LPM Online December 2008

___________________________   December 2008

CALENDAR

December 1 - Tri-Cities area

Tri-Cities Libertarian Party Monthly Meeting - Meeting at 7:30 but join us at 6:30 for dinner and lively discussion before the meeting. Location: Damon´s Restaurant on Tittabawassee Rd. in Saginaw . Contact Dick Jozwiak 989-922-5226, Jozie@mail.com

December 3 - Washtenaw County

LP of Washtenaw County Monthly Business Meeting -7:00-9:00 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact Tom Bagwell, 734-678-5040, lpwcchair@yahoo.com, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

December 3 - South West Michigan

LPSWM Executive Committee Meeting - 6:00 - 6:50 pm at IHOP, 1981 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor. Guests are welcome.  Followed by:

Round Table Political Forum hosted by the LP of South West Michigan. 7-9 pm at The  Livery, 190 Fifth St , Benton Harbor. Visitors are welcome to participate.

Contact Bill Bradley, 269-637-4525, secretary@lpswmich.org

December 9 - Capital Area

Capital Area LP Monthly Meeting - 7 pm at former LPM office, 2722 E Michigan Ave, Ste 22, Lansing (park and enter in back). Contact Will Tyler White, 517-349-3806, whitewi5@msu.edu

December 10 - Macomb County

Monthly Meeting of the Libertarians of Macomb County .  All members of the Libertarian Party, their friends and family, and anyone interested in learning more about the LP are invited to attend.  The meeting begins at 7:30 but feel free to join us for good food and conversation at 6:30 pm at the Loon River Café, 34911 Van Dyke Ave , Sterling Heights . Contact Jim Allison, jim.e.allison@gmail.com

December 13 - Oakland County

Holiday Party - This yearly tradition begins at 7 p.m. and is for all LPOC members. It's held instead of our monthly meeting, and is again being graciously hosted by the Eisenbacher family at their lovely home, 1863 Lakewood Dr , Troy . In the Holiday spirit of giving this event will be a potluck, so please arrive with your favorite seasonal dishes, treats and libations.  Join your fellow Libertarians at the home of one of our most prominent elected officials, where we´ll celebrate and begin planning for the New Year.  For further info, please contact Bruce Hoepner at 248-219-3303, bahoeps@sbcglobal.net. 

Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to all.

December 16 - St. Clair and Sanilac Counties

Monthly Meeting - LP group meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month starting at 7 pm. Dinner starts at 6:30.  Huron Athletic Club, 319 Huron Ave (downtown),  Port Huron .  Contact Mark Byrne, 810-987-9856, iwantska@hotmail.com

December 17 - Washtenaw County

LP of Washtenaw County Social/Work Meeting -6:00-9:00 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact Tom Bagwell, 734-678-5040, lpwcchair@yahoo.com, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

January 5 - Tri-Cities area

Tri-Cities Libertarian Party Monthly Meeting - Meeting at 7:30 but join us at 6:30 for dinner and lively discussion before the meeting. Location: Damon´s Restaurant on Tittabawassee Rd. in Saginaw . Contact Dick Jozwiak 989-922-5226, Jozie@mail.com

January 7 - Washtenaw County

LP of Washtenaw County Monthly Business Meeting -7:00-9:00 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact Tom Bagwell, 734-678-5040, lpwcchair@yahoo.com, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

January 7 - South West Michigan

LPSWM Executive Committee Meeting - 6:00 - 6:50 pm at IHOP, 1981 Pipestone Rd. , Benton Harbor. Guests are welcome.  Followed by:

Round Table Political Forum hosted by the LP of South West Michigan. 7-9 pm at The  Livery, 190 Fifth St , Benton Harbor. Visitors are welcome to participate.

Contact Bill Bradley, 269-637-4525, secretary@lpswmich.org

January 13 - Capital Area

Capital Area LP Monthly Meeting - 7 pm at former LPM office, 2722 E Michigan Ave, Ste 22, Lansing (park and enter in back). Contact Will Tyler White, 517-349-3806, whitewi5@msu.edu

January 14 - Macomb County

Monthly Meeting of the Libertarians of Macomb County .  All members of the Libertarian Party, their friends and family, and anyone interested in learning more about the LP are invited to attend.  The meeting begins at 7:30 but feel free to join us for good food and conversation at 6:30 pm at the Loon River Café, 34911 Van Dyke Ave , Sterling Heights . Contact Jim Allison, jim.e.allison@gmail.com

