The Libertarian Party of West Virginia is the West Virginia affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The state chair is Michael S. Wilson, J.D.. The LP of West Virginia resolved in 2008 to join Libertarian National Committee Region 5, and at the 2008 National Convention in Denver became a member of LNC Region 5S, represented by Jim Lark.
History and candidates
1972 – Harold Harvey of Beckley first promotes the Libertarian Party in West Virginia.
1980 – Jack Kelley of Parkersburg runs for governor.
1994 – John K. Brown, Wallace Johnson, Roger Fritz, John Sturgeon and David Wolfe establish the Libertarian Party of West Virginia.
1996 – Wallace Johnson ran for WV Governor and received 2.7% of the popular vote. This earned the Libertarian Party Major Party Status in West Virginia—the first non-Democratic/Republican party to be recognized, as such, since 1924.
1998 – William Clem is elected surveyor in Jefferson County.
2000 – Bob Myers ran for WV Governor and received less than 1% of the popular vote. The Libertarian Party selects its candidates by primary election, where Richard Kerr, Bob Myers, John Brown, Joy Johnson, Joseph Whelan and Wallace Johnson are elected as delegates to the Libertarian National Convention. Poochie Myers ran for Secretary of State and received 55,000 total votes. Joseph Whelan runs for U.S. Senate, while Richard Kerr, John K. Brown and Jeff Robinson run for congress.
2003 – Simon McClure successfully challenged the state election law in court, leading to a judgement striking down the effects on registered voters who signed petitions to get third party candidates on the ballot. Before the W.V. Supreme Court handed down its order, persons signing petitions for "third-party" candidates ballot access lost their right to vote in the Primary Election.
2004 – Simon McClure ran for WV Governor. John Leysorek ran for County Commission in Pocahontas County, and came in only 500 votes behind the winner.
2007 – Kirsten Milligan launched an effort to resurrect the party after several years of downtime.
2008 – The LPWV 2008 convention was held on May 11. Several executive committee members were elected, the delegation to the Denver convention was selected, and several resolutions passed.
2009 – The LPWV successfully lobbied for state legislation cutting the number of valid signatures for minor party general election ballot access in half.
2012 – David Moran is nominated as the Libertarian Party of West Virginia's Gubernatorial Candidate; and, the Libertarian Party of West Virginia endorses Gary Johnson for President. The LPWV successfully petitioned the state to place David Moran (Governor) and Gary Johnson / Judge Jim Gray (President / Vice President) on the General Election Ballot. Brent West runs a last minute Write-In Candidate for Mayor of the City of Vienna, WV. David Moran received over 1% of the votes for Governor in the General Election thereby reclaiming Major Party status for the LPWV in West Virginia through and including 2016. ANNUAL CANDIDATE LIST: Gary Johnson, President; Judge Jim Gray, Vice-President; David Moran, Governor; and, Brent West, Mayor (Vienna).
2014 – The LPWV nominates its largest slate of candidates in over 25 years. ANNUAL CANDIDATE LIST: John Buckley, United States Senate; David H. Jones, United States Delegate for WV 2nd District; Patrick S. Smith, W.V. Senate, 12th District; Michael A. Ray, WV House of Delegates 50th District; and, Edward E. Olesh, WV House of Delegates 51st District.
Chairman: Michael S. Wilson, J.D.
Vice Chair: David Moran
Secretary: John Buckley
Treasurer: E. Karl Swisher
At-large Member: Brent West
At-large Member: Luke Brumfield
At-large Member: Steven Haddox
Regional & County Contacts can be found at: http://www.lpwv.org/local_liberty
2011–12: Tom Thacker
2010–11: Tad Britch
2008–10: Matt D. Harris
2007–08: Kirsten Milligan
2004–05: Michael Wilson
2002–04: Richard Kerr
1994–2002: John K. Brown
In 2014, the Libertarian Party of West Virginia established the "Dr. Wallace Johnson Flame of Liberty Award" which is presented to any Gubernatorial Candidate that achieves, or maintains, Major Party Status for the Libertarian Party in West Virginia. This award is in the memory of Dr. Wallace Johnson, the first Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate to meet the statutory requirements to gain Major Party status for the Libertarian Party in the Mountain State!
Recipients:
1996: Dr. Wallace Johnson
2012: Dr. David D. Moran
