Ken Mattes

Ken Mattes
Secretary Libertarian Party of Illinois
Sep 23, 2022—
Chapter Secretary McHenry County Libertarians
Feb 8, 2021—
Chapter Secretary Fox Valley Libertarian Party
Dec 1, 2021—Feb 28, 2024
Personal Details
Birth:	(1979-11-26) November 26, 1979 Woodstock, Illinois, USA
Education:	2005 - A.S., Business, McHenry County College
Occupation:	Transportation Entrepreneur
Residence:	Algonquin IL
Party:	Libertarian (2017-Present)
Facebook:	Facebook
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Kenneth Martin Mattes (b. 26 Nov. 1979) is the Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Illinois and Chapter Secretary of the McHenry County Libertarians.

He is a transportation entrepreneur in the same-day delivery industry and an FAA licensed commercial drone pilot.

Libertarian Background/Influences

Ken's interest in outsider politics was sparked by observing non-conventional humor on popular media during the 1990s, including Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Ken was introduced to libertarianism in 2002 by his late best friend Brian who had found the Neal Boortz show on the radio by accident. Boortz later described a call to the show from Ken as 'serendipitous' when Ken asked what Neal thought of Gary Johnson, whom Neal was about to mention he had booked as a guest. Ken was a renegade volunteer supporter of Johnson in 2016, placing yard signs and collecting ballot petition signatures without being asked to by anybody except for the LPIL state party website. Ken officially joined the Libertarian party in 2017 and surreptitiously collected signatures again in 2018 and 2020 before joining the local chapter.

Ken was an active participant at the National Convention 2022, serving as Illinois' Delegate to the Platform Committee and singing in the first National Party Choir, in addition to being one of the 34 Illinois delegates.

While serving as Secretary of the Libertarian Party of Illinois, Ken spearheaded an initiative to record the State Party documents in a centralized database.

Organizational Positions

Libertarian National Committee

• Illinois Platform Committee Delegate, National Convention 2022
• Illinois Platform Committee Alternate, National Convention 2024 (elevated to Delegate due to vacancy)

Libertarian Party of Illinois

• Secretary (2022-)
• Delegate, National Convention 2022
• Delegate, National Convention 2024

McHenry County Libertarians

• Precinct committeeman (2020-)
• Chapter Secretary (2021-)

Fox Valley Libertarian Party

• Chapter Secretary (2021-2024)

McHenry County Emergency Management Agency

• Search and Rescue Volunteer (2021-)
• Mentor (2022-)
• Presidential Volunteer Service Award (2023, 2024)

Political Dynasty

Ken is a distant relative of Charles Watson-Wentworth, the patron of the Rockingham Whigs who twice served brief periods as Prime Minister of Great Britain during the American Revolution.

Ken's uncle also served briefly as Vice President of the Maine East High School Young Republicans Club under then President Hillary Rodham (Clinton).

Political Campaigns and other Volunteerism

• Danny Malouf for U.S. Senate (2020)
• Ashley Shade for North Adams City Council (2021)
• Thomas Quiter for U.S. Senate (2022)
• Feena Bonoan for U.S. Senate (2022)
• Nathan Madden for Arizona LD-25 (2024)
• Feena Bonoan for U.S. Senate (2024)
• Chase Oliver for President (2024)

Ken is also a frequent blood donor for The Red Cross and a volunteer member of the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency.

Political Campaigns (as self)

• McHenry County Board (2022)
• McHenry County Circuit Clerk (2024)

Other Libertarian Achievements

• Member, Libertarian National Party Choir (2022, 2024)
• Libertarian Rookie of the Year Award, Illinois Convention 2022
• Convention M.V.P., Illinois Convention 2024