Libertarian Party of Florida
The Libertarian Party of Florida, or LPF, is the state of Florida's official affiliate with the Libertarian National Committee. The organization was founded in 1987 and its executive committee was incorporated in 2012.
Voter Registration
Libertarian voter registration in the state of Florida has experienced significant growth.Year | Registered Voters | Voter gain/loss from previous year |
1994 | 3,585 | |
1996 | 5,509 | 1,924 |
1998 | 7,037 | 1,528 |
2000 | 9,462 | 2,425 |
2002 | 11,852 | 2,390 |
2004 | 13,806 | 1,954 |
2006 | 15,533 | 1,727 |
2007 | 14,860 | 673 |
2008 | 16,883 | 2,023 |
2010 | 17,888 | 1,005 |
2012 | 19,892 | 2,004 |
2014 | 23,665 | 3,773 |
2016 | 25,030 | 1,365 |
2017 | 31,449 | 6,469 |
Local chapters and affiliates
County affiliates:- Alachua County
- Bay County
- Bradford County
- Brevard County
- Broward County
- Clay County
- Collier County
- Columbia County
- Duval County
- Hillsborough County
- Lake County
- Lee County
- Leon County
- Manatee County
- Miami-Dade County
- Monroe County
- Okaloosa County
- Orange County
- Osceola County
- Palm Beach County
- Pinellas County
- Polk County
- Santa Rosa County
- Seminole County
- Suwannee County
- Volusia County
Elections
2016 elections
In 2016, the Libertarians held their first statewide primary, for US Senate. The race was between attorney Augustus Sol Invictus, who was controversial for his alt-right cultural views in addition to having sacrificed a goat and consumed its blood, to the point of then-chairman Adrian Wyllie resigning, and veteran Paul Stanton, who won by a nearly 50% margin.2014 elections
In 2014, the Libertarian Party ran their first state executive ticket, with Adrian Wyllie for governor, Greg Roe for lieutenant governor, and Bill Wohlsifer for attorney general. The Wyllie/Roe ticket garnered 3.8% of the vote, a record for the Libertarians in Florida. Wohlsifer got under that, with 2.9% of the vote. The highest percentage that the Wyllie/Roe ticket got in a county was in Citrus County, where they received 7% of the vote.Down ballot, Lucas Overby got the second highest percentage a Libertarian has ever gotten in a house election, with 24.74% of the vote. Many people at the time attributed it to the lack of a Democrat on the ballot.
Statewide and Congressional Election Results
Year | Office | Candidate | Popular votes | Percentage |
2000 | 11th Congressional District | Charlie Westlake | 27,197 | 15.4% |
2004 | 11th Congressional District | Robert Johnson | 31,579 | 14.1% |
2004 | 21st Congressional District | Frank Gonzalez | 54,736 | 27.2% |
2010 | United States Senate Class 3 | Alexander Snitker | 24,850 | 0.46% |
2012 | 1st Congressional District | Calen Fretts | 11,176 | 3.3% |
2014 | 19th Congressional District Special Election | Ray Netherwood | 3,729 | 3.7% |
2014 | 13th Congressional District Special Election | Lucas Overby | 8,893 | 4.84% |
2014 | Governor | Adrian Wyllie | 223,356 | 3.8% |
2014 | Lieutenant Governor | Greg Roe | 223,356 | 3.8% |
2014 | Attorney General | Bill Wohlsifer | 169,394 | 2.9% |
2014 | 13th Congressional District | Lucas Overby | 55,318 | 24.74% |
2014 | 19th Congressional District | Ray Netherwood | 6,671 | 2.7% |
2010–2012 elections
In 2010, the LPF had a statewide candidate on the ballot for the first time with Alexander Snitker for U.S. Senate.In the 2012 election, Libertarian Party of Florida candidates included Calen Fretts for Florida's 1st congressional district, Peter Richter, Franklin Perez, and Jonathan Loesche for Florida House of Representatives. The LPF also had several candidates for county and municipal races statewide.
In 2012 the Libertarian Party of Florida was sued by Franklin Perez, the 2012 Libertarian candidate for the Florida State House of Representatives, for not refunding a candidate filing fee that political parties receive after the LPF de-vetted him and removed him from the party's state website. The courts awarded Perez $620.
