The following document was originally published in the Libertarian Party Success ‘99 Notebook:

How to select suitable candidates

The following is simply a recommended set of guidelines for affiliates to use in the candidate selection process:

General Appearance: The candidate should be willing to offer a professional appearance. This includes being well groomed, and in business attire.

Professionalism: The candidate should be willing to learn techniques of public speaking, professional debating styles, public contact.

Philosophy: The candidate should be willing to read the Libertarian Party Platform of both your state and National party, and be prepared to either defend or deny the planks contained in both.

Financial Resources: The candidate should be of sound financial health, and made aware of the potential drain on resources. The ideal candidate will have a steady job that they are proud to include in their biography, and the financial resources to invest in their own campaigns. (At least 5%)

Skeletons: The candidate should be made aware that anything in their past could become public knowledge. That the public “right to know” includes their personal, and financial lives. Those who have serious negatives in their past or current lives should give serious consideration as to how public knowledge of these issues could reflect upon their lives and the reputation of the party.

Extremism: Recognizing that this is entirely a judgment call, and that all of the positions of the LP can be considered extreme, the local affiliate must make some kind of judgment as to whether a potential candidate is simply too whacked out to represent us publicly.

The fact that an individual does not meet, or is unwilling to try to meet all of the above criteria does not preclude them from being involved in campaigns. There is an entirely different selection process for campaign managers. Those whose personal lives simply cannot tolerate public scrutiny can be every bit as vital to the process by serving as a campaign manager.