Trevor Step is the political director of the Libertarian Party of Michigan.
Leah Dailey is 1st vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Michigan. Center, Jake Bassett, a candidate for Wexford County sheriff.
Jake Bassett
Logo of the Libertarian Party of Michigan
Record-Eagle stories focusing on the Grand Traverse area’s 2024 elections and related issues:
TRAVERSE CITY — The Libertarian Party recently announced a full slate of 52 candidates in Michigan. They are vying for a wide range of offices — from U.S. president to Blair Township trustee.
Twelve of those 52 candidates are running for local offices in northern Michigan, including six in Grand Traverse County, three in Wexford County and one in Antrim County.
“We are very hopeful that some of our candidates in your area, as well as the U.P., will win in November,” said Trevor Step, 39, LPMI political director. “Simply put, we offer voters a choice that is distinctly different from the Republicans and Democrats in quite a few ways.”
LOCAL RACE HIGHLIGHTS
In Grand Traverse County, Libertarian Michael Gorbe is running against incumbent Sheriff Michael Shea, a Republican. (No Democrats have filed for that office in the Nov. 6 general election.)
In the race for county treasurer, Libertarian Kimberly Dowlan is running against Republican Jamie Callahan, a newcomer who defeated incumbent Sarah Gum in the Aug. 6 primary election.
Meanwhile, Zachary Dean is running for county drain commissioner on the Libertarian ticket against incumbent Andy Smits, a Republican.
In Blair Township, Libertarian Dawn M. Draper is running against Republican Tracie Campbell for township treasurer. Two Libertarian candidates are also running for Blair Township trustee: David Clark and Cory Dean.
In Antrim County, Matthew Lundy is running for drain commissioner against incumbent Leslie Meyers.
Farther south in Wexford County, three Libertarians are on the ballot: Jake Bassett is running for sheriff, Katelynn Ingraham is running for treasurer and Christina Byron is running for register of deeds.
In Michigan House District 104, Libertarian Tyler Glenn Lautner is running against incumbent John Roth (R-Interlochen) and Democrat Larry Knight.
“This is a great year to vote Libertarian,” said Leah Dailey, LPMI first vice-chair. “I encourage voters to find out more about us.”
WHAT LIBERTARIANS BELIEVE
The Libertarian Party was officially founded in December 1971 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As of May 2024, it is the third-largest political party in the United States by voter registration, according to Ballotpedia, a nonprofit research firm.
As the name implies, Libertarians seek “a society based on liberty and responsibility … in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives” to ensure “the inalienable rights (to) life, liberty and property ownership.” (Source: 2024 LPMI platform)
Michigan Libertarians strongly oppose federal government intervention in state, local or personal affairs, saying: “The state government has no duty to enforce federal laws not authorized by the US Constitution, and which do not protect the life, liberty, or property of Michiganders. Federal agents enforcing such acts and powers in Michigan must face state level criminal prosecution.”
The party advocates for a partial-year legislature and for eliminating the state senate. It also calls for abolishing “emergency powers” that “incentivize the governor to grab tremendous powers and implement draconian measures,” as seen during the COVID pandemic, they say in their platform.
Because Libertarians believe that “taxation is theft,” they propose repealing the income tax, personal property tax and sales tax.
Concerning other key topics, Libertarians condemn all forms of discrimination, oppose mandatory union membership, support gun-ownership rights and oppose using force “to achieve social or political goals.” They also call for repealing all laws that criminalize actions between consenting adults.
BEYOND THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
The current two-party political system is unhealthy for America because “it turns people against each other and demands black-or-white answers to every problem,” LPMI spokesman Step said.
“Sometimes the best solutions are not government solutions,” he added. “On the local level, we hope to eliminate a lot of the red tape and regulations that are no longer needs or too onerous on ordinary people.”
This year, both Democrats and Republicans have used lawsuits to try to keep third-party candidates off the ballot in many states, hoping to eliminate even the slightest threat to their electoral victory, Step said.
A case in point: On Saturday, a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that independent presidential candidate Cornel West must appear on the November ballot. The ruling came after the Michigan Bureau of Elections previously told West that he would not be certified because the affidavit of identity he submitted was not properly notarized. The judge also rejected the state’s findings that West’s affidavit was incorrectly notarized.
The Bureau of Elections is part of the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, which is headed by Democrat Jocelyn Benson.
West’s candidacy in Michigan was challenged by the state Democratic Party, Benson and a voter backed by a Democratic-aligned political action committee, according to the Associated Press.
Moreover, the Michigan court decision in favor of West came a day after he lost a legal challenge to appear on the Pennsylvania ballot. It also came just hours after third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent campaign for the White House and endorsed Republican Donald Trump.
“The Democrats are fighting to keep the Green Party, independents and the Libertarian Party off the ballot,” Step said. “They and their big PACs belittle any idea that is outside their narrative — outside their 3×5 index cards of allowable speech.”
To read the full 2024 platform of the Libertarian Party of Michigan, visit: michiganlp.org/platform/.
For a full list of the LPMI’s 2024 national, state and local candidates, visit: michiganlp.org/2024-candidates/.
