Libertarian Party of North Carolina

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Libertarian Party of North Carolina
Basic facts
Location:	Raleigh, N.C.
Type:	Political party
Affiliation:	Libertarian Party
Top official:	Ryan Brown, Chair
Website:	Official website

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina is the North Carolina political party affiliate of the national Libertarian Party. The group is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Party chair

Ryan Brown

As of April 2024, Ryan Brown was identified as the party chair for the Libertarian Party of North Carolina.

Party leadership

The website for the North Carolina Libertarian Party listed the following individuals as the party's state leadership as of April 2024:

• Ryan Brown, Chair
• Sean Haugh, Vice chair
• Dee Watson, Secretary
• John Wise, Treasurer

For more information on the party's full leadership and staff, please click here.

Party platform

The party's current platform is composed of the following issues:

Personal freedom and individual rights

• War on drugs
  "Since the beginning of the LPNC, we have called for the end to the policy of drug prohibition. While we do not advocate the use of recreational drugs, it has become obvious that the enforcement of drug prohibition is more harmful to society than the legal use of recreational drugs could ever be. We call for the legalization of all recreational drugs and the pardon of individuals convicted solely on nonviolent drug charges."
• Immigration
  "The LPNC welcomes immigrants and migrants. People who are not U.S. citizens should enjoy equal treatment under the law, regardless of their immigration status. No official of the State of North Carolina should cooperate with or assist federal officials in enforcing federal laws which infringe on the liberty of travel, residence, and employment, such as immigration and emigration laws, mandatory identification papers, and work permits."
• Self defense
  "The LPNC acknowledges every individual's inalienable right to choose to own and carry firearms or other means of self-defense, without government licensing, registration, monitoring, or interference of any kind. We also acknowledge the right of individuals to form organizations which are dedicated to voluntary cooperative defense. We oppose any law which attempts to conscript such organizations into government service."
• Marriage and domestic relationships
  "The LPNC calls for the immediate repeal of all laws that encourage or discourage any sexual or family relationships among consenting adults. Additionally, we call for the state to leave marriage and domestic relationships to religious institutions or private contracts."
• Privacy
  "The LPNC opposes any attempts by government to collect information on the people, except in the constitutionally required performance of its duties. All personal information gathered by government must be kept confidential, and not used or shared except directly for the purpose for which it was gathered."
• Cryptography
  "The LPNC maintains that the safety, security, privacy, and integrity that cryptography achieves should not be encumbered, limited, or weakened by government. We contend that a free market pursuing quality and innovation in the best interest of its customers should never be forced to betray the trust of those customers by being compelled to weaken or degrade its offerings."
• Death penalty
  "The LPNC opposes execution of prisoners. State-sanctioned revenge never serves the cause of justice."
• Free association
  "The LPNC supports the right of individuals in any commercial or social circumstance to associate or not to associate with others as they see fit."

