The firstLibertarian National Convention was held in June 1972. In 1978,Dick Randolph ofAlaska became the first elected Libertarianstate legislator. Following the 1980 federal elections, the Libertarian Party assumed the title of being the third-largest party for the first time after theAmerican Independent Party and theConservative Party of New York (the other largest minor parties at the time) continued to decline. In 1994, over 40 Libertarians were elected or appointed which was a record for the party at that time. 1995 saw a soaring membership and voter registration for the party. In 1996, the Libertarian Party became the firstthird party to earn ballot status in all 50 states twopresidentialelections in a row. By the end of 2009, 146 Libertarians were holding elected offices.[21]
The2012 election Libertarian Party presidential candidate, former New Mexico GovernorGary Johnson, and his running mate, former judgeJim Gray, received the highest number of votes—more than 1.2 million—of any Libertarian presidential candidate at the time.[25] He was renominated for president in2016, this time choosing former Massachusetts GovernorWilliam Weld as his running mate. Johnson/Weld shattered the Libertarian record for a presidential ticket, earning over 4.4 million votes.[26] Both Johnson andGreen Party presidential candidateJill Stein received significantly more news coverage in 2016 than third-party candidates usually get, with polls showing both candidates potentially increasing their support over the last election, especially among younger voters.[27]
In July 2016 and June 2017, the Libertarians tied their 1992 peak of four legislators when four state legislators from four different states left the Republican Party to join the Libertarian Party:Nevada AssemblymanJohn Moore in January,[31][32]Nebraska SenatorLaura Ebke (although the Nebraska Legislature is officially non-partisan) andNew Hampshire RepresentativeMax Abramson in May[33][34] andUtah SenatorMark B. Madsen in July.[35] In the 2016 election cycle, Madsen[36] and Abramson did not run for re-election to their respective offices while Moore lost his race after the Libertarian Party officially censured him over his support of taxpayer stadium funding.[37] Ebke was not up for re-election in 2016. New Hampshire RepresentativeCaleb Q. Dyer changed party affiliation to the Libertarian Party from the Republican Party in February 2017. New Hampshire RepresentativeJoseph Stallcop changed party affiliation to the Libertarian Party from the Democratic Party in May 2017.[38] New Hampshire State LegislatorBrandon Phinney joined with the Libertarian Party from the Republican Party in June 2017, the third to do so in 2017 and matching their 1992 and 2016 peaks of sitting Libertarian state legislators.
In April 2020, RepresentativeJustin Amash of Michigan became the first Libertarian member of Congress after leaving the Republican Party and spending time as an independent. In June 2020, Amash, withAyanna Pressley of the Democratic Party, introduced theEnding Qualified Immunity Act in response to themurder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The bill was the first to gain support of members from the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties in the history of the United States Congress.[40]
The purpose of this agreement was to make the Libertarian Party a "big tent" that would welcome more ideologically diverse groups of people interested in reducing the size and scope of government. Consequently, the 1974 platform included a "Statement of Principles" which focused on statements arguing for getting government out of various activities, and used phrases such as "where governments exist they must not violate the rights of any individual." The previous version of the Statement of Principles adopted at the party's first convention in 1972, in contrast, affirmatively endorsed theminarchist perspective with statements such as "Since government has only one legitimate function, the protection of individual rights...."[45] It was agreed that the topic of anarchism would not even be on the table for discussion until a limited government was achieved.[44][46][47]
During the2006 Libertarian National Convention, delegates deleted a large portion of the very detailed platform. The phrase "Government exists to protect the rights of every individual including life, liberty and property" was added.[48] This development was described as the "Portland Massacre" by its opponents. Some took this as meaning the Dallas Accord was dead.[44] Confusion resulted in the 2000s on whether the Dallas Accord remained in effect, and if so whether it should, or what limits it places on the party's public statements or candidates.[49][50]
At the2022 Libertarian National Convention, members of theMises Caucus, apaleolibertarian group affiliated with thebeliefs ofRon Paul successfully staged a takeover of the Party, with over two-thirds of delegates becoming members of the Caucus, shifting the party in a right-ward direction.[19] The caucus successfully swept leadership positions, including electingAngela McArdle as chairwomen and Joshua Smith as vice-chairman.[19] The 2022 convention had an unusually high number of delegates, with the last recorded number for an off-election year convention in 2006 being just 300 delegates. The 2022 convention by contrast saw over 1,000 delegates.[19] After the takeover, non-Mises affiliated memberswalked out, criticizing the group for lacking in libertarian orthodoxy, as well as condemning several racist statements that members of the Caucus had made in the past.[19] More ardent members of the party started to splinter, with Pennsylvania's split resulting in the formation of theKeystone Party of Pennsylvania.[19]
Following changes to the party's official core platform by new leadership,[19] several other state-level affiliated parties disaffiliated from the national Party or dissolved themselves.[19] The New Mexico Libertarian Party further argued the Mises Caucus sweep was illegal, citing bylaws which was later amended.[19] After theLibertarian Party of Virginia reformed, the dissidents formed a splinter group, theVirginia Classical Liberal Party.[19]A similar situation ocurred regarding theLibertarian Party of Massachusetts.[19] The Mises Caucus furthermore blocked the disaffiliation of theNew Hampshire party.[19]
