Wake Libertarians Oppose 'Smoking Ban’

At its recent annual county convention, the Libertarian Party of Wake County formally denounced the "public places" smoking ban proposed in House Bill 259 as a further abrogation of private property rights. The bill “refers to private business property as ‘public places… shared by all persons,’ in contradiction to the idea of private property” Wake Libertarians said in their resolution.

Strong supporters of individual rights, including property rights, members of the Libertarian Party are still struggling to meet the state's petition signature requirements to re-qualify for a place on the NC ballot. Under the revised election laws, if a Libertarian gubernatorial candidate gets at least 2 percent of the vote in 2008 the party would stay on the ballot for the four years following that election. Dr. Michael Munger, Duke University political science department chair said he can make that happen. Munger is seeking the Libertarian gubernatorial nomination in 2008. “I can get two percent, of the vote, maybe 52 percent,” he told the Wake Libertarians.

The petition to help the NC Libertarian Party get back on the ballot is available on the party’s web site, www.lpnc.org.