Arizona Libertarians shame both wings of Demopublican Party

Noting that the Arizona Libertarians have achieved major party ballot status in their state, Third Party Watch reports that this means they are legally eligible to participate in their own primary on Super Tuesday.

These entrepreneurial Libertarians, however, have given the whole process a new twist:

Unlike the Democratic and Republican parties, Arizona Libertarians aren’t conducting their election process in the traditional polling booths or at taxpayer expense.

“This is believed to be the first time in U.S. history that a state-wide election has been held via the Internet, only,” stated party chairman Michael Kielsky in a press release.

Additionally, Maricopa County election officials have estimated that the Libertarian Party election will save “Arizona taxpayers over a million dollars by sparing them the costs of printing, distributing, collecting and counting Libertarian ballots.”

I spoke with Kielsky on the telephone a couple of hours ago. When asked how much this online election will cost the Arizona Libertarian Party, he responded “about a grand.”

The Libertarians report that they have had to overcome some technical and security problems, but anticipate both a high turn-out and an accurate result.

This raises an important question: Why is it the fiscal responsibility of the States to run party primaries?

Comments

Paul Smith Jr. said…

Assuming the question isn't merely rhetorical, as I recall, states took over the running of primaries in an attempt to open up the process to voters. I agree with the point I think you're making: what business is it of the government's how parties pick their candidates?

February 3, 2008 at 8:40 PM

Steven H. Newton said…

That's part of my question, all right. The other part is why I, as a taxpayer, am footing the bill for any of it beyond necessary (by law) FEC oversight.

February 3, 2008 at 8:46 PM

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