TheAssociation of Liberty State Parties was officially formed on December 3, 2022 as a national party committee between the Massachusetts, New Mexico, and New Mexico parties.[51] The Association formally rebranded toLiberal Party USA in February 2024.[52]
In late 2023, Party ChairAngela McArdle, after being contacted by former acting director of national intelligenceRichard Grenell, met withDonald J. Trump to consult on how Trump could win over the Libertarian vote. McArdle suggested the pardon ofRoss Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 for his role in the marketplace Silk Road, which was achieved after theinauguration of Donald Trump.[53] Five months later, Donald Trump was invited to the Libertarian Party’s2024 National Convention by McArdle, where he promised to include a libertarian in the cabinet and stated that the Libertarians should make him the presidential nominee. Trump was booed and heckled, including cries of “Bullshit!” and “Fuck you!”.[54] Subsequently, the convention nominated “armed and gay” former senate candidateChase Oliver for president, who defeated paleolibertarianMichael Rectenwald. Oliver's nomination was denounced by the state affiliates in Montana, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Idaho.[55][56]
Chair Angela McArdle, after claims of improper party fund spending directed at her partner, stepped down from her position as chair of the Libertarian Party National Committee in January 2025. Mises Caucus founderMichael Heise was defeated bySteven Nekhaila in a 9-6 vote, who promised commitments to a policy of emphasizing small local races. Six national committee members endorsed by the Mises Caucus defected to Nekhaila, cementing his victory.[57]Classical Liberal Caucus member Paul Darr was elected as vice-chairman.[58]
TheLibertarian Party of New Hampshire wascensured in September 2025 by the National Committee citing "despicable conduct", and was invited to disaffiliate and cease its use of the Libertarian Party name.[59]
It has been suggested that mascots besplit out into another article. (Discuss)(August 2024)
Original TANSTAAFL logo
A recent logo of the Libertarian Party
In 1972, "Libertarian Party" was chosen as the party's name, selected over "New Liberty Party".[60] The first official slogan of the Libertarian Party was "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" (abbreviated "TANSTAAFL"), a phrase popularized byRobert A. Heinlein in his 1966 novelThe Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, sometimes dubbed "a manifesto for a libertarian revolution". The slogan of the party has since become "The Party of Principle".[61]
Also in 1972, the "Libersign"—an arrow angling upward through the abbreviation "TANSTAAFL"—was adopted as a party symbol.[60] By the end of the decade, this was replaced with theLady Liberty until 2015, with the adoption of the "Torch Eagle" logo.[62]
In the 1990s, several state Libertarian parties adopted the Liberty Penguin ("LP") as their official mascot.[63] Another mascot is the Libertarian porcupine.[64]
The Libertarian Party is democratically governed by its members, with state affiliate parties each holding annual or biennial conventions at which delegates are elected to attend the party's biennial national convention. National convention delegates vote on changes to the party's national platform and bylaws and elect officers and "at-large" representatives to the party's National Committee. The National Committee also has "regional representatives", some of whom are appointed by delegate caucuses at the national convention whereas others are appointed by the chairpersons of LP state affiliate chapters within a region.[65]
The Libertarian Party is organized in all50 states and the District of Columbia. Each state affiliate has a governing committee, usually consisting of statewide officers elected by state party members and regional representation of one kind or another. Similarly, county, town, city and ward committees, where organized, generally consist of members elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions and in some cases primaries or caucuses and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law.
Since the Libertarian Party's inception, individuals have been able to join the party as voting members by signing their agreement with the organization's non-aggression pledge, which states that the signer does not advocate the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals. During the mid-1980s and into the early 1990s, this membership category was called an "instant" membership, but these are referred to as "signature members". People joining the party are also asked to pay dues, which are on a sliding scale starting at $25 per year. Lifetime membership is granted with a $1,500 donation in one calendar year. Dues-paying members receive a subscription to the party's national newspaper,LP News.[68] Since 2006, membership in the party's state affiliates has been separate from membership in the national party,[69] with each state chapter maintaining its own membership rolls.
Most rights to participate in the governance of the party are limited to "bylaws-sustaining members" who have either purchased a lifetime membership or donated at least $25 within the past year. Most state parties maintain separate membership, which may be tied to either payment of dues to the state party, or voter registration as a Libertarian, depending on the state's election laws.[70]
Over the past decade, membership in the Libertarian Party has experienced notable growth. According to reported figures, the party’s membership increased by approximately 92% between 2008 and 2018[71]. This growth reflects broader trends in political engagement among voters seeking alternatives to the two major parties.
The increase in membership has been accompanied by a rise in party activity at both local and national levels, including participation in elections, conventions, and grassroots organizing efforts. While the party remains smaller than theDemocratic andRepublican parties, its expanding membership base demonstrates sustained interest in libertarian political principles.
