California Convention 2021
| 2021 Libertarian Party of California Convention | |||
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| Convention | |||
| Dates: | May 14–16, 2021 | ||
| Venue: | Visalia Marriott at the Convention Center | ||
| Media | |||
| Website: | Website | ||
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The 2021 Libertarian Party of California Convention was the 49th annual convention of the Libertarian Party of California. It was held 14–16 May 2021 at The Marriott at the Convention Center in Visalia.
Party Business
This convention heard reports, elected state officers and other members of the state Executive Committee, elected alternate members of the state Judicial Committee, approved changes to the LPC's Bylaws and Platform, endorsed candidates, and adopted resolutions.
Reports
- Chair
- Vice-Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Central Area Coordinator
- Southern Area Coordinator
The Northern Area Coordinator did not present a report.
Elections for LPC Offices
Announced Candidates Prior to the Convention
- Chair: Mimi Robson
- Vice-Chair: Rachel Nyx
- Secretary: Jessica Tewksbury, Matyas Homer, Jillian Olsen
- Treasurer: Paul Vallandigham
- Northern Area Coordinator: Kevin Moore, Jia Christopher
- Central Area Coordinator: Jon Prosser, Tom Nichols
- Southern Area Coordinator: Tara Young, Rajani Maiatico
Summary of Results
- Chair: Mimi Robson
- Vice Chair: Rachel Nyx
- Secretary: Jessica Tewksbury[1]
- Treasurer: Paul Vallandigham
- Northern Area Coordinator: Jia Christopher[1]
- Central Area Coordinator: Jon Prosser
- Southern Area Coordinator: Tara Young
- Executive Committee At-Large (full terms): Kalish Morrow, Cheyne Strawn, Elizabeth Stump, Adrian F Malagon[1]
- Executive Committee At-Large (one-year terms): Wendy Hewitt,[1] Tom Nichols[1]
- Executive Committee At-Large Alternates: Michael Lema, Matthew Butts
- Judicial Committee Alternates: Mark Hinkle, Aaron Starr
Voting Details
The election for Chair was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Mimi Robson | 108 |
| James Ogle | 1 |
| NOTA | 4 |
| Rachel Nyx (write-in) | 1 |
The election for Vice Chair was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Rachel Nyx | 93 |
| Anna Mosashvili | 17 |
| NOTA | 1 |
The election for Secretary was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Jessica Tewksbury[1] | 57[2] |
| Jillian Olsen | 53[2] |
| NOTA | 1 |
The election for Treasurer was by voice vote as there was only one candidate (Paul Vallandigham).
The election for Northern Area Coordinator was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Jia Christopher[1] | 19 |
| Kevin Moore | 15 |
The election for Central Area Coordinator was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Jon Prosser | 22 |
| Tom Nichols | 11 |
The election for Southern Area Coordinator was conducted in one round, using IRV:
| Tara Young | 32 |
| Rajani Maiatico | 12 |
| NOTA | 1 |
There were a total of six at-large positions to be filled on the Executive Committee (four as regularly scheduled, two for the remainder of the term for two members who had been elected in 2020). In the first round delegates were allowed up to six votes, and four candidates received the support of a majority, filling the four full-term slots:
| Kalish Morrow | 79 |
| Cheyne Strawn | 71 |
| Elizabeth Stump | 64 |
| Adrian F Malagon[1] | 53 |
| Rajani Maiatico | 49 |
| Tom Nichols | 48 |
| Wendy Hewitt | 44 |
| Zach Foster | 44 |
| Peter Moulds | 43 |
| Kevin Moore | 40 |
| Michael Noguera | 33 |
The candidate with the lowest vote total was dropped and a second round was conducted with the remaining candidates, with delegates allowed up to two votes, but no candidates received the support of a majority:
| Tom Nichols | 39 |
| Wendy Hewitt | 38 |
| Rajani Maiatico | 37 |
| Kevin Moore | 20 |
| Zach Foster | 20 |
| Peter Moulds | 15 |
The three candidates receiving the two lowest vote counts were dropped, leaving three candidates on the ballot, and a third round was conducted with delegates each allowed to cast up to two votes; two received the support of a majority and filled the remaining (one-year) slots:
| Tom Nichols[1] | 57 |
| Wendy Hewitt[1] | 54 |
| Rajani Maiatico | 48 |
A separate election was held for At-Large Alternates, with delegates allowed to cast up to two votes; two candidates received majority support and were elected:
| Michael Lema | 55 |
| Matthew Butts | 47 |
| Rajani Maiatico | 42 |
| NOTA | 1 |
Members of the Judicial Committee are normally elected in even-numbered years, but there was an election for the newly created position of Judicial Committee alternates; two candidates received the support of a majority and were elected:
| Aaron Starr | 54 |
| Mark Hinkle | 43 |
| NOTA | 8 |
| James Ogle | 1 |
| Harambe (write-in) | 1 |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 These elections were overturned by the Judicial Committee in a ruling issued 18 June 2021. At the 26 June meeting of the Executive Committee the Secretary position was filled by Jillian Olsen, the Northern Area Coordinator position was filled by Jia Christopher, and Wendy Hewitt, Adrian Malagon, Brent Olsen, and Jessica Tewksbury were appointed to fill the vacant at-large positions, of which there were then four as a result of Jillian Olsen becoming Secretary.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The results for Secretary were originally announced as Tewksbury 65, Olsen 61, but it was announced at a later time during the convention that there had been an error in the counting and that the correct numbers were Tewksbury 57, Olsen 53.
