The Libertarian Party of Illinois is the Illinois affiliate of the Libertarian Party. The current chair is Ray Walden IV. There are eleven Libertarian officeholders in Illinois.

Mission statement Libertarian Party of Illinois mission is: To elect Libertarians to office and move public policy in a libertarian direction.

Key tenets

Key tenets of the Libertarian Party platform include the following:National Platform of the Libertarian Party , Official Website of the Libertarian National Committee. Retrieved on July 25, 2006 Adoption of laissez-faire principles to reduce the state's role in economic government. This would include, among other things, markedly reduced taxation, privatization of Social Security and welfare (for individuals, as well as elimination of "corporate welfare"), markedly reduced regulation of business, rollbacks of labor regulations, and reduction of government interference in foreign trade. Protection of property rights. Minimal government bureaucracy. The Libertarian Party states that the government's responsibilities should be limited to the protection of individual rights from the initiation of force and fraud. Civil libertarianism: Support for the protection of civil liberties, including the right to privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and sexual freedom. Opposition to laws such as affirmative action and some non-discrimination laws in the private sector. Support for the unrestricted right to the means of self-defense (such as gun rights, the right to carry mace, pepper spray, or tasers etc.). Abolition of laws against "victimless crimes" (such as prostitution, seat belt laws, use of controlled substances, fraternization, etc.). Opposition to regulations on how businesses should run themselves (e.g. smoking bans) A foreign policy of free trade and non-interventionism. Support for a fiscally responsible government including a hard currency (commodity-based money supply as opposed to fiat currency). Abolition of all forms of taxpayer-funded assistance (welfare, food stamps, public housing, Health care, etc.) A pro-choice belief that abortion is a personal issue, and should not be part of government.

History

Legislative changes

Full slate requirement In 2012 the party sued the Board of Elections over a 1931 law requiring any third party, but not Republicans or Democrats, to run a full slate of candidates in order to get any of them on the ballot. The case, Libertarian Party of Illinois v. Scholz, was decided on September 22, 2017 by the Seventh Circuit court. They found the law to be a violation of the constitutional right of political association under the First and Fourteenth Amendments that the rule burdens a candidate's right to run as his party's standard bearer, rejecting claims that it encouraged frivolous candidates and ballot overcrowding.

Libertarian Party of Illinois v. Pritzker The party successfully sued Governor J.B. Pritzker to skip the signature requirements in 2020 if a party had qualified in 2016 or 2018 when the response to COVID-19 made traditional petition signature collection impossible. This April decision caused any future suits on the same subject to expect success. By October of that year, 39 states had made changes to election dates, procedures, and/or administration.

Established party status After the 1994 general election, the Libertarian Party achieved established party status for statewide offices in Illinois. This occurred after its candidates for the then-elected University of Illinois Board of Trustees cumulatively received 5.5% of all votes cast. After the party's success in the 1998 election for Ford County Sheriff and other countywide offices, it achieved established party status. Due to its second place showing over the then-dormant Democratic Party in that election, the Libertarians received the minority party's seat on the Board of Review and one of the five seats on the Sheriff's Merit Commission. This status was lost by 2002 after the Libertarian Party failed to field any candidates in the 2002 general election.

As of January 17, 2024, the party has established party status in Cook, McLean, and Tazewell counties.

Elected officeholders As of May 6, 2026, there are 11 current elected Libertarians, partisan and nonpartisan, in the state of Illinois. Due to the technical issues regarding the CiviCRM transition to Zoho CRM, there is no elected official page at this time.