Economic freedom, the free market, and social cooperation

• Education
  "The LPNC supports the separation of school and state. Where taxpayer dollars are allocated to education, the disposition of each student’s share should be determined by that student’s family. Parents should have full control over how their children are educated."
• Transportation
  "The LPNC proposes giving private enterprise the opportunity to come up with innovative transportation solutions without government interference. Current roads should be maintained by private enterprise until such time as they can be transferred to private ownership."
• Healthcare
  "The LPNC calls for the elimination of all legislation or government regulation that coerces or limits people's choices in pursuing their own healthcare. We call for the elimination of public health services paid for through taxation in favor of more responsive, more efficient private charitable care with its long history of positive outcomes."
• Occupational licensing
  "The LPNC wants to foster more numerous, accessible, and equitable economic opportunities by eliminating state occupational licensing requirements. Broader access would offer greater opportunity for both producers and consumers, especially the economically and politically disadvantaged. We trust that enhanced competition would be more responsive to individual consumer needs and allow for a better distribution of resources."
• Pollution
  "Pollution causes harm to people and property on a mass scale. The LPNC calls for the repeal of all laws that protect polluters from full liability for their actions. Those responsible for acts of pollution must provide full restitution to their victims."
• The ABC and the state lottery
  "The LPNC calls for state government to cease operation of business in otherwise banned services such as alcohol distribution and gambling (lottery). The notion that lottery profits go to otherwise tax-funded education is a fraud upon the people. Private enterprise will serve customers of such services better and more fairly."
• Corporate welfare
  "The LPNC opposes any action by state or local government to subsidize the costs of private business. The free market is far more efficient than government at deciding which businesses most benefit North Carolinians."
• Welfare
  "The LPNC envisions a society based on individual responsibility. Government welfare programs have created a system that encourages dependency and is subject to abuse and corruption. Once people are free to keep all the money they earn, they will be able to offer direct individual aid that is truly compassionate. The LPNC favors ending government welfare programs as quickly as possible."
• Zoning and property use
  "The LPNC calls for the repeal of all zoning ordinances. In their place, we uphold the rights of private owners to use and develop their property as they see fit, and the rights of their neighbors to be protected from any direct harm caused by such use. We call for the elimination of all laws that dictate to homeowners how they will build, inhabit, or use their property, and of all regulations that increase the costs of housing. We encourage people to establish private contractual relationships that promote harmonious land use and development."
• Annexation
  "No person shall have a government forced upon them without consent. The LPNC rejects the ideas of involuntary annexation and extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Where governments exist, persons must retain the right to join or leave them voluntarily without repercussions."
• Local government monopolies
  "The LPNC challenges local and county governments to allow private solutions for basic needs. We call for free and open competition in all areas that have been previously reserved to government-granted monopolies, including but not limited to utilities, police, and fire protection."

