Libertarians net first elected office holder
The Libertarian Party of North Carolina has signed up its first elected
official. Current Madison Alderman Kenneth Lankford has switched his
party affiliation to Libertarian, as he prepares to run for a second term
on the Town Board. Lankford was formerly registered to vote as a
Republican.
"I switched to the Libertarian Party," said Lankford, "because it appears
to be the only group which remains dedicated to keeping government within
constitutional boundaries and reducing the size and power of government.
The purpose of governments is to protect our unalienable rights, not to
run our lives."
Lankford plans to file for his second term on Friday, July 9th. This
year’s election in Madison, in Rockingham County, is non-partisan.
Libertarian Party State Chair Sean Haugh welcomed Lankford as a pioneer. "Ken is the first of many to follow," said Haugh. "Those men and women
who entered politics out of an honest desire to serve the people and the
Constitution are finding that they have a home in the Libertarian Party."
Lankford has always tried to bring Libertarian principles to the problems
of local government. "We have the budget in the best shape it's been in
for years, although infrastructure costs are going to be a huge
challenge," said Lankford. "Although we've raised some fees to reflect
actual costs, we've managed to keep taxes down."
On what he can hope to accomplish in a second term, Lankford’s concerns
are quite practical. Defining his agenda, Lankford said, "I want to see
through to conclusion several projects the Town Board have begun for
Madison. Among those are the Interlocal Wastewater Treatment Agreement
with Mayodan, rehabilitation and expansion of the water treatment plant
and putting the finances of the town in better shape without increasing
taxes."
The Libertarian Party is on the ballot and will hold primaries in 2000.
Haugh predicted that the party would field over 100 candidates, from
Governor and US Congress to County Commissions and School Boards. "We
don’t intend for Ken to be the only elected Libertarian in North Carolina
for long," said Haugh.
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