The preamble outlines the party's goals: "As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others. [...] Our goal is nothing more nor less than a world set free in our lifetime, and it is to this end that we take these stands."[72]
The platform emphasizes individual liberty in personal and economic affairs, avoidance of "foreign entanglements" and military and economicintervention in other nations' affairs, and free trade and migration. The party opposesgun control measures that restrict the rights of civilians to keep and bear arms. It calls forConstitutional limitations on government as well as the elimination of most state functions. It includes a "Self-determination" section which quotes from theDeclaration of Independence and reads: "Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall seem most likely to protect their liberty."[73]
The Statement of Principles was written byJohn Hospers.[76] The Libertarian Party's bylaws specify that a7⁄8ths supermajority of delegates is required to change the Statement of Principles.[77] Any proposed platform plank found by the Judicial Committee to conflict with the Statement requires approval by a three-fourths supermajority of delegates.[78] Early platform debates included at the second convention whether to supporttax resistance and at the 1974 convention whether to supportanarchism. In both cases, a compromise was reached.[79]
The Libertarian Party has attracted influential politicians who attempt to sway the party's voting base. In May 2024,Donald Trump spoke at the Libertarian Party's convention in Washington D.C. with his speech focusing on libertarian issues such as his stances onanti-war policies,Bitcoin, andFirst andSecond Amendment rights.[80] This was the first time a current or former U.S. president had spoken at a Libertarian Party convention.[81]
The first Libertarian presidential candidate,John Hospers, received one electoral vote in 1972 whenRoger MacBride, aVirginiaRepublicanfaithless elector pledged toRichard Nixon, cast his ballot for the Libertarian ticket. His vote forTheodora ("Tonie") Nathan as vice president was the first electoral college vote ever to be cast for a woman in a United States presidential election.[82] MacBride became the Libertarian presidential nominee himself in 1976. This was the last time that the Libertarian Party won an electoral vote until 44 years later, in the 2016 presidential election, whenTexas Republican faithless elector Bill Greene, who was pledged to cast his vote forDonald Trump, instead cast his vote for Libertarian Party member, 1988 presidential nominee, and former Republican representativeRon Paul for president.[83]
Historically, Libertarians have achieved 50-stateballot access for their presidential candidate five times: in 1980, 1992, 1996, (in 2000,L. Neil Smith was on the Arizona ballot instead of the nominee, Harry Browne)[102] 2016,[103] and have reached 50-state ballot access for the 2020 election.[104]
In April 2012, the Libertarian Party of Nebraska successfully lobbied for a reform in ballot access with the new law requiring parties to requalify every four years instead of two.[105] Following the 2012 election, the party gained automatic ballot status in 30 states.[106]
Following the 2016 election, the party announced that it had achieved automatic ballot status in 37 or 38 states and theDistrict of Columbia.[107][108]
In the Libertarian Party, some donors are not necessarily "members" because the party since its founding in 1972 has defined a "member" as being someone who agrees with the party's membership statement. The precise language of this statement is found in the party Bylaws.[109] As of the end of 2017, there were 138,815 Americans who were on record as having signed the membership statement.[110] A survey by David Kirby andDavid Boaz found a minimum of 14 percent of American voters to have libertarian-leaning views.[111][112]
There is another measure the party uses internally as well. Since its founding, the party has apportioned delegate seats to its national convention based on the number of members in each state who have paid minimum dues (with additional delegates given to state affiliates for good performance in winning more votes than normal for the party's presidential candidate). This is the most-used number by party activists. As of December 2017, the Libertarian Party reported that there were 14,445 donating members.[110]
Historically, dues were $15 throughout the 1980s; in 1991, they were increased to $25. Between February 1, 2006, and the close of the 2006 Libertarian party convention on May 31, 2006, dues were set to $0.[113] The latter was controversial andde facto reversed by the 2006Libertarian National Convention inPortland, Oregon, at which the members re-established a basic $25 dues category (now called Sustaining membership) and further added a requirement that all National Committee officers must henceforth be at least sustaining members (which was not required prior to the convention).
Ballot access expert and editor ofBallot Access NewsRichard Winger periodically compiles and analyzes voter registration statistics as reported by state voter agencies and he reports that as of early 2020 the party ranked third in voter registration nationally with 693,634 .[114]
Libertarians have had limited success in electing candidates at the state and local level. Since the party's creation, 10 Libertarians have been elected tostate legislatures and some other state legislators have switched parties after being originally elected as Republicans or Democrats. The most recent Libertarian candidate elected to a state legislature wasMarshall Burt to theWyoming House of Representatives in 2020. The party elected multiple legislators in New Hampshire during the 1990s as well as in Alaska during the 1980s.[115] One of the party's Alaska state legislators,Andre Marrou was nominated for vice president in 1988 and for president in 1992.[116]
As of 2017, there were 168 Libertarians holding elected office: 58 of them partisan offices and 110 of them non-partisan offices.[117] In addition, some party members, who were elected to public office on other party lines, explicitly retained their Libertarian Party membership and these include former Representative Ron Paul, who has repeatedly stated that he remains a life member of the Libertarian Party.
