2 party politics, Gov Taft's acts found unconstituional aginst LIBERTARIANs

By Gary K. Sweeney

Then Sec of State, Bob Taft, ignored courts orders to list the Libertarin Party's name on the ballots of Libertarian candidates. The state is now wasting more tax monies by take this case the a higher court, all in the name of keeping the Libertarian name off the ballot.

With the Ohio Primary less than a month away, questions are being asked about what is going to happen in relation to the fact that the primary is being held earlier than normal this year. Some are worried that the unpredictable local weather could effect the voter turnout.

Gary Sweeney says, " The smart voters will not worry about getting soaked on election day if the weather turns bad. They will put on rain gear and turn out in droves to vote Libertarian, because they are tired of being soaked by the Demo/Repub. everyday of their lives, not just Election day."

More worrisome than the weather is weather or not the Libertarian Party Primary ballots will be available to voters to choose from. "I call on the local Boards of Elections and the Secretary of State of Ohio to reassure the Citizens of Ohio that come March 7th, all ballots will be available at their local polling places", said Sweeney.

With a Federal Magistrate ruling that then Secretary of State, Bob Taft, now Governor, was unconstitutional in his acts by forbidding the Party tag of Libertarian on past ballots, it does not seem too far fetched that ruling parties might manipulate the voting process. "I have many unconfirmed reports from former poll workers and others that have stated that the Libertarian ballot might not be offered or available on March 7th for the voters to choose from, denying the Libertarian Party ballot access."

This year after collecting over 72,000 valid signatures the Libertarian party gained ballot access and are now running close to 100 candidates across Ohio.

"The State of Ohio is still wasting tax monies by pursuing this issue to the Supreme Court, all in the name of disallowing the Citizens of Ohio to vote for a labeled Libertarian candidate. Anyone can see how the upcoming primary ballot, the first for the Libertarian Party, can easily be manipulated to overlook the Libertarian Party under the guise of the "newness" of the 3 party process. In other words I fear they will just leave our ballots out and the citizens will not have the opportunity to have a real choice in the upcoming March primary. Steps must be made to ensure that the voters, many of which are independents, understand that this year there are more than just the Democrats and Republicans to choose from."

Gary Sweeney has run as an "un-labeled" Libertarian for Cincinnati City Council and for Ohio 34th State rep in 1994, and is the current Libertarian candidate for the 34th Ohio State rep.