Who was the first Libertarian you voted for and why?

[dbakerman76]

For me it was Harry Browne back in 2000. I was a Republican before that.
I became disenchanted with the party's pandering to the religious right. I had always been taught the lie that the Republicans were the party of small government. It couldn't have been further from the truth. They were for big government as much as anyone else. However, they wanted big government run by Republicans whereas the Democrats wanted big government run by Democrats.


I thought Harry had a chance of breaking a million votes or more that year. But all the 3rd party attention was focused on Nader. The end result being that our message went unheard by the majority of the American public.

 

[eudaimonia]

I think I voted first for for Andre Marrou, though not because I was impressed with him personally (I was much more impressed with Harry Browne), but because I was a new Libertarian and I wanted to vote for a Libertarian presidential candidate.

Like you, I'm irritated by the media's focus on Ralph Nader to the exclusion of Harry Browne. Sometimes I wish America had a parlimentary system like Sweden, which has seven "major" parties that work in coalitions. I'll bet in a system like that, the Libertarians would have 5-10% of the vote by now.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Unedited]

I've never voted before, but I will be this November.

Carl Kramer for Governor!

 

[Radio Frequency X]

Harry Browne in 2000. Though, I couldn't vote for that idiot Badnarick. I actually voted for Bush *yuck* in 2004. I thought, between him, Kerry, and Badnarick, Bush was actually the best pick.

 

[dbakerman76]

Harry Browne in 2000. Though, I couldn't vote for that idiot Badnarick. I actually voted for Bush *yuck* in 2004. I thought, between him, Kerry, and Badnarick, Bush was actually the best pick.

I'm with you on Badnarik. I had been contributing to Gary Nolan's campaign and thought he was a far better candidate for the presidency. I remember watching the LP convention on C-Span and cringing at the nomination of Badnarik. I ended up doing the same as you and voting for Bush.

 

[Izdaari]

John Hospers and Toni Nathan in 1972, the first year I was eligible to vote and the first year the LP was on the ballot. I had the privilege of meeting both of them and even having some long conversations. They were both very pleasant and likable, as well as extremely intelligent.

 

[Yoshieslunchbox]

In Oklahoma, the state with the harshest ballot access regulations, I've never even been able to vote for a Libertarian candidate for president. This is the first election in the past several years that a Libertarian has been on the ballot for any office at all.

 

[Revoltingest]

I voted for Roger MacBride in 1976.
Why? He was the only presidential candidate representing libertarian values.

John Hospers and Toni Nathan in 1972, the first year I was eligible to vote and the first year the LP was on the ballot. I had the privilege of meeting both of them and even having some long conversations. They were both very pleasant and likable, as well as extremely intelligent.

I voted for McGovern that year. His best feature was that he wasn't Richard Nixon.
I don't recall Hospers being an option.

 

[Tarheeler]

I can't remember the first one I voted for (it was a local race over a decade ago), but the latest was Dr. Michael Munger for NC governor in 2008. Technically I voted for a republican for president in 2008; I wrote in Ron Paul.

 

[Yoshieslunchbox]

I wrote in Ron Paul

Well Ron Paul was more libertarian than Bob Barr.

 

[seeker69]

After becoming disillusioned by the Republican Party, I first voted for Andre Marrou in 1992. I even became a dues paying member of the party and participated in an abortive attempt at organizing a Campus Libertarian group at Southern Miss. There was 4 or 5 of us and we all graduated that year. I’ve since become somewhat disillusioned with the Libertarian Party as well and have come to embrace Voluntaryism. Although I do still vote as an act of defense, I usually write in my name or a friend’s name. I know it’s pointless but it makes me feel like I’ve done something.

 

[Crystallas]

After becoming disillusioned by the Republican Party, I first voted for Andre Marrou in 1992. I even became a dues paying member of the party and participated in an abortive attempt at organizing a Campus Libertarian group at Southern Miss. There was 4 or 5 of us and we all graduated that year. I’ve since become somewhat disillusioned with the Libertarian Party as well and have come to embrace Voluntaryism. Although I do still vote as an act of defense, I usually write in my name or a friend’s name. I know it’s pointless but it makes me feel like I’ve done something.

:yes:
I was at the convention in Chicago that nominated Marrou, and I voted for him in 92 for President.

Andre Marrou was okay, nothing like Ron Paul or Gary Johnson along with the other libertarians that we are seeing pop up today. The field is just so much better today, and it's a wonderful thing, because we reach out to both sides of the aisle and have fine tuned so many aspects of the modern ideology.

 

[Sand Dancer]

I am sorry to say that I haven't. I almost voted for Gary Johnson, but voted for Romney instead. I thought it might matter, but I guess it didn't. Now I wish I had. I did vote for Ron Paul in the primary.

 

[dawny0826]

Gary Johnson and only because he was the first Libertarian on a ticket that I COULD vote for. He's not the first that I've supported.

 

[crossfire]

Technically I voted for a republican for president in 2008; I wrote in Ron Paul.

I wrote in Ron Paul in 2008, too. I voted for Michael Badnarik in 2004, since there wasn't anyone worth voting for on the ballot. Johnson last time around.

 

[Izdaari]

I've been a member of the Libertarian Party since 1972, and 2/3 of the time since then I've voted LP for president. I did that again last year, for Gary Johnson, whom I also favored for the GOP nomination before he dropped out of that.

I expect I will always vote LP from now on, so long as I live in WA at least, which is a Democratic stronghold, so it's unlikely my vote could ever change the result. That being the case, there's no downside to voting for the one I actually agree with.