Today, the extra day granted once every four years, and a week away from the state-mandated time change – significant increase in heart attacks be damned – we are faced with the overwhelming intrusion of the government into every aspect of our lives. But there is something else important about today – we have a chance to fight back in a very tangible way.

Tuesday, March 5, is election day for the North Carolina primary. Early voting has been going for weeks. We have two candidates in a primary for governor for the first time in decades, and we have a significant opportunity to send a message that we are sick of the uniparty fighting over which side gets to take our rights. But we can only send this message if you all show up and vote.

We also have the most substantial slate of presidential candidates, and you have the chance to opine on which you would prefer represent the Libertarian Party in the national election. Again, if you don’t exercise your right to vote, then your voice will not be represented as we make this crucial decision that sets the path for the party’s future, not just this year, but for the next several years.

We have provided polling places for early and day of voting in this edition of the Tar Heel, and we have given you all the material you need to review the candidates and make your decision. Now it’s up to y'all.

The LPNC is doing all it can to fight for Liberty in our great state, and we held our annual state convention earlier this month. The event was an overwhelming success, and I am so thankful to the volunteers and party members who came out and made our convention not just possible, but so successful.

In particular, I want to thank Zac Lentz and Dee Watson for their tireless work on all the details of the convention, making sure everything went smoothly from end-to-end. I want to thank Angela Humphries for all her work helping to raise money and set up the auctions. I want to thank Eric Rowell and Michael Gibson for giving extraordinary talks about their roles in the Liberty movement – and how we can emulate their successes. I want to thank Barbara Howe, Shannon Bray, and Mike Ross for the governor grilling. I want to thank Dan Smotz and all the presidential candidates for the Sunday morning presidential debate. And I want to thank the Village Inn for again being top notch hosts for our annual convention.

I am keeping it short this week, as there is plenty for you all to read below, and I don’t want to take one extra second that you could be using to get to your local polling station. Things are picking up for the LPNC this year, but it starts with you. Please, get out there and vote.

-Ryan Brown, LPNC Chair