Previously, the party has had four sitting members of state legislatures.Laura Ebke served in the nonpartisanNebraska Legislature and announced her switch from being a Republican to a Libertarian in 2016.[118] Three members of theNew Hampshire House of Representatives who were elected as either Republicans or Democrats in the 2016 election announced their switch to the Libertarian Party in 2017.[119]
State SenatorMark B. Madsen of Utah announced his switch from Republican to Libertarian in 2016, but also did not seek re-election that year.[35] State Representative Max Abramson of New Hampshire switched from Republican to Libertarian before running as the party's gubernatorial candidate in 2016 instead of seeking re-election.[120] State Representative John Moore of Nevada briefly switched parties, but he was defeated for re-election in 2016.[121]
Aubrey Dunn Jr., theNew Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands, switched his voter registration from Republican to Libertarian in January 2018.[122] In doing so, Dunn became the first official elected to a statewide partisan office to have Libertarian voter registration.[123]
In 2018,Jeff Hewitt, the mayor ofCalimesa, California was elected to theRiverside County Board of Supervisors in a close race. Serving from 2019 to 2023, including 1-year stints as chair & vice-chair of the board from 2021-2023, Hewitt was considered the most powerful Libertarian elected official in California and in the United States during his tenure.[124]
In1982,Dick Randolph received 15% of the vote in a four-way race inAlaska, the best ever for a Libertarian candidate in a gubernatorial election. In2020, Donald Rainwater received 12% of the vote in a three-way race inIndiana. In2002,Ed Thompson received 10% of the vote in a three-way race inWisconsin.
In2012,Mike Fellows received 43% of the vote in a two-way race inMontana for clerk of theMontana Supreme Court, the best ever for a Libertarian candidate in a statewide election. In2008,John Monds received 33% of the vote in a race inGeorgia forGeorgia Public Service Commission, joining William Strange (running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals) that same year as the first Libertarians to ever to receive more than one million votes. Two later candidates for the same position, David Staples in2012 and Eric Hoskins in2016, received 34% and 33% of the vote, respectively.
In2018,Laura Ebke received 44% of the vote in a non-partisan race in Nebraska's 32nd Legislative district in theNebraska Legislature, the best ever for a Libertarian candidate in a state senate election. Also in2018, Bobbi Hicks received 38% of the vote in a race in Arkansas's 10th Senate district in theArkansas Senate, the best ever for a Libertarian candidate in a partisan state senate election. There have been 14 candidates elected to state senate who had a Libertarian and major party cross endorsement: 1 in New Hampshire in 1992, 6 in New Hampshire in 1994, 3 in New Hampshire in 1996, 1 in Oregon in 2014, 1 in Oregon in 2018, 1 in New York in 2019, and 1 in New York in 2020.
Libertarians have been elected as state representatives without a major party cross-endorsement six times:Dick Randolph in Alaska in 1978,[128]Ken Fanning and Randolph again in Alaska in 1980,[129]Andre Marrou in Alaska in 1984,[130]Steve Vaillancourt in New Hampshire in 2000,[131] and in2020,Marshall Burt received 54% of the vote in a two-way race in Wyoming's 39th House district in theWyoming House of Representatives.[126] As of the end of 2020, there have also been 67 candidates elected with a Libertarian and a major party cross endorsement: 37 in New Hampshire in 1992, 5 in New Hampshire in 1994, 4 in New Hampshire in 1996, 1 in Vermont in 1998, 5 in Oregon in 2014, 4 in Oregon in 2018, 4 in Oregon in 2020, and 7 in New York in 2020.
Gary Johnson's performance in the2016 election shown by county, with darker shades indicating stronger support
AMonmouth University opinion poll conducted on March 24, 2016, found Libertarian candidateGary Johnson polling in double digits with 11% in a three-way race againstDonald Trump (34%) andHillary Clinton (42%).[133] Later, aCNN poll from July 16, 2016, found Johnson with a personal best 13% of the vote.[134] To be included in any of the three main presidential debates, a candidate must be polling at least 15% in national polls.
Following Trump's win in the Indiana Republican primary, making him the presumptive Republican nominee, the Libertarian Party received a rise in attention. Between 7 p.m. on May 3 and Noon on May 4, the Libertarian Party received 99 new memberships and an increase in donors as well as a rise inGoogle searches of "Libertarian Party" and "Gary Johnson".[135] On May 5,Mary Matalin, a longtime Republican political strategist, switched parties to become a registered Libertarian, expressing her dislike of Trump.[136]
Several Republican elected officials publicly stated that were considering voting for the Libertarian Party ticket in 2016.[137][138] That included 2012 Republican presidential nomineeMitt Romney.[139] It had been a common question and concern that the Libertarian ticket would exclusively draw away votes fromDonald Trump and not the Democratic ticket. In response, Libertarian 2016 nomineeGary Johnson noted that analysis of national polls shows more votes drawn fromHillary Clinton.[140]
Johnson would go on to receive3.3% of the nationwide popular vote, with his best performance (9.3%) coming in New Mexico, where he previously served as a two-term governor.
