Most candidates from a party other than Republican or Democrat in 100 years!

Jackson, Mississippi - Voters across Mississippi will see more competitive ballots this November, with 17 Libertarians filing qualified statements of intent to run for office in the Hospitality State.

Twelve Libertarian candidates for state representative and five Libertarian candidates for state senate will contest the races to represent their communities in Jackson, providing a libertarian choice to voters across the state, according to Libertarian Party of Mississippi Executive Committee Member, Vicky Hanson. 

In 2019, the Libertarian Party fielded just fifteen candidates combined in Mississippi, Virginia, New Jersey, and Louisiana, the four states that hold their legislative elections during the odd-year before a Presidential election. According to Richard Winger, editor of Ballot Access News, “That is the largest number of legislative candidates any party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, has run since 1923, when the Socialist Party was active in the state.”

Mississippi consistently ranks among the least politically competitive states, with over 77% of seats uncontested in 2019’s legislative elections. The state affords citizens interested in running for office just one month to file their qualified statements of intent, the first step to eventually appearing on the ballot. 

“Repealing the grocery tax, making it easier to open charter schools, and legalizing cannabis for adults are all policies that will make things better for all Mississippians,” said Nicholas Sarwark, executive director of the Libertarian Policy Institute. “The people who stepped up to run know the importance of giving voters a chance to vote to remove these barriers to prosperity that establishment politicians have put in place.”

Wes Benedict, senior advisor to the Libertarian Policy Institute, led this instance of the Golden Spike Project as a candidate recruitment specialist. “Running for office takes time and money,” said Mr. Benedict. “I’m proud of these Libertarian candidates who want nothing more than to make life better for all Mississippians.”

In 2022, the Libertarian Policy Institute—a registered 501(c)(4) non-profit—recruited over 140 candidates in four states with onerous restrictions and a historical lack of political competition through its Golden Spike Project.

The Libertarian Policy Institute is the leading organization dedicated to recruiting, training, and amplifying libertarian activists and empowering individuals to solve the problems their communities face. For more information, visit libertarianpolicy.org.

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