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The Libertarian Party achieved major party status this year, and as such you will see Libertarians on the ballot in June and November. That success is due in large part to former Gov. Gary Johnson’s 2016 presidential run. But this is only half the story.

New Mexicans all across the state are continuing to join the party, and their gains are nearly as large as the Republican and Democrats in absolute terms and crush them in percentage gains. According to the Secretary of State Office’s data, on March 31, 2017, there were 6,093 registered Libertarians. In the office’s most recent release April 30, the number has increased to 8,231. That’s a 35 percent increase, or an absolute increase of 2,138. Over the same period the Republicans and Democrats have seen less than a 1 percent increase in registered members with the Republicans getting the largest absolute gain with 3,826 members.

What is the driver of this growth even after the enthusiasm of a presidential campaign has long subsided? It’s simple: People are tired of the animosity and vitriol that the two major parties exhibit on a daily basis, and they are realizing that the Libertarian party aligns with their personal and political beliefs. Most polls find anywhere from 20-25 percent of people have Libertarian ideals, and this sentiment is strongest among millennials who are now the largest voting bloc in the nation. More recently the number of Americans who would be willing to vote for a third party is trending upward, with polls often showing that number around 60 percent.

Now for the reasons you should join the Libertarian Party. The party is truly a fiscal conservative party. Libertarians will cut government spending and reduce the massive amount of debt the nation has amassed in the last two decades under both Republicans and Democrats. This is the best way to keep more of what you earn in your pocket and send less to Washington to be wasted. We are classical liberals when it comes to your natural and constitutional rights. We understand the government’s proper role is the preservation of your rights, and we don’t selectively pick which rights we defend and for whom those rights should be defended. We don’t believe police should be arresting people and putting them in prison for victimless crimes. We believe that government should for the most part get out of your way and let you open a business without making you get 10 different permits from 10 different government agencies.

And finally, you should join the party because we believe strongly in the power of the individual. We know that with a couple thousand determined individuals we can change this state and this nation and set it on a track that all can be proud of. Live free!

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