For NC State Auditor, is a Libertarian an Independent?

Unaffiliated and other 3rd party voters are 32% of registered voters nationwide(1, 2). In North Carolina, we are 38%. The Libertarian Party is the largest party among this block of "outsider," or "independent" voters.

I am a registered Libertarian because I agree with Libertarian principles; our election laws favor having a party affiliation over having none; and Libertarians are independent of the Rs and Ds. In the role of a State Auditor, this independence is crucial.

Like others who refuse to be limited to just D or R choices, Libertarians can be hard to pigeonhole. Maybe best known for supporting the Bill of Rights, Libertarians were early leaders in recognizing equality for women, racial minorities, and other people disenfranchised by our government.

Libertarians' believe that:

• people should govern themselves as long as they do not inflict harm on others

• all people have natural rights such as bodily autonomy

• civil liberties should include very broad freedom of association

In all these beliefs, the role of the state is limited. Libertarian ideas are "classically liberal" as represented by thinkers like John Locke, Adam Smith, Rene Descartes, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine among others. More current names associated with Libertarians include Milton Freidman and Thomas Sowell.

And of course Bob Drach.

In the race for North Carolina State Auditor, there are 3 choices - me, a Democrat (D), a Republican (R).

I am the outsider in this race. If people want an independent Auditor, then I am the best choice. If people vote their convictions in this election then we win as well.

Help me to get this message out. Please make a small-dollar donation, or volunteer to distribute my campaign materials to your neighbors.

Notes:

(1) per Ballotpedia.org

(2) a recent Gallup poll showed as many as 43% identified as Independent