The 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries and caucuses were a series of current electoral contests to indicate non-binding preferences for the Libertarian Party (LP) presidential nominee in the 2024 United States presidential election. These differed from the Republican or Democratic presidential primaries and caucuses in that they do not appoint delegates to represent a candidate at the party's convention to select the party's presidential nominee.
The party's nominee was chosen directly by registered delegates at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention on May 26 in Washington, D.C.Winger, Richard (July 22, 2022) "Libertarian Party Presidential Convention in 2024 Will be in Washington, D.C." , Ballot Access News. Chase Oliver was chosen as the party's nominee in the seventh round of voting.
Results Candidates and ballot options listed on multiple ballots and receiving at least 1% of the national popular vote are listed individually on the table. All remaining votes are detailed under the other column.
Legend: 1st place(popular vote) 2nd place(popular vote) 3rd place(popular vote) Candidatewithdrew Candidate unable to appear on ballot DateContestCandidates and results CharlesBallay JacobHornberger LarsMapstead ChaseOliver MichaelRectenwald JoshuaSmith Miketer Maat Other None of the AboveJanuary 13ArizonaNot on ballot2nd5th1st3rd3rd5thNot on ballot 2 votesJanuary 15Iowa0%1.1%1.1%42.7%16.9%13.5%13.5%10.1%1.1%February 3Alabama4th6th3rd5th1stNot on ballot2nd6thNot on ballot February 24 Mississippi0%11.8%29.4%11.8%41.2%0%0%0%5.9% February 27 Minnesota2.3%14.0%0%23.3%20.9%30.2%4.7%2.3%2.3%March 2IndianaNot on ballot4.0%13.9%62.4%5.9%4.0%6.9%Not on ballot3.0%Pennsylvania2.2%4.4%0.1%19.0%22.6%16.1%28.5%6.6%Not on ballot March 5 North Carolina3.6%7.0%3.5%13.3%3.8%7.0%2.7%18.7%946 votes40.5% California 98.6%Not on ballot1.4%Not on ballot OklahomaNot on ballot38.9%Not on ballot61.1%Not on ballot MassachusettsNot on ballot11.0%4.0%14.6%5.5%Not on ballot3.2%21.7%40.0%April 2 Connecticut0.0%34.4%0.0%65.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%May 5 MaineNot on ballot0.0%73.3%13.3%Not on ballot6.7%0.0%6.7%Not on ballot May 14 Nebraska21.2%18.2%16.1%27.6%10.7%Not on ballot6.2%Not on ballot June 4New MexicoNot on ballot56.5%Not on ballot43.5%Totals as of June 5(See Above)55.1%5.0%3.0%8.6%2.3%1.0%1.5%7.7%15.7%
Candidates Major candidates Prior to the LP 2024 National Convention, 38 candidates filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination in 2024.
Nominee
+2024 Libertarian Party nominee Name Born Experience Home state Campaign Contestswon Popularvote Runningmate Ref.Chase Oliver (age )Nashville, TennesseeNominee for U.S. Senator from Georgia in 2022Candidate for in 2020Chair of the Atlanta Libertarian Party (2016–2017)Campaignwebsite FEC filing6(IA, IN, AZ, OK, CT, NE)3,498 (8.6%)Mike ter Maat
Eliminated at convention This section includes candidates who filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission with intent to run under the Libertarian Party and who met one or more of the following criteria: a) meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines; b) participated in at least three Libertarian Party-sponsored debates; or c) received non-trivial media coverage as a candidate in this election cycle.
+Eliminated in convention balloting Candidate Born Experience Home state Campaign announced Campaign suspended Contestswon Popularvote Ref.No preference/ None of the above/ Uncommitted N/AMay 26, 2024 (eliminated in seventh balloting)2(NC, MA)6,384 (15.7%) "03/05/2024 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS – STATEWIDE", North Carolina State Board of Elections.MichaelRectenwald (age )Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaAuthor and ScholarFormer New York University professor (2008–2019)FEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated in sixth balloting)2(MS, AL)943 (2.3%)Mike ter Maat (age )Portland, OregonEconomistFormer Hallandale Beach, Florida police officerNominee for in 2022FEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during fifth balloting; endorsed Oliver during balloting)(ran for vice-president)1(PA)589 (1.5%)Lars Mapstead (age )Monterey, CaliforniaCo-founder of Friend Finder NetworksFounder of Fupa Games and Legendary Speed FEC filing>Running mate: Larry SharpeMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during fourth balloting; endorsed Oliver after his nomination)2 (ME, NM)1,222 (3.0%)Joshua Smith (age )Antioch, CaliforniaVice Chair of the Libertarian National Committee(2022–2023) FEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during third balloting)1(MN)416 (1.0%)Jacob Hornberger (age )Laredo, TexasFounder and President of the Future of Freedom FoundationIndependent candidate for U.S. Senate from Virginia in 2002Candidate for President in 2000 and 2020FEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during second balloting)02,043 (5.0%)Charles Ballay (age )New Orleans, LouisianaOtolaryngologistFEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during initial balloting; endorsed Oliver after his nomination)1(CA)22,337 (55.1%)"Here are the 10 Libertarian candidates in the 2024 NC Presidential Primary", Fox Carolina. February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.Art Olivier (age )Lynwood, CaliforniaNominee for U.S. Vice President in 2000Nominee for Governor of California in 2006Mayor of Bellflower, California (1998–1999)FEC filingMay 26, 2024 (eliminated during initial balloting)05 (nil%)Bunge, Mike (January 16, 2024) "Libertarian Party of Iowa announces the winner of its statewide Presidential caucus", KIMT.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
Withdrew before the primaries +Former candidates in the 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries Name Born Experience Home state Campaignannounced Campaignsuspended Campaign Ref.Joe Exotic(age )Garden City, KansasBusinessman and media personalityOwner of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (1998–2018)Independent candidate for president in 2016Candidate for Governor of Oklahoma in 2018FEC filing
Other candidates The following candidates achieved at least one of the following in the 2024 election cycle: appeared on a primary ballot, received votes in a LP-sanctioned contest that did not require ballot access, were invited to a party-sanctioned debate or forum, or were included on the Libertarian National Committee's list of candidates.