Amendments to the Bylaws and Convention Rules
Bylaws Committee
The Bylaws Committee was appointed by the state Executive Committee and consists of Rachel Nyx (chair), John David Ward, Brandon Nelson, James Aragon, and Kenneth Brent Olsen.
Approved Amendments
Recommendation 1, lowering the requirements for amending the bylaws, was adopted without change.
Recommendation 2, requiring that central committee members live in California and be registered Libertarian if eligible, was adopted with three amendments: to add a proviso that the change would take effect at the end of the convention, to restructure the list of requirements to make the intent clear, and to make explicit that life members retain their membership.
Recommendation 3, changing the schedule for the Bylaws Committee to report, was adopted without change.
Recommendation 4, making dues sharing 50% in all cases, was adopted without change.
Recommendation 7, changing Judicial Committee procedures, including requiring a written report and creating the position of JC alternate, was adopted with two changes: to leave unchanged the rule that two JC members may approve considering a case and to remove a phrase about the amount of detail in the report; the language was then further amended to require that in cases involving suspension of membership, if the member requests it, the JC's report be reported to the next convention in executive session.
Recommendation 10, dealing with voluntary resignations of membership, was adopted without change.
Recommendations 5, 6, 8, and 9 were not adopted.
Amendments to the Platform
Platform Committee
The Platform Committee consists of a Coordinator (position currently vacant) and representatives from each county organization.
- Alameda County: Elizabeth Stump
- Butte County: Scott Kent Fowler
- Contra Costa County: Richard Fast, Adrian F Malagon (alternate)
- Kern County: Matthew Butts, Anthony Strauss (alternate)
- Kings County: Cheyne Strawn
- Los Angeles County: Jose Castaneda, Rachel Nyx (alternate)
- Merced County: Michael Noguera
- Orange County: Gary Alvstad, David Naranjo (alternate)
- Riverside County: Rodgir Cohen, Jonpaul Cohen (alternate)
- Sacramento County: James Just
- San Diego County: Joseph DePaul
- San Luis Obispo County: Marvin Byrd
- San Francisco County: Jeffrey Yunes, Gregory Michael (alternate)
- Santa Clara County: Joe Dehn
- Sonoma County: Michael Tischler, Sandra Lockwood (alternate)
- Tulare County: Julian Sprague
Changes: Tyler Braaten was originally appointed to represent Kings County but resigned in March. Becky Freeman was originally appointed alternate from San Diego County but resigned in March. Anthony Fratta was originally appointed to represent Kern County but was replaced in March.
Approved Amendments
Proposals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 were approved as in the Platform Committee's report. Proposal 6 was not approved, but Proposal 7 was approved with an amendment addressing UBI. Proposals 21 and 22 were not approved.
Candidate Endorsements
The following candidates for public office were endorsed at this convention:
- Governor: Jeff Hewitt
- US House of Representatives Joe Dehn
- Hanford City Council: Francisco Ramirez, Cheyne Strawn
Resolutions
Resolutions on the following topics were adopted by the convention:
- in support of medical professionals and researchers
- in support of school choice
Non-Business Program
The following speakers have been mentioned as appearing at this convention:
- Jo Jorgensen - LP 2020 Presidential Candidate
- Spike Cohen - LP 2020 Vice-Presidential Candidate
- Joe Bishop-Henchman - LP National Chair
- Apollo Pazell - LP National Political Consultant
- Marshall Burt - Wyoming State Representative
- Francisco Ramirez - Mayor of Hanford
- Brent Olsen - LPC Vice-Chair
- Wendy Hewitt - Calimesa City Council Member
- Bob Karwin - Menifee City Council Member
- Kalish Morrow - Hanford City Council Member
- Nils Nehrenheim - Redondo Beach City Council Member
- Mike Sertic - President, Advocates for Self-Government
- Ken Moellman - LP National Vice-Chair
Meetings and Panels
county organizing meeting
elected Libertarians panel
Exhibitors
Advocates for Self-Government
California School Choice Foundation
Freeland Press
Historical Preservation Committee
Mises Caucus
Pragmatist Caucus
Radical Caucus
Recordings
Full-session recordings:
| Saturday Morning | |
| Saturday Afternoon | |
| Sunday Morning | |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Photo Albums
Press Releases/Coverage