After the conclusion of the Electoral College in 2016, the Libertarian Party received one electoral college vote from a faithless elector in Texas. The party's 2016 nomineeGary Johnson did not receive the vote. The single faithless vote went instead to former Republican CongressmanRon Paul, who had rejoined the Libertarian Party in 2015. He is the first Libertarian to receive an electoral vote sinceJohn Hospers in 1972.[141]
RepresentativeJustin Amash, the first Libertarian member of Congress
After presidential candidateDonald Trump won Indiana's 2016 Republican primary, several Republican officeholders left the Party and changed their affiliation to the Libertarian Party. The first to do so wasJohn Moore, a then-sitting Assemblyman in Nevada.[31] Following the 2016 Nebraska State Legislative Session, state SenatorLaura Ebke announced her displeasure with the Republican Party and announced she was registering as a Libertarian. After that,Mark B. Madsen, a Utah State Senator, switched from the Republican Party to the Libertarian Party. From February to June 2017, three New Hampshire State Representatives (Caleb Q. Dyer,Joseph Stallcop andBrandon Phinney) left the Republican and Democratic Parties and joined the Libertarian Party.
In January 2018,New Mexico Commissioner of Public LandsAubrey Dunn Jr. switched his party registration from Republican to Libertarian and subsequently announced he would run as the Libertarian nominee for theSenate election in New Mexico. Dunn was the first Libertarian in a partisan statewide office and was the highest ever official from the Libertarian Party until US RepresentativeJustin Amash switched his party registration from independent to Libertarian on April 29, 2020.[142] In December 2020,Maine House of Representatives memberJohn Andrews changed his party registration to Libertarian after winning re-election as a Republican.[143]
Several politicians joined the Libertarian Party, sometimes only briefly, after having left office, including former New Mexico GovernorGary Johnson, former Massachusetts GovernorWilliam Weld, former Rhode Island GovernorLincoln Chafee, former Alaska United States SenatorMike Gravel, former Georgia CongressmanBob Barr, and former Texas CongressmanRon Paul.
The Libertarian Party has placed a presidential candidate on the ballot in all 50 states, as well as D.C., six times: 1980, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2016, and 2020. That level of ballot access has only been achieved by a third-party candidate four other times (John Anderson in 1980,Lenora Fulani in 1988, andRoss Perot in 1992 and 1996.) Although the territory ofGuam has no electoral votes, it began holding presidential preference elections in 1980. The Libertarian Party presidential candidate has appeared on the ballot in Guam in every election from 1980 through 2020, except for 2016. Anderson and Fulani were also on the ballot in Guam.[159]
The following is a table comparison of ballot status for the Libertarian Party presidential nominee from 1972 to 2020. In some instances the candidate appeared on the ballot as an independent.
The Libertarian Party supportslaissez-fairecapitalism and the abolition of the modernwelfare state. It adopts pro-civil liberties and pro-cultural liberal approaches to cultural and social issues. Paul H. Rubin, professor of law and economics atEmory University, believes that whileliberalDemocrats generally seek to control economic activities andconservativeRepublicans generally seek to control consumption activities such as sexual behavior, abortion and so on, the Libertarian Party is the largest political party in the United States that advocates few or no regulations in what it deems "social" and "economic" issues.[163]
The "poverty and welfare" issues page of the Libertarian Party's website says that it opposesregulation of capitalisteconomic institutions and advocates dismantling the entirety of the welfare state:
We should eliminate the entire social welfare system. This includes eliminating food stamps, subsidized housing, and all the rest. Individuals who are unable to fully support themselves and their families through the job market must, once again, learn to rely on supportive family, church, community, or private charity to bridge the gap.[164]
According to the party platform: "The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected" (adopted May 2008).[165]
The party supports ending thepublic school system.[168] The party's official platform states that education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability and efficiency with more diversity ofschool choice. Seeing the education of children as a parental responsibility, the party would give authority to parents to determine the education of their children at their expense without interference from government. This includes endingcorporal punishment withinpublic schools. Libertarians have expressed that parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children's education.[169]
The Libertarian Party supports a clean and healthy environment and sensible use ofnatural resources, believing that private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining such natural resources.[170] The party has also expressed that "governments, unlike private businesses, are unaccountable for such damage done to the environment and have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection".[73] The party contends that the environment is best protected when individual rights pertaining to natural resources are clearly defined and enforced. The party also contends thatfree markets andproperty rights (implicitly without government intervention) will stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect the environment and ecosystem because environmental advocates andsocial pressure are the most effective means of changing public behavior.[73]
Libertarian protester at the 2010 Tea Party tax day, St. Paul, Minnesota
The Libertarian Party opposes all government intervention and regulation on wages,prices,rents,profits, production andinterest rates. Further, the party advocates the repeal of all laws banning or restricting the advertising ofprices, products, or services. The party's recent platform calls for the repeal of theincome tax, the abolition of theInternal Revenue Service and all federal programs and services, such as theFederal Reserve System. The party supports the passage of aBalanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution which they believe will significantly lower thenational debt, provided that the budget is balanced preferably by cutting expenditures and not by raising taxes. Libertarians favor free-market banking, with unrestricted competition among banks and depository institutions of all types. The party also wants a halt toinflationary monetary policies and legal tender laws. While the party defends the right of individuals to form corporations, cooperatives and other types of companies, it opposes governmentsubsidies to business, labor, or any otherspecial interest.[73]
The Libertarian Party favors afree market health care system without government oversight, approval, regulation, or licensing. The party states that it "recognizes the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions." They support the repeal of all social insurance policies such asMedicare andMedicaid and favor "consumer-driven health care"[73] The Libertarian Party has been advocating for Americans' ability to purchase health insurance across state lines and medicine across international borders.
