Maintaining ballot status remains one of the major activities of the Arizona Libertarian Party -- and we achieve this through adding registered Libertarians to the voter rolls. Now, this can be done online, please see if you can add to our numbers by getting family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and colleagues to register Libertarian.
Additionally, we need Libertarians to run as Precinct Committeemen. The Precinct Committeeman is the lowest level Party official, from which we draw the ranks of County Party Officers, the State Committeemen, and the State Party Officers. Only 1 nominating petition signature (such as your own) is required. You may run for Libertarian Party Precinct Committeeman as well as one of the public offices. In fact, please do run for both.
And, while ballot status gives Libertarian candidates access to the ballot, we need to make effective use of our access and complete the other half of that equation: running Libertarians for public office.
This year, June 4, 2008 is the deadline date for filing candidate nominating petitions for the Primary Election (http://www.azsos.gov/election/candidate/Partisan.htm). Once you have filed the proper paperwork, as long as you receive the most votes, your name will be printed on the General Election Ballot. For Libertarians, the number of petition signatures is as few as 4 to as many as 85, depending on the public office (Federal & State, Maricopa, Pima, Yavapai).
Another alternative is to run as a write-in, but if not enough Libertarians remember to write you in during the Primary, you will not get to the General Election. This year, July 24, 2008 is the deadline date for filing for the Primary Election as a write-in candidate (http://www.azsos.gov/election/candidate/writein.htm). Once you have filed the proper paperwork, as long as you receive at least as many write-in votes in the Primary as the number of signatures that would have been required for the nominating petitions (and you receive the most votes), your name will be printed on the General Election Ballot. For Libertarians, this number is as few as 4 to as many as 85 votes, depending on the public office (http://www.azsos.gov/election/2008/info/signaturerequirements.htm).
Finally, please make sure to participate in the Primary, since some of our candidates may need your help to get votes to qualify for the General Election. Before casting your primary ballot, be sure to check the Write-In List at the polls or online, for Libertarians who are using the write-in method to get on the General Election ballot!
Below you'll find a listing of public offices for which the Arizona Libertarian Party is seeking candidates to run, and the minimum number (in parenthesis) of nominating petition signatures required for a Libertarian. Remeber, in every case, the signature requirement is easily achieved, since you may accept signatures from any registered voter (including independents), EXCEPT Republicans, Democrats, or Greens (for Federal, State, or Pima County offices), so you don't have to get only Libertarians to nominate you.
Step up, join in, have fun, and spread the Libertarian message!
Federal
Federal
US Congress, CD 1 (14)
US Congress, CD 2 (11)
US Congress, CD 3 (11) [a candidate has stepped forward]
US Congress, CD 4 (8)
US Congress, CD 5 (11) [a candidate has stepped forward]
US Congress, CD 6 (11)
US Congress, CD 7 (11)
US Congress, CD 8 (12) [a candidate has stepped forward]
State
State
Corporation Commissioner (85)
State Senator, D 1 (10)
State Senator, D 2 (12)
State Senator, D 3 (5)
State Senator, D 4 (6)
State Senator, D 5 (4)
State Senator, D 6 (7)
State Senator, D 7 (6) [a candidate has stepped forward]
State Senator, D 8 (5)
State Senator, D 9 (4)
State Senator, D 10 (5)
State Senator, D 11 (6)
State Senator, D 12 (7)
State Senator, D 13 (4)
State Senator, D 14 (3)
State Senator, D 15 (6)
State Senator, D 16 (6)
State Senator, D 17 (7)
State Senator, D 18 (4)
State Senator, D 19 (5)
State Senator, D 20 (6)
State Senator, D 21 (7)
State Senator, D 22 (7)
State Senator, D 23 (7)
State Senator, D 24 (5)
State Senator, D 25 (6)
State Senator, D 26 (6)
State Senator, D 27 (7)
State Senator, D 28 (8)
State Senator, D 29 (6)
State Senator, D 30 (7)
State Representative, D 1 (10)
State Representative, D 2 (12)
State Representative, D 3 (5)
State Representative, D 4 (6)
State Representative, D 5 (4)
State Representative, D 6 (7)
State Representative, D 7 (6) [a candidate has stepped forward]
Public Offices: We've prepared a brief summary of qualifications required for these public offices.
Federal Public Offices: For each of the Congressional seats, any registered Arizona Libertarian may file, regardless of where in Arizona you reside. The paperwork required to file as a candidate for the Federal public offices can be downloaded and printed from the Arizona Secretary of State's Federal Candidate Packet page (or Federal Write-In Candidate page, if you will be running as a write-in). Download, print, and complete (but don't sign):
Take the completed documents to the -- they will notarize your signature there.
Take the completed documents to the -- they will notarize your signature there.
Capitol Executive Tower, 7th Floor
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2888
There are usually free spots in the lot just to the West of the "Tower"; go to the filing window on the 7th floor, don't go to the "customer service" center.
Important note on Arizona laws on political activity (not Federal campaigns): A "$500 Threshold Exemption Statement" (or "Political Committee Statement of Organization", if you know you will collect or spend more than $500) must be filed BEFORE making any expenditures, accepting any contributions, distributing campaign literature or CIRCULATING PETITIONS, since Arizona law prohibits campaign activities before such filing!
State Public Offices: For each of the Corporation Commission seats, any registered Arizona Libertarian may file, regardless of where in Arizona you reside. For the State Senate and State Representative seats, you need to live the district that is to be represented. All the paperwork required to file as a candidate for the State public offices can be downloaded and printed from the Arizona Secretary of State's Partisan Candidate Package page (or Write-In Candidate page, if you will be running as a write-in). Download, print, and complete (but don't sign):
Take the completed documents to the -- they will notarize your signature there.
Take the completed documents to the -- they will notarize your signature there.
Capitol Executive Tower, 7th Floor
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2888
There are usually free spots in the lot just to the West of the "Tower"; go to the filing window on the 7th floor, don't go to the "customer service" center.
County/Local Public Offices: The paperwork required to file as a write-in for the County or Local public offices can be obtained from your County Elections Department (Coconino, or Maricopa, or Pima, or Yavapai, or see a complete list here). If you can't find the forms on their website, in most cases, you should be able to use the forms from the Arizona Secretary of State's Partisan Candidate page (or Write-In Candidate page, if you will be running as a write-in). Download, print, and complete (but don't sign):
Take the completed documents to the your County Elections Department -- they should notarize your signature there.
Precinct Committeeman: The paperwork required to file for Libertarian Party precinct committeeman can be obtained from your County Elections Department (Coconino, or Maricopa, or Pima, or Yavapai, or see a complete list here). If you can't find the forms on their website, in most cases, you should be able to use the form from the Arizona Secretary of State's Partisan Candidate page (or Write-In Candidate page, if you will be running as a write-in). Download, print, and complete (but don't sign):
Take it to the your County Elections Department -- they should notarize your signature there.
Remember, all paperwork MUST be filed by 5:00pm on June 4, 2008 (or July 24, 2008 for write-ins) with the appropriate elections department, so that you can be a candidate in the Primary Election, with the opportunity to become a Ballot-listed candidate in the November election.