The role of government

• Taxation
  "The LPNC recognizes that all people have the basic right to keep the fruits of their labor and enterprise. Taxation is by its very nature a coercive and destructive act against the people. The costs of government should be paid by voluntary means only."
• Bonds
  "The LPNC calls for state and local governments to take action to pay off existing bonds as quickly as possible, and refrain from the issuance of new bonds."
• Federal grants
  "The LPNC calls for state and local governments to turn away all federal grants and the restrictions and mandates that come with them. We call on the federal government to release control and funding over these programs to the state and to the people."
• Redistricting
  "The LPNC supports a redistricting process conducted by an independent, nonpartisan agency for all local, state, and federal districts. The process should be open and transparent. It should involve significant public input with the opportunity for citizens to weigh in on proposed district maps."
• Ballot access
  "The LPNC believes that the General Assembly should enact no law abridging the right of a constitutionally qualified person to be presented to the electorate via the ballot. The members of the General Assembly, being incumbents, should not “tip the scales” to favor themselves and their parties by imposing any burden on others beyond minimal administrative procedures."
• Political contributions
  "The LPNC calls for an end to all limits on a person’s right to support the constitutionally-eligible person of his choice. The right to freedom of expression must include the unrestricted right to pay for dissemination of one’s opinion."
• Write-in votes
  "To have free and fair elections, voters must be able to choose any person who is constitutionally eligible for office. The LPNC calls for the repeal of NC's general ban on write-in voting. Accordingly, we call for the restoration of the requirement to offer a write-in slot on the ballot for every election to office. We proclaim that incumbents must stop picking and choosing which votes to count."
• Candidate nominations
  "The LPNC holds that a political party, not the State, should be the sole determiner of who runs under its banner in an election. Parties should be able to select their candidates in any manner they choose, including primaries, conventions, caucuses, nominating committees, or even drawing straws. If the party decides to use primaries, that party and that party alone should conduct and pay for them."
• Electoral administration
  "The LPNC advocates amending state law to provide a process enabling unaffiliated voters to serve on boards of election. The interests of unaffiliated voters—now a significant proportion of voters in North Carolina—are unrepresented on the State and County Boards of Election, as current state law bans unaffiliated voters from being appointed."
• Criminal law
  "The LPNC calls for repeal of all statutes that assert a crime has been committed in cases where no specific victim or damage to property can be identified. We also call for the immediate pardon of those convicted under such laws. The proper focus of a system of criminal justice is to require criminals to provide restitution to the victims of their crime. We recognize the right of the victim to come to a private settlement with, or even pardon, the criminal."
• Jury nullification
  "The LPNC recognizes the right of juries to judge not only the accused, but also the law through jury nullification. We favor requiring judges to inform juries of this right."
• The police
  "The LPNC calls for an end to warrantless searches of any kind, including homes or cars. The LPNC calls on local and state governments to reject the militarization of police forces, including the acquisition of military hardware. We call for investigation of all police officers involved in incidents in which a suspect is harmed, with the full consequences any non-officer would face."
• Body camera records
  "Police body camera records should be available upon request to any person."
• Recording in public
  "Individuals enjoy an absolute right to record anything in any public space with photo, sound, video or any other means, including but not limited to recording law enforcement."
• Government immunity
  "The LPNC believes that no government official, even when acting in pursuance of his official duties, should have immunity from the law."
• Takings
  "The LPNC maintains that individuals’ justly-acquired property is theirs, and theirs alone, to direct, utilize, and dispose of as they see fit. We oppose preemptive and forceful takings, such as civil asset forfeiture—including sharing in such forfeitures—eminent domain, and involuntary taxation. We support commensurate restitution for individuals whose property has suffered demonstrable harm or loss of value because of government action or regulation."
• Legislation
  "The LPNC challenges the General Assembly to write bills that cover only one topic and that can be easily understood. We oppose riders, unrelated amendments, or any other attempt to pass legislation without a clear, open, and public consideration of the proposed law."
• Sale of government lands and assets
  "The LPNC calls for state and local governments to privatize lands and assets. We call for a fair and open process to liquidate these lands and assets at maximum value. The proceeds from these sales should be used to eliminate bond debt."
• The North Carolina National Guard
  "The LPNC opposes the unconstitutional deployment of the North Carolina National Guard as an instrument of U.S. foreign policy. Neither the NCNG nor any member should be released from the state into active duty combat unless the U.S. Congress has declared war pursuant to Article I, § 8, Clause 15 of the U.S. Constitution, and only for the express and explicit purposes enumerated in the Constitution, to “execute the Laws of the Union,” repel an invasion, or suppress an insurrection. We call upon the N.C. General Assembly to enact legislation prohibiting deployment of the state National Guard unless Congress and the President of the United States have complied with this constitutional mandate."

Party rules and bylaws

See also: Bylaws and Rules of the North Carolina Libertarian Party

The state party is governed by a set of rules and bylaws. Typically, these give structure to the different levels of organization—local, county, and state committees—and establish protocol for electing committee members. The bylaws also typically give details on the party's process for nominating and sending delegates to the national party convention during presidential elections. The following is a summary of the North Carolina Libertarian Party's rules. This summary focuses on the structure and governance of the party:

• The goals of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina are to support local and national Libertarian candidates, increase party visibility, and coordinate local affiliates.
• Party officers include the chair, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary.
• The executive committee is the governing body of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina.

Party candidates

Note: The following table lists candidates who filed to run for office with this political party in a given year. This may also include candidates who filed to run with more than one political party. The list may not be comprehensive if the state's official filing deadline has not passed. This list may not populate if no candidates have filed to run with this political party. The table lists non-presidential candidates who filed to run for office with this political party in a given year. For more information on presidential candidates and elections, please click here.

Using the tools at the top of the table, you can increase the number of candidates shown on your screen or scroll through the table to view additional candidates. To report an error, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

North Carolina

2025 North Carolina Libertarian Candidates

candidate	office	party	status	Election Date
Rob Yates	Mayor of Charlotte	Libertarian	On the Ballot General	Nov 4, 2025

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

See also

• List of political parties in the United States
• Political parties in Nevada
• Libertarian Party
• North Carolina

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• North Carolina Libertarian Party Website
• North Carolina Libertarian Party on Facebook
• North Carolina Libertarian Party on Twitter