The Libertarian Party consistently lobbies for the removal of governmental impediments tofree trade. This is because their platform states that "political freedom and escape from tyranny demand that individuals not be unreasonably constrained by government in the crossing of political boundaries."[73] To promote economic freedom, they demand the unrestricted movement of humans as well as financial capital across national borders. The party encourages blocking immigration of those with violent backgrounds or violent intents.[73]
The Libertarian Party supports the repeal of all laws which impede the ability of any person to find employment while opposing government-fostered/forced retirement and heavy interference in thebargaining process. The party supports the right of free persons to associate or not associate inlabor unions and believes that employers should have the right to recognize or refuse to recognize a union.[73]
The party believes that retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. Libertarians would phase out the government-sponsoredSocial Security system and transition to aprivate voluntary system. The Libertarians feel that the proper and most effective source of help for the poor is the voluntary efforts ofprivate groups and individuals, believing members of society will become more charitable and civil society will be strengthened as government reduces its activity in that realm.[73]
Libertarians have differing opinions on the issue. Some, like the groupLibertarians for Life, consider abortion to be an act of aggression against a child, therefore necessitating government intervention to prevent it. Others, like the group Pro-Choice Libertarians, consider denying a woman the right to choose abortion to be an act of aggression from the government against her.[179] The party has nominated bothanti-abortion andabortion rights candidates. Their2012 and2016 presidential nomineeGary Johnson and their2020 nomineeJo Jorgensen arepro-choice, as were past presidential nominees other than1988 nomineeRon Paul and2008 nomineeBob Barr. The platform had beenpro-choice from 1972[180] until May 2022[181] when the abortion plank was deleted.
Shortly before the2000 elections, the party released a "Libertarian Party Program on Crime" in which they criticize the failures of a recently proposed Omnibus Crime Bill, especially detailing how it expands the list ofcapital crimes.[178] Denouncing Federal executions, they also describe how the party would increase and safeguard therights of the accused in legal settings as well as limit the use ofexcessive force by police. Instead, criminal laws would be reduced to violations of the rights of others through either force or fraud with maximumrestitution given to victims of the criminals or negligent persons.[182] In 2016, the party expanded their platform to officially support the repeal of capital punishment.[183]
The Libertarian Party supports unrestricted freedom of speech and is opposed to any kind ofcensorship, as it claims it is the only party that fully supports theFirst Amendment. The party describes the issue in its website: "We defend the rights of individuals to unrestricted freedom of speech,freedom of the press and the right of individuals todissent from government itself. [...] We oppose any abridgment of the freedom of speech through government censorship, regulation or control of communications media." The party claims it is the only political party in the United States "with an explicit stand against censorship of computer communications in its platform".[177]
The Libertarian Party favors election systems that are more representative of theelectorate at thefederal, state andlocal levels. The party platform calls for an end to any tax-financed subsidies to candidates or parties and the repeal of all laws which restrict voluntary financing of election campaigns. As aminor party, it opposes laws that effectively exclude alternative candidates and parties, denyballot access,gerrymander districts, or deny the voters their right to consider all legitimate alternatives. Libertarians also promote the use ofdirect democracy through thereferendum andrecall processes.[169]
The Libertarian Party advocates repealing all laws that control or prohibit homosexuality.[184] This position is longstanding, as noted by gay activist Richard Sincere, who said: "We've always called for an end to sodomy laws and for an end to discrimination toward gays in the military." Speaking in 1996, he added that, at the party's most recent convention, it had "passed a platform plank that urged the abolition of laws banningsame-sex marriage."[185] (By contrast, the Democratic Party would not put same-sex marriage into its platform until 2012.)[186]
According to the Libertarian Party's platform, as seen in 2025:
"Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration, or military service laws. Government does not have the authority to define, promote, license, or restrict personal relationships, regardless of the number of participants. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. Until such time as the government stops its illegitimate practice of marriage licensing, such licenses must be granted to all consenting adults who apply."[12]
Many LGBT political candidates have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket.[185] There have been numerous LGBT caucuses in the party, with the most active in recent years being the Outright Libertarians. With regard tonon-discrimination laws protecting LGBT people, the party is more divided, with some Libertarians supporting such laws, and others opposing them on the grounds that they violatefreedom of association.[187][188]
The Libertarian Party views attempts by government to controlobscenity orpornography as "an abridgment of liberty of expression"[177] and opposes any government intervention to regulate it. According to former Libertarian National Committee chairman Mark Hinkle, "Federal anti-obscenity laws are unconstitutional in two ways. First, because the Constitution does not grant Congress any power to regulate or criminalize obscenity, and second, because the First Amendment guarantees the right offree speech."[192] This also means that the party supports the legalization of prostitution.[171][172][173][174] Many men and women[193][194][195][196] with backgrounds in prostitution and activists forsex workers' rights, such asNorma Jean Almodovar[193][194] andStarchild,[195][196] have run for office on the Libertarian Party ticket or are active members of the party. Norma Jean Almodovar, a former officer with the Los Angeles Police Department and formercall girl who authored the bookFrom Cop to Call Girl about her experiences, ran on the Libertarian Party ticket for California lieutenant governor in 1986 and was actively supported by the party. Mark Hinkle described her as being the most able "of any Libertarian" "to generate publicity".[193] TheMassachusetts Libertarian Party was one of the few organizations to support a 1980s campaign to repeal prostitution laws.[197]