January 14 - Oakland County

Monthly Meeting of the LP of Oakland County . 6:30 pm dinner, 7:30 meeting. Sila´s Restaurant, 4033 W. 12 Mile (2 blocks east of Greenfield ), Berkley . Contact Bruce Hoepner, 248-219-3303, bahoeps@sbcglobal.net

January 18 - Libertarian Executive Committee

Strategy session and meeting - Everyone is invited to participate in a strategy session from 2-4 pm at the LPM office, Columbia Center II, 101 W Big Beaver Rd, Ste 1400 , Troy .  The LEC meeting will take place immediately after from 4-5 pm, which, as always, is open to the membership. For information, contact Bill Hall, chair@michiganlp.org

January 20 - St. Clair and Sanilac Counties

Monthly Meeting - LP group meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month starting at 7 pm. Dinner starts at 6:30.  Huron Athletic Club, 319 Huron Ave (downtown),  Port Huron .  Contact Mark Byrne, 810-987-9856, iwantska@hotmail.com

January 21 - Washtenaw County

LP of Washtenaw County Social/Work Meeting -6:00-9:00 pm at Classic Cup Cafe, 4389 Jackson (In the Parkland Plaza west of Ann Arbor). Contact Tom Bagwell, 734-678-5040, lpwcchair@yahoo.com, or Larry Johnson, michlibertarian@comcast.net

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More...

For more events, see the online calendar at:
http://www.mi.lp.org/Shared%20Documents/Calendar.aspx

NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS

Libertarian Party of Michigan general election candidates ran their strongest races in many years.  We contested all statewide races (Supreme Court, educational boards, US Senate) and Congressional races (15), plus about one third of the state representative races (32) and many county-level races, for a total of 85 candidates.  Here are the highlights (unofficial vote totals):

Barr/Root received 23,740 votes, 0.4% and slightly more than would have been needed to preserve ballot access if Barr were the only statewide candidate, and third best historically, behind Clark (1980) and Browne (1996), with no state advertising and only one state visit.

Nonpartisan Supreme Court candidate (nominated in convention by the LPM) Bob Roddis received 421,091 votes, 11% and greater than the difference between the winning Democrat and defeated (a surprise!) Republican Chief Justice (never before has a Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice been defeated in a re-election bid).

US Senate candidate Scotty Boman received 76,379 votes, 1.6% and the best showing since Jon Coon´s race in 1994, and many more votes than the other 3 third party candidates.  He focused considerable effort to draw the votes of Ron Paul supporters.

Our Congressional candidates drew from 0.8% to 4.4% of the vote, eclipsing the previous high water mark in 1996.

Statewide educational board races (8) ranged from a high of 147,736 votes received (Nicole Michalak - Wayne State Univ. Bd. Of Governors) to a low of 91,765 votes received, comparable to the last high water mark, in 1996.

Candidates in the 32 State Representative races drew percentages 50% to 100% higher than in recent elections, ranging from 1.3% to 4.5% in three-way races.  On average, they did slightly better on a percentage basis than the most recent high water mark in 1996, if you don't count Jon Coon's 1996 State Representative showing of 15%.

Two candidates in County level two-way races took between 20% and 30% of the vote, while three took between 10% and 20% of the vote.  John Stedman took the highest percentage, with 24.7% and 55,628 votes in a two-way race for Kent County Sheriff.  Macomb County Commission candidate Erin Stahl drew 10.4% in a three-way race.

Two candidates (Tom Bagwell and Larry Johnson) were elected Ypsilanti Township Park Commissioners in uncontested races (except by write-in challengers).

WELCOME, VOLUNTEERS!

Probably the most important result of our successful election season was finding so many people willing to volunteer for the Libertarian Party of Michigan.  Over 100 people stepped forward and offered to help.   Now that the election is over, you may be thinking, "What can I do now?"  One of the most important ways to build the LP is to get involved in your local affiliate.  Attend local meetings, take a leadership role as an officer, organize public out-reach events--all help build a strong voice for liberty in your community that will pay dividends in future elections.  If there isn´t an active affiliate in your area, why not start one? The LPM will give you the help you need.

The LPM has other volunteer opportunities, too.  For example, we need administrative help in the accounting, technology and communications areas, and with our speakers´ bureau. The LPM is planning several activist training sessions in early spring--one in Troy and one in Grand Rapids -where we will talk more about these opportunities and have volunteer sign-ups.  These afternoon workshops will be for everyone so we can plan what needs to be done and how best to organize our efforts for success in 2010.  Further details will be announced in LPM Online, so check your e-mail box!

