Indianapolis new home of Libertarian convention

In July 2002, Indianapolis will host its first political party convention. But it won't be the Republicans or the Democrats -- it will be the Libertarian Party.\nThe decision, made public late last week, was announced at the State Chairs Meeting in which national organizers met to inaugurate the Libertarian Strategic Planning Team. The team was formed to get feedback on the party's successes and failures.\nAlthough party officials looked at several cities in the Midwest, including Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., part of the reason Indianapolis was chosen was because Indiana has a high participation rate of Libertarians. In the 2000 election, 112 people ran on the ballot and eight were elected. \n"We've had a good concentration of activists and we wanted to support our most active and growing organizations," said Nick Dunbar, National Operations Director.\nBrad Klopfenstein, executive director of the Indiana Libertarian Party, said having the convention in Indianapolis gives them leverage during a Ballot Access Year, in which third parties have to gain 2 percent of the secretary of state's vote to be automatically registered on the ballot. If they don't garner the vote, they will have to fill out a petition. \nAmong the third parties, Libertarians are the largest. Their platform issues include legalizing marijuana, a free-market economy of abundance and prosperity and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace and free trade.\n"We've had a lot of successes," said Phil Miller, Greenfield City Council Member. "We are centrally located, and the national party felt is was time to give back to the center of the country.\nMany who vote Libertarian say they choose the party because they are frustrated with the system. Steve Kristoff, resident of Franklin County, ran for the County Commissioner's position on the Libertarian Party during the last election and gained 6 percent of the vote. He's been an active member for three years.\n"It seemed the government control doesn't seem to work. The government's answer seems to be to throw money at a problem," he said.\nKristoff said he is looking forward to the opportunity and plans to attend. Although the party is gaining momentum, he said they have a long way to go. \n"People are starting to hear us and vote for us. People are becoming dissatisfied with the government trying to solve problems and are willing to let people do innovative solutions on their own. I believe we will see more and more people being elected at the local level."\nThe same is true for Sullivan County Libertarian Chairman Skip Southwood. The Sullivan County branch has a small group with half a dozen people, he said, but the party is growing, partly because people want a different approach to government.\n"It seems to be getting bigger. I think there's more people that hear about it," he said. "The other two parties are preaching something different, but you get the same thing. From the time we get up from the time we go to bed, we are under one rule or another and are taxed to death. I give up on both the other parties."\nSouthwood said he supports seeing other parties make it to the ballot.\n"At least you have a choice," he said. "Right now, it's just two separate wings of one party. There's not a whole lot of difference between the two. Even in local politics, the third parties can at least help the other two be honest." \nAt the convention, Klofenstein said they are going to elect new officers and a new board of directors as well as conduct activities to prepare for the election. \n"We want our delegates to come away energized"