CHARLESTON, WV - Today, August 1, 2012, David Moran (2012 Libertarian Party Gubernatorial Candidate for West Virginia) and Michael S. Wilson, J.D. (State Chairman of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia) presented 10,246 signatures to the West Virginia Secretary of State to secure Libertarians a place on the 2012 General Election Ballot in 'The Mountain State'.
Under West Virginia State Code §3-5-23 and §3-5-24, anyone running for office as a Independent or Minor Party Candidate must obtain signatures from registered voters in the state totaling at least one percent (1%) of previous General Elections votes cast for the office in which the candidate is currently seeking. For example, in 2008 the votes cast for Office of Governor was 706,046, so David has to obtain 7,060 valid signatures to appear on the ballot this November (in turn the 2008 Presidential number was 713,451, and thus Gary Johnson must obtain 7,135 valid signatures for ballot inclusion).
The Libertarian Party of West Virginia (LPWV) has fought for nearly three (3) decades to obtain and promote a fair and unbiased political process in WV, and 2012 is no exception. Through the dedication of a few passionate Libertarians, the support of the Libertarian National Committee and the guidance of William Redpath (former LP Chair, Treasurer and current Ballot Access Coordinator), we have moved one step closer to Liberty in the Mountain State.
In the final moments of the petition deadline, outside the Secretary of State's Office, Michael Wilson (State Chair of the LPWV) commented, "We have sacrificed many hours, expended our limited resources and continued fighting to ensure that West Virginia has a choice at the polls this November." He expanded, "This process [Minor Party Ballot Access] creates an undue burden on the few - in West Virginia - who are willing to stand up for our state and speak for the people and their future. It is a frivolous expense of the tax revenue, only to silence those who speak against the established, yet ineffective, current political system here in our state!"
While the LPWV has completed the petitioning process, and submitted above the requisite amount of signatures to comply with state code, we still face the process of validating the signatures (a process which is ambiguous under current codified language). In order for Libertarian Candidates to appear on the WV General Election Ballot, held nationally on November 6th, the Clerks of the County Court must 'validate' 7,153 of the submitted 10,246 signatures (a 69.64% validity) for all candidates to appear at the polls.