2000 Libertarian Campaigns

Summary

I didn't follow the campaigns very closely, but here are the bare bones:

• The Presidential ticket of Harry Browne won 384,431 votes, or 0.36%. This was a drop from the 1996 race but better than 1992. Third-party vote totals were generally lower due to a close race between the major candidates, although Green Party candidate Ralph Nader rode a wave of media attention to better than 2%. The Libertarian ticket came in only slightly behind the much better-funded and media-covered Reform Party ticket of Pat Buchanan, and even beat Buchanan in 17 states. The strongest state for the Libertarian Party was Georgia, with 1.5% of the vote.

• The highest foolishness of the Libertarian presidential campaign came from the heavily factionalized Arizona state chapter, which declined to nominate Harry Browne, and instead offered its own candidate in an egregious display of self-righteousness and egotism. Their beloved, L. Neil Smith, won 5,775 votes in the state.

• Winning campaigns: at least 15 Libertarians won elections to various posts, including soil and water conservation districts, health care districts, fire districts and others.

• Ballot access: The Libertarian Party won ballot status in two states and lost it in four, for a net loss of two, bringing the total to 24.

• Strong campaigns: Carla Howell won about 300,000 votes, or 12%, in a six-way race for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. It was the highest percentage ever for any Libertarian candidate for Senate. James Dan received 45% of the vote in a two-way state house race in Nevada, a record percentage for the Nevada Libertarian Party.

Campaigns By State