The current list of elected officials in Illinois from the Libertarian Party, as confirmable through the state party's website, as well as the national party's internal wiki website LPedia, as well as a February 21, 2025 article published in Independent Political Report: Brody Anderson, trustee of the River Valley Library District Board of Trustees (Port Byron) Patrick Liapes, trustee of the Poplar Creek Library Board (Streamwood) Kelly Liebmann, township trustee of Greenwood Township

Aisha Pickett, city treasurer of the City of Harvey (Harvey) Christopher Laurent, council member of the Chicago Police Council's 14th District (Chicago) Justin Gerstner, village president of the Village of Hamel (Hamel) Brandon Wisenburg, trustee of the Village of Peoria Heights (Peoria Heights) Justin Tucker, Libertarian ward committeeperson, Chicago 1st Ward Nico Tsatsoulis, Libertarian ward committeeperson, Chicago 5th Ward Jim Humay, Libertarian ward committeeperson, Chicago 36th Ward Jake Leonard, trustee of the Nokomis Township Public Library District (Nokomis)

Electoral history 1998–2020

2020 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Jo Jorgensen 66,544 1.10% Vice President Spike Cohen US Senate Danny Malouf 75,673 1.27% US House 6 Bill Redpath 7,079 1.75% US House 8 Preston Gabriel Nelson 68,327 26.84% IL House 19 Joseph Schreiner 1,544 3.24% IL House 55 Glenn Olofson 12,000 27.42% IL House 78 Joshua Flynn 8.559 16.67% IL House 80 Clayton Cleveland 9,940 20.19% IL House 88 Kenneth Allison 2,549 4.46% IL House 92 Chad Grimm 9,890 25.49% IL House 103 Brad Bielert 8,452 21.35% IL House 113 Mark Elmore 5,799 13.27% IL House 115 Ian Peak 3,655 8.27% Cook County State's Attorney Brian Dennehy 147,769 6.71% DeKalb County Board Dist. 5 Sasha Cohen 566 24.07% DeWitt County Circuit Clerk Nathan Florey 1,194 16.11% Kankakee County Auditor Kyle Evans 9,477 21.59% Kankakee County Circuit Clerk Nicole Scott 2,675 5.53% Kankakee County Board Dist. 13 Jacob Collins ✅ 677 100% Kankakee County Board Dist. 23 Jim Byrne (inc.) 537 40.99% McLean County Auditor Kevin Woodard McLean County Board Dist. 3 Derek Evans McLean County Board Dist. 5 Jo Anne Litwiller McLean County Board Dist. 6 David Scarpelli McLean County Board Dist. 7 Darin George Kaeb McHenry County Auditor James Young McHenry County Coroner Kelly Liebmann Montgomery County Board Dist. 2 Jake Leonard 162 5.56% Peoria County Auditor Joe Rusch 4,701 17.33% Peoria County County Clerk Ann Agama 4,519 16.45% Peoria County Coroner K. Eric Schaffer 3,148 11.21% Peoria County Board Dist. 11 Chris Buckely 533 27.10% Peoria County Board Dist. 17 Tom Inman 281 18.86% Tazewell County Auditor Kaden Nelms 12,140 19.51% Tazewell County Board Chairman Eric Stahl 13,291 21.27%

2018 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage Governor Kash Jackson 109,518 2.4% Lieutenant Governor Sanj Mohip Attorney General Bubba Harsy 115,941 2.6% Secretary of State Steve Dutner 114,556 2.5% Treasurer Mike Leheney 155,256 3.5% Comptroller Claire Ball 140,543 3.1%

2016 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Gary Johnson206,351 3.8% Vice President William Weld US Senate Kent McMillen 175,988 3.2% Comptroller Claire Ball 187,017 3.5%

2014 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage US Senate Sharon Hansen 135,316 3.8% Governor Chad Grimm 121,534 3.4% Lieutenant Governor A. J. Cummings Attorney General Ben Koyl 99,903 2.8% Secretary of State Christopher Michel 104,498 2.9% Comptroller Julie Fox 170,534 4.8% Treasurer Matthew Skopek 146,654 4.2%

2012 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Gary Johnson 56,229 1.1% Vice President Jim Gray 56,229 1.1%

