RALEIGH – The Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) said in a statement released today that it “is deeply disappointed, though hardly surprised, with the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) decision yesterday to limit the choices of the people of North Carolina in keeping the We the People Party, the Constitution Party, and the Justice for All Party off the ballot in North Carolina.”

It continued, “We resoundingly reject this partisan and anti-American decision that mocks the concept of democracy and destroys any pretense of representative government. Alternate parties and candidates already have a hard enough time working within the rules. This action from the State Board of Elections is just added election interference.”

LPNC Chair Ryan Brown, added, “The NCSBE is another tool in the vast arsenal the Uniparty wields against the majority of North Carolinians. Right now, the Democrats control the NCSBE, so they’re making decisions that benefit their candidates. This is ironic coming from the party that cries about democracy being on the ballot, but not surprising from that same party that arbitrarily only put one candidate on the Presidential preference ballot.”

Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross offered, “If independent voters were not prohibited by statute from being appointed to the NC Board of Elections, this decision would likely have been different. If you agree that it is patently unfair to deny over a third of all voters any say in the administration of election law, then you see how important it is that we vote out the status quo.”

LPNC Communications Director Rob Yates characterized it as, “Just the Uniparty doing Uniparty things.” He continued, “In all seriousness, along with the Republicans, the Democratic party is the most dangerous threat to democracy in North Carolina, but I’m not worried. They got burned earlier this year in the most humiliating fashion for doing the exact same thing. The Democrats didn’t learn their lesson then, or they are willing to eat the fine, but this time I suspect they’ll suffer at the ballot box. People are sick of not being represented, they’re sick of these hack political games the Uniparty plays to disenfranchise them, and they’re sick of the failed Uniparty ignoring them.”

The NCSBE left open the possibility of reversing its decision after further investigating the petitions. The LPNC implores the board to stop this partisan game playing and recognize these three parties.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Rob Yates at press@lpnc.org.

From a LPNC News Release, 27 June 2024.

Note: Reader Allen Johnson of West Virginia shared the following response:

Michael, This is of special interest to me for several reasons, some of which the article addresses. I am challenged and sometimes rebuked when I tell some of my activist friends that I won’t vote for the “lesser of two evils.” One of the typically unrealized potential of a campaign season is for the electorate to raise political issues, some of which the Republicans and Democrats are either in alignment on or refuse to discuss. Third party and independent candidates could smoke these issues out into debate if they were allowed on debate platforms and got fair media coverage. Unless this happens, I see America as having a sham democracy run in large part by a plutocracy.