Convention Resources
Links to the forms listed in the Conventions Reference Sheet:
Oath of Affiliation of Political Party (updated 2/25/08)
Certification of Nominees for the November General Election
Conventions Reference Sheet for County Chairs 2010 Election Cycle
(Last updated 2/8/2010)
Conventions Reference Sheet for County Chairs 2010 Election Cycle
(Last updated 2/8/2010)
County Chairs were elected at the March 2008 conventions or were appointed by the State Chair sometime thereafter. The official list of county chairs is online at:
http://lptexas.org/content/county-parties-and-campus-groups
The “conventions” described below aren’t big parties or galas. They are legally required meetings where candidates for public office are nominated, county officers are elected, and delegates to later conventions are selected. You can hold conventions where your normal county meetings are, or at a library, restaurant, or even at your house. In some cases (like small counties), a convention may consist of just one person. The paperwork required seems bureaucratic, but serves the purpose of documenting the attendees and nominees.
Frequently, people make mistakes with the paperwork. Don'tworry! Things generally work out anyway. Call the cell phone numbers of these emergency contacts, even during or
after your conventions, for real-time help.
The “conventions” described below aren’t big parties or galas. They are legally required meetings where candidates for public office are nominated, county officers are elected, and delegates to later conventions are selected. You can hold conventions where your normal county meetings are, or at a library, restaurant, or even at your house. In some cases (like small counties), a convention may consist of just one person. The paperwork required seems bureaucratic, but serves the purpose of documenting the attendees and nominees.
Frequently, people make mistakes with the paperwork. Don'tworry! Things generally work out anyway. Call the cell phone numbers of these emergency contacts, even during or
after your conventions, for real-time help.
Emergency Contacts:
1. Robert Butler, Executive Director: director@lptexas.org; 512-758-9134
2. Arthur DiBianca, Assistant Director: adibianca@austintx.net; (512) 707-2809 (home)
3. Pat Dixon, Chair: chair@lptexas.org; (512) 771-3936
I. Accept Applications for Nomination
1. You will receive an Application for Nomination from each candidate for county and precinct office (e.g. County Commissioner, Sheriff, Tax Assessor). The deadline for
these forms is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, January 4, 2010.
These forms must have been notarized. [Note: Candidates for district (e.g. State Rep, US Rep, District Attorney) and statewide office should send applications to
the State Chair. If you get one of these, copy it and forward the original to the State Chair.]
2. By January 14, 2010, send List of Candidates who have Filed Applications for Nomination to the Secretary of State.
3. Send a copy of the list to the State Chair.
II. Oversee Precinct Conventions
1. By February 26, 2010, post a Notice of Convention for your Precinct Conventions on the bulletin board used for notice of your County Commissioners' meetings. [TIP: You can
hold all precinct conventions for a county at one central location. Note, these are voting precincts, not commissioner precincts.]
2. Post a Notice of Convention for your County Convention at the same time. (Technically, the deadline is March 3 for the County Convention notice, but it's easier to post them
both at once.)
both at once.)
3. By February 26, 2010 (same day), send a copy of both notices to the County Clerk.
4. On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, starting at 7 PM, hold Precinct Conventions. Customarily, the first attendee from each precinct is named Precinct Convention Chair.
5. Each Precinct Convention Chair should fill out a Roster of Participants. These lists serve as lists of delegates to the County Convention.
6. Participants sign party Oath of Affiliation and have their Voter Registration Card stamped “LIBERTARIAN.”
7. If a participant does not have his Voter Registration Card, issue a Certificate of Party Affiliation.
8. Preferably make two copies of each Roster of Participants right away. Otherwise, by March 12, 2010, you should receive from each Precinct Convention Chair a signed original and one copy of the Roster of Participants.
9. Precinct Convention Chairs send one copy of the Roster of Participants to the State Chair. [You can do this easily if you collected them all at the central precinct conventions.]
III. Hold County Convention
1. On Saturday, March 13, 2010, hold a County Convention. (Notice required to be posted earlier: see above.)
2. Appoint a Convention Secretary to take minutes.
3. People on the precinct Roster of Participants forms are automatically delegates.
4. If any delegates were not at the precinct conventions, they must sign a party Oath of Affiliation and have their Voter Registration Card stamped “LIBERTARIAN.” If they do
not have their Voter Registration Card, issue a Certificate of Party Affiliation.
5. Nominate candidates for public office. Only candidates who filed the Application for Nomination are eligible. “None of the Above” (NOTA) is always a choice.
Candidates need not be present. Texas LP Rules specify a detailed voting process. If there is only one candidate for the position, those rules have little impact. If NOTA
wins, there will be no LP nominee for that office. [On rareoccasions participants think a candidate is so bad they vote for NOTA to avoid a nomination.]
6. Elect a County Chair (and other officers, if your county has them).
7. Elect delegates to the District and State Conventions.
8. Send a copy of the minutes of your County Convention to State Chair.
9. By April 2, 2010, send signed copies of Certification of Nominees for the November 2010 General Election for county offices to County Clerk and State Chair.
10. By April 2, 2010 (same day), send signed copies of Certification of Nominees for the November 2010 General Election for district offices to Secretary of State and State Chair.
IV. Support District Conventions
1. By late February 2010, the LPT State Secretary will notify County Chairs of the need to hold District Conventions. District Conventions are for offices that have districts with boundaries crossing more than one county (State Board of Education, some State Rep, some State Senate, and some U.S. Congress offices). Note, these multiple districts can be confusing and may require attending multiple conventions in a single day (usually at one place, though), so stay in contact with the Secretary for details.
2. On Saturday, March 20, 2010, District Conventions are held; place to be coordinated by Secretary and County Chairs.
3. Select District Convention Chair and Secretary.
4. Nominate candidates who filed an Application for Nomination using the same procedure as County Conventions.
5. By April 9, 2010, District Convention Chair should send signed copies of Certification of Nominees for the November 2010 General Election to Secretary of State and State Chair.
State Convention is Saturday, June 12, 2010 at the Radisson Austin North Hotel.
General Election is Tuesday, November 2, 2010.
Addresses and Instructions for Sending Forms Note, you may mail, fax, or scan and e-mail these forms.
Please follow up with a call to confirm the documents were received.
Secretary of State, Elections Division
PO Box 12060, Austin, TX 78711-2060
PHONE: (800) 252-8683
FAX: (512) 475-2811
(Also mail hard copy if faxing; mailing “registered with return receipt” recommended, but not required.)
Patrick Dixon, State Chair
Libertarian Party of Texas
PO Box 41059, Austin, TX 78704-0018
Fax: 512-233-0613
Your County Clerk
Consult your phone book. Links to some found here:
www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/links.shtml#County
[Note: In some small counties, someone besides the County Clerk’s office may be responsible for receiving forms.]
County Chair Addresses: http://lptexas.org/content/county-parties-and-campus-groups
List of Forms
1. Application for Nomination
2. List of Candidates Who Have Filed Applications for Nomination
3. Notice of Conventions
4. Roster of Participants
5. Oath of Affiliation of Political Party
6. Certificate of Party Affiliation
7. Certification of Nominees for the November General Election
These forms are available online at:
Rules governing the Libertarian Party of Texas:
1. State Law (Texas Election Code), particularly Chapters 181 and 141:
www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/el.toc.htm
2. Libertarian Party of Texas State Rules:
LPTexas.org/rules.shtml
3. Some county affiliates have additional by-laws.
4. Robert’s Rules of Order.
Other Suggested References:
Secretary of State Elections Division website:
www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml