FSP Sets Vote Date

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jason Sorens, President
Free State Project, Inc.
Phone: (828) 225-1951
Email: info@freestateproject.org
Website: www.freestateproject.org

Free State Project Sets Vote Date, Garners Endorsements

June 1, 2003

The Free State Project, the effort to sign up 20,000 advocates of limited government to move to a single state, passed the 4,000-member mark early this month. The intermediate goal of the Free State Project (FSP) has been to reach 5,000 commitments, at which point members will vote among the ten "candidate states," Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. Once the group reaches 20,000 commitments, members have five years in which to move to the chosen state; however, some members have already indicated that they will move as soon as the state is chosen.

Because of rapid growth, the FSP has set a date for their vote. The deadline to sign up to participate in the vote is August 15, by which time the FSP should have over 5,000 members according to projections. The deadline for members to return their ballots is September 8, and the winner of the vote will be announced on September 15.

"Advocates for the states under consideration have begun compiling summary arguments as to why their state should be chosen," says Jason Sorens, founder and president of the organization. "These reports will be included with the ballots so that all members can make an informed decision." Recently, boosters of Western states held a conference in Missoula, Montana that drew approximately 150 people, while promoters of New Hampshire held a "getaway vacation" event in Lancaster, N.H. from June 21 to 29.

"All the candidate states are solid choices," says vice president Elizabeth McKinstry. "We limited the selection to this group because they are all states with traditions of individual liberty and resilient, inclusive, independent cultures. They're places where most of us would feel at home."

The Free State Project has also attracted some prominent members of late. Among those who have signed up recently are Art Olivier of Bellflower, California, the 1998-99 mayor of Bellflower and 2000 Libertarian Party candidate for Vice-President of the U.S., and Michael Badnarik of Austin, Texas and Gary Nolan of Cleveland, Ohio, who are currently campaigning for the Libertarian nod for President in 2004 and both of whom spoke at the recent New Hampshire event. "The Free State Project is not affiliated with the Libertarian Party and has members from all parties, but our political philosophy - that at most government exists to protect individual rights - could well be described as broadly libertarian," explains Dr. Sorens.

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