Where did that Libertarian go? D13 State Senate candidate Cullen Mack (L) booted from ballot.

Remember the list of candidates that the Libertarian Party submitted to the Secretary of State back in May?

It took a while for the Secretary of State to update the list of candidates on their website after the primary. But once they did, there was a surprise… and a name missing.

Libertarian State Senate Cullen Mack was nowhere to be found.  I’d heard rumors about it, but when I finally sat down to check it out myself this AM, the reason why was immediately evident:

Libertarian State Senate Candidate Cullen Mack actually was not registered as a Libertarian, and instead was a registered independent.  Despite the fact you’d think a person would check those things out before they decide they’re running. (And that it isn’t the first time).

In speaking with Libertarian Party Chair Gideon Oakes this AM, he indicates that Mack swore he’d changed his designation at his last driver’s license update. And was preparing to challenge the ruling legally.. until he decided he was going to move out of the district, rendering the whole point even more moot.

So, the number of Libertarian candidates on the fall ballot is reduced by one.

But there’s also another issue.

While the Libertarian Party does not appear to have a letter of intent for the South Dakota Ballot yet according to the Secretary of State’s website, Cullen Mack was also named as one of the three presidential electors for the Libertarian Party. Despite the fact he remains “not a Libertarian.”

Oakes conceded that “they may have to figure that one out.”

3 thoughts on “Where did that Libertarian go? D13 State Senate candidate Cullen Mack (L) booted from ballot.”

  1. Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Pat. I spoke with the SOS’s office this morning, and as promised, we’re getting on with “figuring that one out”. 🙂

    1. Thank you for the kind words, but ultimately, the buck still stops with me as chair, as my name is on the bottom of the certification. In retrospect, I should have double-checked everyone’s eligibility.

      That said, yes, it’s unfortunate that our credentialing committee failed to verify one delegate’s voter registration, but that kind of oversight could happen with any party. I don’t think that qualifies us for “joke” status. With this exception noted, our convention was a success and is now in the history books as the first political convention in SD state history to be held in a hybrid in-person/online format. I’m proud of what we accomplished, warts and all.

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