The Libertarian Party affirms an individual's right recognized by theSecond Amendment to keep and bear arms and opposes the prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights ofself-defense. The party opposes laws at any level of government requiring registration of or restricting the ownership, manufacture, or transfer or sale offirearms orammunition.[73] The Libertarian Party has also shown support in the past for the abolition of theAlcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and support forConstitutional carry.[198][199]
The party also affirms an individual's right to privacy through reforms that would give back rights of theFourth Amendment of the United States of America's Bill of Rights to the citizens.[200] Often this coincides with a citizen's right against covert surveillance by the government of their privacy.[200][201]
Libertarians generally prefer an attitude of mutual respect between all nations.[202][203][204] Libertarians believe that free trade engenders positive international relationships. Libertarian candidates have promised to cutforeign aid and withdraw American troops from the Middle East and other areas throughout the world.[205]
The Libertarian Party opposed the2011 military intervention in Libya and LP Chair Mark Hinkle in a statement described the position of the Libertarian Party: "President Obama's decision to order military attacks on Libya is only surprising to those who actually thinkhe deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. He has now ordered bombing strikes in six different countries, adding Libya to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen."[206][207] It has also called for withdrawal fromNATO.[208] In a statement on February 7, 2023, the party came out in support of the Rage Against the War Machine rally inWashington, D.C., and denounced American aid to Ukraine.[209]
A longstanding debate within the party is one referred to by libertarians as theanarchist–minarchist debate. In 1974,anarchists andminarchists within the party agreed to officially take no position on whether or not government should exist at all and to not advocate either particular view. This agreement has become known as the Dallas Accord, having taken place at the party's convention that year inDallas, Texas.[211]
Libertarian members often cite the departure ofEd Crane (of theCato Institute, a libertarianthink tank) as a key turning point in the early party history.[212] Crane (who in the 1970s had been the party's first executive director) and some of his allies resigned from the party in 1983 when their preferred candidates for national committee seats lost in the elections at the national convention. Others likeMary Ruwart say that despite this apparent victory of those favoring radicalism, the party has for decades been slowly moving away from those ideals.[213]
In the mid-2000s, groups such as the Libertarian Party Reform Caucus generally advocated revising the party's platform, eliminating or altering the membership statement and focusing on a politics-oriented approach aimed at presenting libertarianism to voters in what they deemed a "less threatening" manner.[214]LPRadicals emerged in response and was active at the2008 and2010Libertarian National Conventions.[215] In its most recent incarnation, the Libertarian Party Radical Caucus was founded with the stated goal to "support the re-radicalization of the LP."[216]
At the2016 Libertarian National Convention, the Radical Caucus endorsed Darryl W. Perry for President and Will Coley for Vice President, who respectively won 7% and 10% of the vote on the first ballot, both taking fourth place.[217] Though not explicitly organized as such, most self-identified pragmatists or moderates supported the nomination ofGary Johnson for president andBill Weld for vice president.[218] Johnson and Weld were both nominated on the second ballot with a narrow majority after having both placed just shy of the required 50% on the first ballots. After the convention, theLibertarian Pragmatist Caucus ("LPC") was founded and organized with the goal "[t]o promote realistic, pragmatic, and practical libertarian candidates and solutions."[219] LPC supported Nicholas Sarwark in his successful bid for re-election as Chair of the party's national committee at the 2018 convention in New Orleans.[220]
In 1999, a working group of leading Libertarian Party activists proposed to reformat and retire the platform to serve as a guide for legislative projects (its main purpose to that point) and create a series of custom platforms on issues for different purposes, including the needs of the growing number of Libertarians in office. The proposal was incorporated in a new party-wide strategic plan and a joint platform-program committee proposed a reformatted project platform that isolated talking points on issues, principles and solutions as well as an array of projects for adaptation. This platform, along with a short Summary for talking points, was approved in 2004. Confusion arose when prior to the 2006 convention there was a push to repeal or substantially rewrite the Platform, at the center of which were groups such as the Libertarian Reform Caucus.[221] Their agenda was partially successful in that the platform was much shortened (going from 61 to 15 planks—11 new planks and 4 retained from the old platform) over the previous one.[222]
Members differ as to the reasons why the changes were relatively more drastic than any platform actions at previous conventions. Some delegates voted for changes so the party could appeal to a wider audience, while others simply thought the entire document needed an overhaul. It was also pointed out that the text of the existing platform was not provided to the delegates, making many reluctant to vote to retain the planks when the existing language was not provided for review.[223][unreliable source?]