Thanks to all our volunteers for making a difference. Feel free to contact Bill Hall with questions, chair@michiganlp.org. We all look forward to working with you to promote liberty in Michigan .

NEWS RELEASE

Voter advocacy groups caution Michigan voters: "Make sure you can vote in future elections!  Find out if your name will be cancelled from the state rolls."

(From LPM member, Will White)

For Immediate Release

Contact: Tia T. Gordon, Advancement Project, 202/728-9557 or 202/906-0149
Jan BenDor, Michigan Election Reform Alliance , 724/484-1744 or 734/478-7546

(December 1, 2008, Detroit Mich. )- More than 143,000 Michigan voters may be at risk of being removed from the voter rolls over the next few weeks because they have been placed on a "cancellation countdown" list.  In August 2006, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land's Bureau of Elections put the registered voters' names on the list based upon the return of nonforwardable mail marked as undeliverable by the post office.  Voter protection groups are encouraging Michigan voters-particularly those individuals who did not vote in the recent presidential election or in the preceding federal primary election-to check their voting status immediately.

To ensure Michigan voters can participate in upcoming elections, Advancement Project and the Michigan Election Reform Alliance (MERA) have created a searchable database of the cancelation list.  Voters can easily check whether they are targeted for cancellation by entering their names on Advancement Project's Web site, www.advancementproject.org.

"We and our community partners at MERA have already done the hard work in advance, by insisting that the Michigan Bureau of Elections disclose these names, as required by federal law, and not continue to hide them from the public.," said Bradley Heard, senior attorney, Advancement Project.  "Now it is imperative that Michigan voters take action right away to make sure they are not purged from the rolls."  

STEPS MICHIGAN VOTERS CAN TAKE TO VERIFY THEIR VOTING STATUS

Michigan voters who may be at risk of being purged from the rolls should take the following steps immediately:

1.       Voters should visit www.advancementproject.org immediately and enter their names in the searchable database. 

2.       If voters find their names listed, they should immediately complete a new voter registration form and deliver it to their city or township clerk. Voters may also visit a Secretary of State Branch Office to complete a new form, or they may download a form at www.michigan.gov/vote and then mail or deliver it to their city or township clerk.

3.       Once voters have completed a new voter registration form, they should contact their city or township clerk within three weeks to make sure that their records have been updated and that they no longer appear on the cancellation countdown list.

The Bureau of Election's 2006 purge effort has remained largely under a cloak of secrecy, and officials have refused to respond to several of the voter protection groups' concerns regarding the manner in which the purge program was conducted.  For example, MERA Statewide Coordinator Jan BenDor noted that a study that her group conducted of East Lansing voters marked for cancellation in the 2006 purge effort revealed that about 25 percent were in fact properly registered and should not have been marked for cancellation.

"Canceling voter registrations solely on the basis of returned mail can be highly inaccurate," BenDor said.  "Mail to a registration address can be returned by the post office for many reasons that have nothing to do with the validity of a voter's registration.  That's why it is imperative for Michigan voters who have not recently voted to check this cancellation countdown list and, if they are on it, to take steps now to make sure they get off of it."

Michigan residents can learn more information about their voter registration status by calling (888) SOS-MICH or (888) 767-6424, or by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center Web site at: http://www.michigan.gov/vote.

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Advancement Project´s core purpose is to develop, encourage, pioneer and widely disseminate innovative ideas and models that inspire and mobilize a broad national racial justice movement so that universal opportunity and a just democracy are achieved.

The organization was founded on the principle that structural racism can be eliminated and a racially just democracy may be attained through multi-racial collective action by organized communities. Advancement Project´s founding team of veteran civil rights lawyers and communications experts have established an organization that informs community organizing with careful legal analysis and strategic communications campaigns. We develop community-based solutions based on the same high quality legal analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras.

The Michigan Election Reform Alliance.Org (MERA) is a non-profit, non-partisan, pro-democracy, grassroots organization dedicated to the realization of election processes that consistently uphold the principles of democracy to ensure the confidence of voters and maximize representation of all citizens of the United States of America.

LPM ONLINE.

is distributed on the first of each month. Send calendar events and news articles by the 25th of the prior month to Emily Salvette, salvette@umich.edu.


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