1996 Libertarian National Convention

1996 Libertarian National Convention

1996 presidential election
Nominees Browne and Jorgensen
Convention
Date(s)	July 5–8, 1996
City	Washington, DC
Candidates
Presidential nominee	Harry Browne of Tennessee
Vice-presidential nominee	Jo Jorgensen of South Carolina

The 1996 Libertarian National Convention was held in at the Hyatt Regency-Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington, DC, during the first weekend in July. Harry Browne was chosen as the party's nominee for president in the 1996 election.

"Declare your Independence" was the theme of the convention.

Libertarians hold a national convention, every two years to vote on party bylaws, platform and resolutions and elect national party officers and a judicial committee. Every four years it nominates presidential and vice presidential candidates.^[1]

Primaries

Some non-binding primary contests were held in some states:

Legend:		1st place (popular vote)		2nd place (popular vote)		3rd place (popular vote)		Candidate unable to appear on ballot

Date	Contest	Candidates and results					Total votes cast	Ref
		Harry Browne	RT Rick Tompkins	IS Irwin Schiff	DO Doug Ohmen	Other/Uncommitted
February 20	New Hampshire	40.1% 653 votes	Unknown Reported as "scatter"	20.7% 336 votes	Unknown Reported as "scatter"	39.2%[a] 638 votes	1,627 votes	[2]
February 27	North Dakota	100% 145 votes	Not on ballot				145 votes
	South Dakota	63.1% 334 votes	Not on ballot	36.9% 195 votes	Not on ballot		529 votes
March 5	Massachusetts	44.4% 386 votes	12.8% 111 votes	7.6% 66 votes	Unknown Reported as "scatter"	35.3%[b] 307 votes	935 votes	[3]
March 19	Illinois	73.9% 1,249 votes	Not on ballot	26.1% 441 votes	Not on ballot		1,690 votes	[4][5]
March 26	California	49.8% 6,730 votes	23.6% 3,189 votes	15.3% 2,064 votes	10.5% 1,421 votes	0.9%[c] 115 votes	13,519 votes
May 14	Nebraska	100% 28 votes	Not on ballot				28 votes
Totals votes earned		51.7% 9,525 votes	17.9% 3,300 votes	16.9% 3,102 votes	7.7% 1,421 votes	5.8% 1,060 votes	18,408 votes
Convention ballot		69.1% 416 delegates	12.3% 74 delegates	5.3% 32 delegates	3.3% 20 delegates	10.0% 60 delegates	602 delegates

Voting for presidential nomination

First ballot

Harry Browne was nominated on the first ballot, gathering a majority of the voting delegates and defeating Rick Tompkins, Irwin Schiff and Doug Ohmen.^[6]

1996 Libertarian Party National Convention total vote count: Round 1

Candidate	Total votes cast	Percent of votes cast
Harry Browne	416	69.1%
Rick Tompkins	74	12.3%
None of the Above	60	10.0%
Irwin Schiff	32	5.3%
Doug Ohmen	20	3.3%
	Color key: 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place 5th place

Voting for vice presidential nomination

The convention voted to suspend the rules and allow a voice vote for the vice presidential nomination. After an initial voice vote led to a roll-call vote, Jo Jorgensen easily prevailed against no opposition, with 36 votes going to None of the Above.^[7]

Voice vote

1996 Libertarian vice presidential nomination

Candidate	Total votes cast	Percent of votes cast
Jo Jorgensen	459	92.7%
None of the Above	36	7.3%
	Color key: 1st place 2nd place

See also

• Libertarian National Convention
• Other parties' presidential nominating conventions of 1996:
  • Democratic
  • Republican
• Libertarian Party of Colorado
• U.S. presidential election, 1996

Notes

1. Includes:
   • 10.8% write-ins for Pat Buchanan (176 votes)
   • 6.3% write-ins for Forbes (103 votes)
   • 22.1% for other write-ins (359 votes)
2. Includes:
   • 237 votes (27.2%) for Uncommitted
   • 70 votes (8%) reported as "scatter"
3. 115 write-ins for Ralph Nader

References

1. Libertarian Party Bylaws Archived 2008-06-05 at the Wayback Machine
2. Winger, Richard (March 6, 1996). "Ballot Access News -- March 6, 1996". Ballot Access News. Vol. 11, no. 13. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
3. "1996 President Libertarian Primary". state.ma.us. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
4. Winger, Richard (April 3, 1996). "Ballot Access News -- April 3, 1996". Ballot Access News. Vol. 12, no. 1. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
5. Winger, Richard (May 28, 1996). "Ballot Access News -- May 28, 1996". Ballot Access News. Vol. 12, no. 3. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
6. "Libertarian Convention Nomination Speeches". C-SPAN Video Library. July 6, 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
7. "Libertarian Convention Acceptance Speeches". C-SPAN Video Library. July 6, 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012.

External links