Maine LP submits Declaration of Intent to become a political party

Jorge Maderal

The Maine Libertarian Party has submitted a Declaration of Intent with the Secretary of State to become a recognized political party.

The LPME has until December 1, 2015 to register 5,000 Libertarian voters to become a recognized party.

“The Libertarian Party of Maine has submitted a letter of intent to form a political party and it has been accepted by the Secretary of State of Maine”, said state chair Jorge Maderal. 

“This is only a small step of a year long process to register 5,000 Maine residents as Libertarians in the state of Maine. We are excited at the renewed interest the party is receiving in Maine and see 2015 as a pivotal year for Libertarians in Maine and the United States.”

If the party does become recognized, to maintain it’s ballot access, the party must caucus in 14 of the 16 counties in the state and hold a convention in the election year, and have at least 10,000 party-registered voters participate in the 2016 general election.

The party would retain ballot access for two general election cycles.

Also, the party can maintain ballot access if the 2016 LP Presidential candidate gets 5%.

Before the law was changed last year, it used to be much more difficult to become a recognized party in Maine, as a party needed to collect signatures equal to 5% of the votes for the top-of-the-ticket office in the previous general election. In 2012, over 29,000 signatures were needed for the party petition. The party petition had only been used once successfully, by the Reform Party in 1995.

Candidates can also get on the ballot in Maine by petitioning individually for the office.