It’s a historic time for the Libertarian Party in Oklahoma, because its newfound recognition as a political party by the state government means that Libertarian candidates will appear on the ballot as Libertarians for the first time since 2000, and the Oklahoma gubernatorial primary ballots will feature the Libertarian Party for the first time in the party’s history. KRMG radio in Oklahoma City highlighted this positive new choice for Oklahoma voters in an Aug. 1 article.
“It appears that for the first time in eighty years, Oklahoma’s gubernatorial primary elections in 2018 will feature candidates from three parties,” wrote KRMG journalist Russell Mills in the article. “As of March, 2016 the Libertarian Party is officially recognized by the state of Oklahoma, and its candidates can appear on ballots.”
The Oklahoma LP collected more than 42,000 signatures in 2015 and 2016 to secure ballot access — a tremendous undertaking that ensures Oklahoma voters will be able to vote for Libertarian candidates who are identified by the party label on their ballots.
“While independents have occasionally run for the office – and even affected the outcome – the last time a third, officially registered political party ran a candidate for governor was when the Prohibition Party ran a man named John Lesley Lanham (the year was 1938, six years after Prohibition was repealed),” Mills continued. “The Libertarians’ names … are Rex Lawhorn, a Broken Arrow businessman, and Chris Powell, an evidence specialist for the Oklahoma City Police Department.”
