2004 Libertarian Party presidential primaries

United States political event

2004 Libertarian Party presidential primaries

← 2000 February 3, 2004–May 11, 2004 2008 →

Non-binding preferential vote
 
Candidate Gary Nolan Aaron Russo Michael Badnarik[a]
Contests won 5 0 0
Popular vote 14,683 4,964 4,879
Percentage 55.0% 18.6% 18.3%

First place by popular vote
  Gary Nolan (5)
  No contest


Previous Libertarian nominee

Harry Browne

Libertarian nominee

Michael Badnarik


2004 U.S. presidential election
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Minor parties
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← 2000 2004 2008 →
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The 2004 Libertarian Party presidential primaries allowed voters to indicate non-binding preferences for the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate. These differed from the Republican or Democratic presidential primaries and caucuses in that they did not appoint delegates to represent a candidate at the party's convention to select the party's nominee for the United States presidential election. The party's nominee for the 2004 presidential election was chosen directly by registered delegates at the 2004 Libertarian National Convention, which ran from May 28 to 31, 2008. The delegates nominated Michael Badnarik for president and Richard Campagna for vice president.

Five primaries were held.[1] A total of 26,701 votes were cast in these primaries.

Candidates

Candidate Profession Campaign On primary ballot Popular vote
MO
WI CA MA NE
Gary Nolan Talk radio host Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 14,683

Aaron Russo
Entertainment businessman, film producer and director, and political activist No No Yes Yes No 4,964

Michael Badnarik
Software engineer No Yes Yes Yes Yes 4,879
Jeffrey Diket Yes No No Yes No 223
Ruben Perez 2002 candidate for Texas Railroad Commission[2] Yes No No No Yes 219
Alternate ballot options:
Uncommitted/No preference/Uninstructed delegation N/A Yes Yes No Yes No 1,115

Primaries and caucuses

National totals
Candidate Votes % First-place
primary/caucus
finishes
Gary Nolan 14,683 54.99% 5
Aaron Russo 4964 18.59%
Michael Badnarik 4,879% 18.27
Uncommitted/uninstructed 885 3.31%
Jeffery Diket 223 0.84%
Ruben Perez 219 0.82%
Scattered write-ins 214 0.80%

Missouri primary

In the Wisconsin primary on February 3, the Libertarian Party had a state-run primary held alongside the Democratic, Republican primaries.[3]


Missouri Libertarian presidential primary, February 3, 2004[3][4]
Candidate Votes Percentage
Gary Nolan 899 45.7
Uncommitted 746 37.9
N. Ruben Perez 167 8.5
Jeffrey Diket 155 7.9
Total 1,967 100

Wisconsin primary

In the Wisconsin primary on February 17, the Libertarian Party had a state-run primary held alongside the Democratic, Republican primaries.[4][5]


Wisconsin Libertarian presidential primary, February 17, 2004[5]
Candidate Votes Percentage
Gary Nolan 1,491 43.2
Michael Badnarik 1,416 41.0
Uninstructed delegation 139 4.0
Total 3,450 100

California primary

Type: Semi-Closed

In the California primary on March 2, the Libertarian Party had a state-run primary held alongside those for the Republicans, Democrats, the Green Party, and the Peace and Freedom Party.[6]


California Libertarian presidential primary, March 2, 2004[4][6]
Candidate Votes Percentage
Gary Nolan 11,885 59.2
Aaron Russo 4,858 24.2
Michael Badnarik 3,335 16.6
Total 20,078 100

Massachusetts primary

In the Massachusetts primary on March 2, the Libertarian Party had a state-run primary held alongside the Democratic, Republican, and Green primaries.[1][7]


Massachusetts Libertarian presidential primary, March 2, 2004[4][8]
Candidate Votes Percentage
Gary Nolan 292 28.0
No preference 230 22.0
Aaron Russo 106 10.2
Michael Badnarik 82 7.9
Jeffrey Diket 68 6.5
Ruben Perez 52 5.0
Write-ins 214 20.5
Total 1,044 100

Nebraska primary

In the Nebraska primary on May 11, the Libertarian Party had a state-run primary held alongside the Democratic and Republican primaries.[9]


Missouri Libertarian presidential primary, May 11, 2004[4][9]
Candidate Votes Percentage
Gary Nolan 116 71.6
Michael Badnarik 46 28.4
Total 162 100

2004 National Convention

See also

Presidential primaries

National Conventions

Notes

  1. ^ The primaries were non-binding. Despite not receiving a plurality of the popular vote, Badnarik was able to secure a majority of delegate votes at the convention, and thus the nomination.

References

  1. ^ a b "Major Third Party 2004 Presidential Primaries". www.thegreenpapers.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "Vote Perez for Railroad Commission". voteperez.freeservers.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2002. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "All Results Official Election Returns State of Missouri Presidential Preference Primary Presidential Preference Primary Tuesday, February 03, 2004 As announced by the Board of State Canvassers on Monday, February 23, 2004" (PDF). www.sos.mo.gov. Missouri Secretary of State. February 23, 2004. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Federal Elections 2004 Election Results for the U.S. President, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). www.fec.gov. Federal Elections Commission. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Wisconsin State Elections Board Results of President Primary Election – 02/17/2004" (PDF). elections.wi.gov. Wisconsin State Elections Board. May 18, 2004. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Statement of Vote" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov. California Secretary of State. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  7. ^ "Search". electionstats.state.ma.us. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  8. ^ "2004 President Libertarian Primary". electionstats.state.ma.us. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "2004 Official Nebraska Primary Election Results May 11, 2004" (PDF). sos.nebraska.gov. Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
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