Frontlines
FOLLOW-UP ELECTION SUMMARY
Eric Garris reports: The following is a continuation of the election summary in the January issue. We only received significant additional information in four states: California, Maryland, New York, and Washington.
CALIFORNIA
• John Hospers, Libertarian Party (LP) write-in candidate for Governor received slightly under 2000 votes. The exact number will be known in late December (after press time) when all counties report in. Hospers placed first out of all write-in candidates for Governor, beating a conservative Republican State Assemblyman who lost the primary (Floyd Wakefield), the Socialist Workers and Socialist Labor Parties candidates, and several independents. His total was about twice the number of votes he received for president in 1972 in California. In some counties, he did three to four times as well as in 1972. Other LP Statewide write-ins received between 800 and 1200 votes. Exact figures will be reported in the next issue.
MARYLAND
• Ann Shoch, a libertarian running as a Republican for State House of Delegates in Prince Georges County ran 5th out of 6 candidates for three seats. She received about 41 percent of the vote.
• Bruce Hoffman, an Independent running with libertarian support for State House of Delegates in Baltimore County received about 2000 votes. He ran 6th out of 6 candidates for 3 seats but we have no percentages reported.
NEW YORK
• Jerry Tuccille running for Governor, and Louis Sicilia running for Lt. Governor on the Free Libertarian Party (FLP) line received 10,503 votes, placing 6th out of 10 candidates. Other than the four major party candidates, they were beaten only by the Courage (American) Party ticket with 12,459 votes. The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) followed the FLP with 8,857 votes. In New York City, Tuccille and Sicilia placed first of the minor parties with 5,899 votes followed by the SWP with 3,709 votes. Tuccille ran a very active campaign, spent $65,000, and got more news coverage than any of the other minor parties.
• Robert Flanzer, running for Comptroller on the FLP line received 10,535 votes, placing second in the minor parties, beaten by the SWP with 14,504 votes.
• Leland Shubert, New York FLP State Chairperson, running for Attorney-General on the FLP line received 8092 votes, placing third in the minor parties.
• The FLP ran two candidates for the two Court of Appeals seats that were up statewide. Jack Martin received 14,779 votes and Mel Hirshowitz received 13,826 votes. Martin's total represents the highest vote total received by a minor party candidate for a statewide office in New York. Martin and Hirshowitz were the only minor party candidates running for these offices.
• Sandy Cohen, running for Congress in the Poughkeepsie area received 1881 votes for 1.17 percent of the vote. He received 1400 votes for 2 percent in his home county of Dutchess.
WASHINGTON
• Earlier totals for Skip Barron and Richard Dyment running for State Legislative districts were overestimated. With final totals in, Barron received about 12 percent of the vote and Dyment received about 4 percent of the votes. Barron's total is reportedly enough to put the Libertarian Party on the ballot in Washington State.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETS
The Executive Committee of the National Libertarian Party met over Thanksgiving weekend in Washington, DC to consider a number of matters. Five new state parties were affiliated—Indiana, Connecticut, Kansas, Oregon and Arkansas, and plans were made for setting up a Washington, DC Liaison office and to also form a "Council of Economic Advisors" to prepare legislative recommendations for the Libertarian Party.
The Execom spent several hours analyzing the 1974 election campaigns and what could be done in the future to combat the generally poor vote totals. One of the few specific recommendations was to run more women candidates since they seem to do consistently better with the media and the voters than male candidates. An Election '76 Committee was set up to begin preparing for the Presidential Election: Gary Greenberg was elected coordinator for the Presidential Election Committee, Bob Meier was named director of the "Liberty '76" campaign fund, and Eric Garris was named National Organizing Coordinator with the task of helping state parties to get on the ballot wherever possible (he estimates the LP could be on the ballot in at least 25 states in time for the 1976 elections. Persons interested in doing organizing should write to Garris c/o LP of Santa Barbara, 294 Via El Encantador, Santa Barbara, CA 93111).
In other business the Execom voted to hold the 1975 National Convention (which will nominate the LP Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates) in New York City on Labor Day weekend, 1975—the Free Libertarian Party will host the convention, which promises to be the biggest and best libertarian convention ever. For further information on the Libertarian Party, its newsletter, its projects, etc., please contact the national office at 550 Kearney Street, San Francisco, CA 94108.
NOTES
A free market/libertarian oriented study group for Washington-based legislative aides to U.S. Senators and Congressmen is now in the process of being organized. If you are interested please contact Christopher Grieb, 5362 Maxwell Dr., Camp Springs, MD 20023, phone (301) 449-5646
The 1975 State Convention of the Libertarian Party of Washington State will be held Jan. 24-26 at the University Towers Hotel in Seattle. For further information contact the LPWS, P.O. Box 2096, Seattle, WA 98111
On February 4 Jean Berkman will speak to the Libertarian Supper Club of Los Angeles about the libertarian take-over of the California Peace and Freedom Party. For further information contact Lloyd Licher, 12536 Woodbine St., Los Angeles, CA 90066, phone (213) 390-4440
The Society for Individual Liberty has designated April 12, 1975 as Tax Protest Day and it plans to celebrate the occasion appropriately. For information on scheduled events please write to S.I.L., P.O. Box 1147, Warminster, PA 18974
The Thirteenth Amendment Committee is now being organized for the purpose of initiating lawsuits against violations of the 13th (anti-slavery) Amendment; their first project will be to bring suit against involuntary jury duty. The Committee is currently seeking members and lawyers nationwide. Dues are $2.00 per year; for further information please contact Michael Morrison, P.O. Box 5539, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413.