Bylaws Committee MeetingThe Bylaws Committee met all day Tuesday to consider whether various proposals should be recommended to the full convention. The committee completed its review of the proposals on its agenda, and plans to meet Wednesday only to approve its report.The committee approved changes in the following areas:
Platform Committee MeetingThe Platform Committee met all day to consider what amendments to recommend to the full convention. The committee approved changes to a number of planks, mostly of a stylistic nature. Significant changes of a non-stylistic nature were:
The committee will consider additional changes on Wednesday. |
Bylaws Committee MeetingThe Bylaws Committee met briefly Wednesday morning. It made minor revisions to some of the proposals approved Tuesday, decided on an order of presentation of the proposals, and approved its report.Platform Committee MeetingThe Platform Committee met all day Wednesday, considering additional amendments.The committee's final report includes proposed modifications to the following platform planks and sections:
Credentials Committee MeetingThe Credentials Committee met to review the delegate lists submitted by the state affiliates.State Chairs MeetingAbout two dozen state chairs and several members of the Libertarian National Committee met in the morning for an informal review of party business.The National Chair, the National Director, and the Office Manager presented information on the party's direct-mail recruiting program "Project Archimedes", fundraising, and other functions of the national office, and answered questions posed by the state chairs. Then about half of the chairs gave brief reports of party activity in their respective states. After lunch, chairs from additional states gave such reports. This was followed by longer presentations on five specific topics, each given by a representative of a state which has had particular success in that area: "professionalism", "infrastructure", "outreach", "volunteers", and "political activity". National Committee MeeetingThe Libertarian National Commitee met for about four hours in the afternoon. Most of the business consisted of review of past activities. No significant policy decisions were made. This was the last meeting of the current term of the LNC. The newly-elected LNC will have its first meeting on Sunday after the convention adjourns. |
Morning SessionConvention business began after introductory speeches and the keynote address, at about 11:30.The Credentials Committee reported on its examination of the delegate lists. All 51 affiliates sent lists. The committee recommended inclusion of various individuals for whom addresses had not been sent but whose addresses had since been determined, and individuals whose addition had been requested by affiliate parties at the last minute. The committee reported that 387 delegates and 122 alternates had registered so far. The committee's report was accepted without objection. A separate motion by the state chair of California to add several alternates from that state was also approved. The agenda was amended to allow 15 minutes Thursday afternoon for consideration of an amendment to the Statement of Principles, and to allow candidates for party officer positions five minutes each to address the convention during their nomination process. The Treasurer presented a report which included highlights of recent financial statements plus information about the recent audit, FEC reporting, pre-funding of projects, and the year-2000 problem. Ballots were distributed for the first platform plank retention vote. Afternoon SessionThe session began at about 14:50 with consideration of the proposal to amend the Statement of Principles. The proposal received 331 votes, short of the 392 required based on the delegate registration numbers reported at the beginning of the session. Business continued with consideration of the Bylaws Committee report:
Consideration of the Bylaws report will continue on Friday morning. |
Morning SessionIt was announced that all Platform planks were retained as a result of the initial retention vote.A number of changes to the delegate list were approved without objection. Consideration of the Bylaws report continued:
Afternoon SessionSeveral changes to the delegate list were approved without objection.Consideration of the Platform Committee report began:
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DAILY SUMMARIES VOTE CHARTS |
Morning SessionConsideration of the Platform report continued:
Afternoon SessionRequests from several states to add to the delegate list were approved.Nominations for Chair began with a speech for NOTA. Gene Cisewski was nominated by Steve Kubby and seconded by Janice Presser and Lorenzo Gastenaga. David Bergland was nominated by Harry Browne and seconded by David Nolan and Barbara Goushaw. Each candidate also gave a speech on his own behalf. Vote: Bergland 350, Cisewski 241, NOTA 14, abstain 4, write-in Steve Dasbach 3. [state by state vote] The election of officers will continue on Sunday morning. |
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DAILY SUMMARIES VOTE CHARTS |
Election of officers continued:
Hugh Butler was nominated for Vice Chair by David Bergland and seconded by Robert Franke and Jim Dexter. Gene Cisewski was offered in nomination but he declined. Butler gave a short speech on his own behalf and was elected on a voice vote. Ben Bachrach was nominated for Secretary by Mary Ruwart and seconded by Tim O'Brien and Fred Collins. Carol Moore was nominated by Lorenzo Gastenaga and seconded by Natalie Lloyd and Jim McLaughlin. Steve Givot was nominated by Michael Cloud and seconded by Jo Jorgensen and Steve Dasbach. Each candidate spoke briefly on his or her own behalf. Mark Tuniewicz was nominated for Treasurer by Jon Coon and seconded by Ken Krawchuk and Geoff Neale. Tuniewicz gave a short speech on his own behalf and was elected on a voice vote. The results of the first ballot for Secretary were: Givot 186, Moore 156, Bachrach 76, NOTA 8, write-in for Howard Stern 1, abstain 1. [state by state vote] Because no candidate received a majority, a second vote was held between Givot and Moore. The results of the second vote were: Givot 209, Moore 182, NOTA 27, abstain 4, write-in Bachrach 1, write-in Tamara Millay 1. Givot was elected on a third vote conducted by standing count: Givot 192, NOTA 118. In the election for at-large members of the LNC, Bill Hall was nominated by Barbara Goushaw, Mary Ruwart was nominated by Steve Dasbach, Don Gallick was nominated by Mark Tuniewicz, Mike Hihn was nominated by Jim Dexter, John Buttrick was nominated by Tom Rawles, Mike Dixon was nominated by John Brown, Jim Lark was nominated by Bill Redpath, Gary Johnson was nominated by Mary Gingell. Seven people were nominated for the seven positions on the Judicial Committee and were elected together on a voice vote: Dean Ahmad, Bruce Baechler, Steve Dillon, Len Flynn, Bruce Lagasse, Eric Lund, David Nolan. A resolution calling on the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against Clinton and Gore was adopted. The at-large LNC members elected were: Lark, Ruwart, Hall, Buttrick, Dixon. [state by state vote] The convention adjourned at about 14:20. |