LNC delegates are not bound to votes in primary elections, so while voters are able choose a candidate, it has no direct effect on the nominee selection at the party's nominating convention.
On the ballot/received votes in multiple states Joshua "Toad" Anderson (NC, PA) (nominated on floor of the national convention as "Toad") Joseph Collins Jr., broadcaster from California (AL, MS, PA, CT)
On the ballot/received votes in one state David Reed DeSilva III of Arizona (MN) David "TrimeTaveler" Dunlap (NC) from Florida Beau Lindsey (NC), "anonymous candidate" from TennesseeBeau Lindsey's 2024 Campaign , Accessed January 5, 2024. Mario Perales (IA), alien hunter from Iowa Robert Sansone (IA), Air Force veteran and government contractor from ColoradoRobert Sansome's 2024 Campaign , Accessed January 5, 2023.
On the ballot/received votes in no states Jody Jones, activist and economist from Florida Joshua Rodriguez, computer scientist from Colorado
Declined to be candidates The following notable individuals had been the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but either publicly denied interest in running, or ultimately did not run.
Justin Amash, former U.S. representative from (2011–2021), member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 72nd district (2009–2011) (ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican, eliminated in primary) Spike Cohen, political activist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and Libertarian vice presidential nominee in 2020 Chris Fronzak, lead musician for Attila Robert F. Kennedy Jr., environmental lawyer and founder of Children's Health Defense (previously ran for the Democratic nomination; ran as an independent before withdrawing and endorsing Trump) Vivek Ramaswamy, executive chairman of Strive Asset Management (2022–2023) and CEO of Roivant Sciences (2014–2021) (ran as a Republican; endorsed Trump) Dave Smith, stand-up comedian, libertarian political commentator, and podcaster (endorsed Rectenwald) Vermin Supreme, performance artist, activist, political satirist, perennial candidate, and candidate for the 2020 Libertarian presidential nomination (ran for the Democratic and Legal Marijuana Now nominations, now running as the US Pirate Party nominee) f
Endorsements
Timeline of the race 2021 March 23: Co-founder of Friend Finder Networks Lars Mapstead files to run.
2022 April 18: Mike ter Maat files to run. December 2: Nominee for Georgia's 2022 U.S. Senator race, Chase Oliver forms an exploratory committee for the party's nomination.
2023 February 8: Vermin Supreme, a perennial candidate and satirist who had previously vied for party's nomination, announces his departure from the party, citing disagreements with party leadership. February 20: Jacob Hornberger, the runner-up for the party's 2020 nomination announces on X that he is seeking the nomination once again. March 10: Having been arrested in 2020 for his role in a murder-for-hire plot, Joe Exotic, from his prison cell, launches his campaign for the nomination via X April 5: Following a months long exploratory committee, Chase Oliver announces his candidacy for the presidential nomination on X. April 11: Following condemnation from party chair Angela McArdle and his own frustrations about party infighting and views on weapon ownership, Exotic suspends his campaign to instead run for the Democratic nomination. July 24: Former Vice Chair of the Libertarian National Committee Joshua Smith formally begins his campaign for the nomination. August 19: After campaigning extensively in Iowa throughout the summer, Oliver makes history as the first third-party presidential candidate to speak at the Iowa State Fair. August 24: Otolaryngologist Charles Ballay files to run for the nomination. August 28: Author and former New York University professor Michael Rectenwald files to seek the Libertarian presidential nomination, announcing his candidacy days later. December 11: 2000 vice presidential nominee Art Olivier files to run for the presidential nomination.
2024 January 13 Chase Oliver wins the Arizona Libertarian Party straw poll. January 15: The Libertarian Party of Iowa held its first ever caucus as a recognized party in the state. January 16: Chase Oliver is announced as the caucus' winner via a plurality with 42.7% of the vote. February 3 Michael Rectenwald wins the Libertarian Party of Alabama straw poll. February 24 Rectenwald wins the Libertarian Party of Mississippi. February 27 Joshua Smith wins the Libertarian Party of Minnesota's internally-held presidential preference caucus. March 2; Oliver wins the Libertarian Party of Indiana internally-held presidential preference caucus. Oliver wins the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania internally-held presidential preference caucus. March 5; "No preference" wins the North Carolina Libertarian primary. As the only candidate on the ballot, Charles Ballay wins the California Libertarian presidential primary. Oliver wins the Oklahoma Libertarian presidential primary. "No preference" wins Massachusetts Libertarian presidential primary.
Overview
Active campaignWithdrawn candidateMidterm electionsPrimarySuper TuesdayLibertarian National Convention
Debates and forums
Schedule
Debates
The following table lists debates which were sponsored by an affiliate of the Libertarian Party.