CALL FOR VOLUNTEER PETITIONERS ON ELECTION DAY

The Libertarian Party is calling for petition volunteers on election day in North Carolina and Alabama. Read the extended entry for more.

Dear Libertarian:

Tuesday, November 2, provides an incredible opportunity for petitioning for two state parties that are undertaking petition drives to get or retain ballot status. Those states are North Carolina and Alabama. Here?s what?s up:

(1) North Carolina. The LPNC needs to get 10% of the vote for President or Governor on November 2 in order to retain party ballot status in NC. That isn?t likely to happen. On November 2, the LPNC can start circulating its party petition to retain ballot status. About 60,000 valid signatures of registered voters in NC will be needed for the LPNC to remain on the NC ballot through 2008. LPNC Executive Director Sean Haugh has a goal: 25,000 signatures on Election Day. It will take a lot of volunteers petitioning that day to hit that number, but it is definitely possible and would complete one-third or more of the petition drive in one day! What volunteers collect, paid petitioners don't have to. This would be an incredible financial boost to the LP.

(2) Alabama. The LPAL needs 41,012 signatures to reclaim recognized party status. A big volunteer petitioning turnout on Election Day would put a big dent in that drive and potentially save thousands of dollars, just as in NC.

What's great about petitioning on Election Day is that you're legally entitled to petition at polling places (as long as you don't get too close to the door) and everyone there is a registered voter.

I live in Virginia, so I'll be going to NC. This will be my third Presidential Election Day petitioning in NC. I've already called the Wake County, NC Board of Elections to find one of the biggest polling places there: North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where I pulled 1,179 signatures in 1996 and 712 in 2000. I'm hoping for great weather and an afternoon rush of voters that will form a theater line running out the door. If that occurs, quadruple digits again for the day is not out of the question.

If you can volunteer your time as a petitioner in NC or AL on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2, please contact the Executive Director of that state's LP so he can find you your own big polling place:

LPNC: Sean Haugh, 919-286-0152, seanhaugh@mindspring.com LPAL: Mike Rster, 205-328-8683, gallatin76@aol.com In no small measure, what we will accomplish on Election Day in NC and AL will keep the Libertarian Party America?s Premier Third Party. Thank you for doing what you can to make that so.

Sincerely,
William Redpath
LNC At-Large Representative
National Ballot Access Coordinator