2010 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage US Senate Mike Labno 87,247 2.4% Governor Lex Green 34,681 0.9% Lieutenant Governor Ed Rutledge 34,681 0.9% Attorney General Bill Malan 54,532 1.5% Secretary of State Josh Hanson 115,458 3.1% Comptroller Julie Fox 121,068 3.3% Treasurer James Pauly 68,803 1.9%

2008 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Bob Barr 19,645 0.4% Vice President Wayne Root 19,645 0.4% US Senate Larry Stafford 50,228 0.9%

2006 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage Congress 2 Anthony Williams 5,422 3.3%

2004 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Michael Badnarik 32,442 0.6% Vice President Richard Campagna 32,442 0.6% US Senate Jerry Kohn 69,253 1.4% Congress 2 Stephanie Sailor 26,990 11.5% Congress 4 Jake Witmer 4,845 3.9% Congress 12 Walter Steele 4,794 1.7% State Rep 11 Jason Briggeman 1,770 4.0% State Rep 53 Scott Bludorn 3,673 8.2% State Rep 64 Jim Young 2,022 4.0% State Rep 85 Austin Hough 7,945 25.1% State Rep 95 Steve Dubovik 1,317 2.9%

2002 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage Governor Cal Skinner 73,794 2.1% Lieutenant Governor Jim Tobin 73,794 2.1% Secretary of State Matt Beauchamp 78,830 2.2% Attorney General Gary Shilts 87,949 2.5% Treasurer Rhys Read 66,593 1.9% Comptroller Julie Fox 144,066 4.2% US Senate Steven Burgauer 57,382 1.7% Congress 1 Dorothy Tsatsos 4,741 2.6% Congress 4 Maggie Kohls 4,328 5.2% Congress 5 Frank Gonzalez 6,638 4.3% Congress 7 Martin Pankau 2,436 1.5% Congress 9 Stephanie Sailor 4,779 2.9% State Rep 11 John Yackley 3,371 12.8% State Rep 28 Jerome Kohn 1,241 4.2% State Rep 41 John Tepley 1,034 2.8% State Rep 42 Michael Mandel 1,123 3.3% State Rep 48 Chandler Hadraba 3,440 11.2% State Rep 52 Matthew Paul Burns 1,190 3.9% State Rep 64 Jim Young 2,214 7.4% State Rep 85 Eric Ferguson 4,922 20.3% State Rep 95 Steve Dubovik 4,191 14.6%

2000 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage President Harry Browne 11,623 0.3% Vice President Art Olivier 11,623 0.3% Congress 4 Stephanie Sailor 11,476 11.3% Congress 5 Matt Beauchamp 20,728 12.7% State Rep 34 R. Brian Poynton 1,230 4.0% State Rep 39 Elizabeth Quaintance 10,103 26.2%

1998 campaigns Office Candidate Votes Percentage Congress 1 Marjorie Kohls 4,046 2.3% Congress 2 Matt Beauchamp 1,608 1.0% Congress 4 William Passmore 1,583 2.4% Congress 6 George Meyers 4,199 2.5% Congress 7 Dorn Van Cleave 9,984 7.1% Congress 9 Michael Ray 3,284 2.3%

Other chapters Other than its established party chapters, the Libertarian Party of Illinois also includes:Illinois Local Chapters

Bond County Libertarians Champaign County Libertarian Party Clinton County Libertarian Party DeWitt County Libertarian Party DuPage Libertarians Fox Valley Libertarian Party, now defunct Illinois Valley Libertarians Kankakee County Libertarian Party Macoupin County Libertarian Party McHenry County Libertarians McLean County Libertarian Party Metro-East Libertarian Party Libertarian Party of Chicago Libertarian Party of DeKalb County Libertarian Party of Greater Peoria Libertarian Party of Lake County Libertarian Party of Macon County Libertarian Party of Northwestern Illinois Libertarian Party of Will County Libertarian Party of Whiteside County Southern Illinois Libertarian Party Warren County Libertarian Party Western Illinois Libertarian Party

See also List of state Libertarian Parties in the United States

Notes

References

External links

Libertarian Party (United States) Libertarian Party of Chicago