Presidential Nominee Results
Since 1972, the Libertarian Party has run a candidate for President of the United States. The candidate who has received the highest vote total in Florida was Gary Johnson in 2016. In every election year after 1984 the Libertarian Party has gained ballot access in FL.Year | Nominee | Votes |
1976 | Roger MacBride | 103 |
1980 | Ed Clark | 30,524 |
1984 | David Bergland | 754 |
1988 | Ron Paul | 19,796 |
1992 | Andre Marrou | 15,079 |
1996 | Harry Browne | 23,965 |
2000 | Harry Browne | 16,415 |
2004 | Michael Badnarik | 3,502 |
2008 | Bob Barr | 17,220 |
2012 | Gary Johnson | 44,726 |
2016 | Gary Johnson | 207,043 |
Elected Public Officials
Past and present public officials from the Libertarian Party of Florida include:- Randall Holcombe, Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, 2000-2006
- Scott McPherson, mayor, New Port Richey, 2008-2011
- Thomas W. Glaser, Governor's Holocaust Education Commission, 2004-
- Jared Grifoni, city council, Marco Island, 2016-
- Martin Sullivan, city council, Frostproof, 2015-
- Crystal Turner, city council, Hampton, 2014-
- Jamie Beckett, city commission, Winter Haven Seat 4, 2009-2013
- Dennis Lipp, town council, Loxahatchee Groves Seat 5, 2009-2011
- Gary Gerstein, community council, Fischer Island Seat 161-B, 2014-
- Keon A. Grayson, community council, North Central Seat 83, 2016-
- Marialexandra Garcia, Supervisor Community Development District, Islands at Doral III Seat 4, 2016-
- Marco Alvarez, Jr., Supervisor Community Development District, Century Gardens Village Seat 1, 2016-
- Kenneth Mertz, Port Authority Board, Fernandina Beach, 2002-2010
- Janet Hawkins, Port Authority Board, Seminole County, 1997-2002
- Bob Rettie, Zoning Board Vice Chair, Fort Walton Beach, 2002-2006
- Steven A. Reid, Board of Adjustment Chairman, Gainesville, 2004-2010
- Michael Ferber, Board of Adjustment, Fort Lauderdale, 2002-2010
- Mark Clifford, Parks and Recreation Board, Seminole County, 2002-2004
- Matthew Bymaster, Soil and Water Board, Palm Beach County Soil and Water Group 2, 2016-
- Bruce Reichert, Soil and Water Board, Collier County Soil and Water Seat 1, 2015-
- Marc Tancer, Supervisor Soil and Water Board, Palm Beach Seat 1, 2015-
- Larry Frego, Soil and Water Conservation District, St. Johns County Group 2, 2010-2014
- Greg Gimbert, Soil and Water Board, Volusia County District 2, 2014-
- Ron Skrutski, Soil and Water Board, Lee County Seat 2, 2010-2014
- J. Adam Mitchell, Soil and Water Board, Collier County Seat 4, 2008-2012
- Adam Mitchell, Soil and Water Board, Collier County Seat 4, 2008-2012
- Howard Horowitz, Soil and Water Board, Palm Beach County Seat 4, 2008-2012
- Jeff Hunt, Soil and Water Board, Duval County Seat 2, 2008-2012
- Jack Tanner, Soil and Water Board, Lee County Seat 4, 2008-2012
- Kim Hawk, Soil and Water Board, Lee County Seat 5, 2006-2010
- Tom Clark, Soil and Water Board, Lee County Seat 3, 2006-2010
- Bob Waterhouse, Soil and Water Board, Charlotte County, 2006-2014
- Frank Longo, Soil and Water Conservation Board Vice Chair, Palm Beach County Group 2, 2002-2008
- Phil Blumel, Soil and Water Board, Palm Beach County Seat 4, 2002-2008
- Michael Barr, Soil and Water Conservation District Chairman, Seminole County, 2002-2006
- Brad Cline, Soil and Water Board Secretary, Palm Beach County Seat 4, 2002-2008
- Leslee Berryman, Soil and Water Conservation District Secretary, Seminole County, 2002-2006
- Dean Concannon, Soil and Water Conservation District, Seminole County, 2002-2006
- Carol Morris, Fire District Board, Fort Myers Seat 3, 2014-
- Jim Culberson, Taxing District, Sebastian Inlet Area 5, 2004-2014
- Richard D. Paul, Mosquito Control District, Lee County Area 4, 2014-
- Tracy Lundquist, Hospital Authority, West Volusia County Group A Seat 1, 2008-2012
State Conventions