By Greg Stempfle, Political Director
Link to February 2019 Michigan Libertarian
Following the results of the 2018 gubernatorial election, the Libertarian Party of Michigan has returned to being a “minor” party for the 2019-2020 campaign cycle. Whereas in 2018, many Libertarians were nominated for public office by running in the primary election, in 2020, all of our partisan candidates will be nominated at a state convention or county/district caucuses. The next LPM Executive Committee will decide the dates for these nominating conventions/caucuses, at which our candidates will be selected by dues paying members who have been seated as delegates. The party is required to nominate its candidates and submit the paperwork to elections officials before August 2020.
In 2020, in addition to the Presidential election, voters in Michigan will be selecting a US Senator, all 14 Congressional seats, all 110 State House seats, and most county and township offices. There will also be two positions for the State Board of Education and each of three public university boards.
Run locally in 2019
In 2019, most cities and school boards in Michigan will be holding elections. All but three Michigan cities hold nonpartisan elections so those candidates do not need to seek the nomination of the party. In order to run for city office, please check with your local clerk to see what offices are on the ballot and how to qualify. Qualifying for the ballot will likely require you to gather a certain number of signatures. Some cities have primaries; others do not, so the filing deadline will be different for certain places.
If there are any special elections called by the Governor in 2019 to replace a vacant seat for State or Federal office, then the Libertarian Party will nominate its candidate at a caucus instead of a primary.
