaverton School District.

Radley, a central figure in a 2006 campaign to incorporate the area of Bull Mountain into a city, was re-elected to the Tigard Water Board in July. The Tigard Water Board could be used to as a platform to start another incorporation attempt and avoid annexation into the city of Tigard.

Stephen Pearson lost his bid to retain a seat on the Tualatin Valley Water District Board of Commissioners and Don McDaniel failed to retain his seat on the Port of Astoria Board of Commissioners. Pearson, who was appointed in February to fill a board vacancy, was targeted by anti-Willamette river activists and narrowly lost with 47% of the vote. McDaniel, who was targeted by opponents of liquified natural gas importation, could not fend off a strong paid media campaign.

An election night party was held at LPO offices, and all who attended had a great time. At the same time, more Libertarians will continue to gain more experience in public office while the people they serve benefit from smaller government.

May Ballot Features Record number of LPO members seeking RE-election!

Incumbent Libertarians in the May Ballot: top row, left to right, Richard Burke, Inessa Hamilton-Lee, Don McDaniel; bottom row, left to right, Steve Pearson, Charles Radley, and Greg Rohde.

The May 15th municipal elections featured incumbent Libertarian public office holders running to retain their respective seats. Burke and Pearson faced opposition in their campaigns to stay on the Tualatin Valley Water District board of commissioners while McDaniel faced a strong challenge for his seat on the Port of Astoria. Hamilton-Lee, Radley, and Rohde were unopposed.

Of the six, five were originally elected to their positions, while Steve Pearson was appointed to fill a board vacancy. Two years ago, even Pearson was elected to a Local School Committee in the Beaverton School District. To see a list of Libertarians holding public office now, CLICK HERE.

LPO pushes legislative agenda

The LPO is working to advance an election reform bill and a proposed "privacy amendment" to the Oregon constitution during the 2007 legislative session. To view the legislature's website, CLICK HERE.

LPO staff has worked to secure the introduction of two bills currently in the Oregon legislature. On the left is SJR36, which would refer to voters an amendment to the Oregon Constitution explicitly naming "individual privacy" as a protected right. The language of the proposed amendment is identical to that which is already in the Montana state constitution. On the right is HB3040, the so-called "Fusion Voting Bill," which would allow more than one party to nominate the same person. To read these bills, click on the one you want to see. LPO staff has lobbied for both of these bills and testified aggressively in favor of HB3040.

LPO staff, in consultation with state party leadership, is also working to oppose a number of bills including SB622 (adds restrictions to charter schools), SB588 (effectively repeals portions of the Measure 37 property rights law), and SB53/SB630 which would create a so-called "open primary" that threatens to effectively remove third party choices from general election ballots.

LPO members opt for intense debate, little change at Sunriver convention
Voting at LPO Convention

LPO member Greg Rohde casts a vote at the LPO Annual Business Convention, held from March 9-10 at Sunriver Resort.

Following a period of intense controversy between groups of Libertarians with competing visions of the party's future, only a few small changes were made in the LPO's structure or direction at it's 2007 Annual Business Convention. The convention, held at the beautiful Sunriver Resort, made minor changes to it's Bylaws, elected officers and elected members to serve on it's Judicial Committee.

After a long discussion over a proposed "replacement constitution," convention delegates decided to form a seven person committee with the mandate of considering changes to the LPO's governing documents. Proposals receiving 5 of 7 votes will be placed on the agenda of a special convention to be held by the end of the year.

Former national chair Jim Lark spoke at the event, while a trio of candidate seeking the 2008 Libertarian nomination for president of the United States made their pitches. Because of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act, we cannot list them here. You can learn more about them by visiting our national website, www.lp.org.

Libertarian Candidates Make Their Mark In the '06 Campaign Season
Morley at KEX

Richard Morley, the Libertarian nominee for governor, makes a stop at KEX radio in Portland as a part of his media campaign.

**ClickHERE for a complete list of Libertarian candidates, ballot measure positions, and our Voters' Pamphlet political party statement!**

While the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor have been reluctant to debate Richard Morley, active candidates on our slate have been invited to more debates, forums, and requests for interviews than ever before. No fewer than six of our candidates either hold public office now or have in the past, reflecting our party's increased effectiveness and experience. Do yourself and Oregon a favor by checking out Libertarian candidates on this year's general election ballot!

The Libertarian Party of Oregon Hosts the National Libertarian Party Convention
National Convention Hall

Hundreds of Libertarian Party delegates converged on the downtown Hilton hotel in early July to attent their party's national convention. The convention floor is shown at left while a proud national delegate at the LPO office is shown at right.

For three days in July, Portland was the epicenter for the Libertarian movement in America as it hosted the 2006 Libertarian Party National Convention. Portland won the national citing competition against Austin, Texas and Denver, Colorado in part because the Oregon party is recognized as one of the most politically effective Libertarian state parties in America.

At the convention itself the party's national platform was retooled, officers were elected and other kinds of party business were conducted. Workshops were held by LPO members and Libertarians from across America made presentations and speeches while vendors sold a variety of wares and distributed information promiting the cause of liberty.

The opening reception on Friday night featured a joint appearance by Richard Morley, the 2006 nominee for Oregon governor, and his Republican opponent Ron Saxton moderated by LPO Executive Director Richard Burke. LPO chair Adam Mayer and lifetime member Tonie Nathan also addressed the delegation. LPO volunteers distinguished themselves at the event and received universal praise and applause from the national committee.

On Saturday night of the convention weekend, almost one quarter of all national delegates attended a reception at the state party office in Beaverton, which was a great success. At the convention itself, workshops were held by LPO members,

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