Not all party members approved of the changes, some believing them to be a setback to libertarianism[224] and an abandonment of what they see as the foremost purpose of the Libertarian Party.[225]
At the 2008 Libertarian National Convention, the changes went even further with the approval of an entirely revamped platform.[226] Much of the new platform recycles language from pre-millennial platforms.[227] While the planks were renamed, most address ideas are found in earlier platforms and run no longer than three to four sentences.[226]
Proponents of theFree State Project, a movement dedicated to concentrating libertarians in the state ofNew Hampshire, argue that the Libertarian Party strategy of a national victory has been proven ineffective in stark contrast to libertarian concentration and focus on local races in New Hampshire.[228] The founder of the Free State movement,Jason Sorens, stated in the movement's announcement, "Partisan politics has clearly failed: Libertarian presidential candidates consistently fail to break the one per cent barrier, while no Libertarian candidate has ever won election to a federal office."[229]
AtPorcfest 2021, an annual libertarian festival held in New Hampshire, Executive Director of the Free State Project (Jeremy Kauffman) and chair of the Libertarian Party (Angela McArdle) debated which strategy is more effective.[228] Kauffman argued that, "There are more people in this room that are elected members to the NH House of Representatives and former members of the Libertarian Party than there are Libertarian Party members nationwide."[228] Meanwhile, Angela McArdle argued that while she wants to see the Free State Project succeed, she argues that the Free State Project could not have existed without the political infrastructure provided by the LP developed over the course of five decades.[228]
^Franks, Benjamin (2013). "Anarchism". In Sargent, Lyman Tower; Stears, Marc; Freeden, Michael (eds.).The Oxford Handbook of Political Ideologies (1st ed.). New York, NY:Oxford University Press. p. 389.ISBN978-0-19-958597-7.LCCN2013938773.
^Grigsby, Ellen (2011). "Neoclassical Liberals". In Ishiyama, John T.; Breuning, Marijke (eds.).21st Century Political Science A Reference Handbook. SAGE Publications. p. 603.ISBN978-1483305462.
^April 21, George Phillies on; Pm, 2023 5:39 (2023-04-21)."LP Classical Liberal Caucus to Meet".Independent Political Report. Retrieved2025-10-16.{{cite web}}:|first2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"History." Libertarian Party of Kansas, lpks.org/history.
^"LNC selects new logo".Independent Political Report. July 19, 2015. RetrievedDecember 11, 2016.
^Drake, Kerry (July 26, 1996). "Laramie Libertarians adopt 'Liberty Penguin'".Casper Star Tribune;"Libertarian picks penguin representation".Fort Myers News Press. November 11, 1997;"Pragmatic penguin just the ticket for Wyo. Libertarians".Denver Post. Associated Press. September 6, 1996;"Libertarians Adopt County Artist's Design".Grainger County News. Grainger County, TN. April 22, 1999.
^Mexican, Andrew Oxford | The New (January 27, 2018)."Dunn switches to Libertarian Party".Santa Fe New Mexican.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"National Platform 1972".lpedia.org. 1972.Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved2022-05-31.Domestic Ills section part 3. Overpopulation: "... We further support the repeal of all laws restricting voluntary birth control or voluntary termination of pregnancies during their first hundred days. ...
^"2020 Platform | Libertarian Party".lp.org. 2022-05-31. Archived from the original on 2022-05-31. Retrieved2022-05-31.Plank 1.5 Abortion: Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.
^abStall, Bill (October 13, 1986)."Bully for Minor Party Candidates".Los Angeles Times. p. B5. Archived fromthe original on November 7, 2012. RetrievedJuly 6, 2017.There is Norma Jean Almodovar, the former Los Angeles prostitute running on the Libertarian Party ticket.
^ab"Prostitutes before pimps".Salon.After the meeting, Liu got into a friendly debate with Starchild—this is the Bay Area, folks!—a well-known sex worker and outreach director for the local Libertarian Party.
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