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| Formation | September 1, 2001 |
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| Headquarters | 373 South Willow St #161, Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. |
Executive Director | Eric Brakey |
| Website | fsp |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Libertarianism in the United States |
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The Free State Project (FSP) is an American political migration movement founded in 2001 to recruit at least 20,000 libertarians to move to a single low-population state (New Hampshire was selected in 2003) in order to make the state a stronghold for libertarian ideas.[1][2] The New Hampshire Union Leader reports that the Free State Project is not a political party but a nonprofit organization.[3]
Participants of the FSP signed a statement of intent declaring that they intended to move to New Hampshire within five years of the drive reaching 20,000 participants. This statement of intent was intended to function as a form of assurance contract. As of February 3, 2016[update], 20,000 people have signed this statement of intent,[4] completing the original goal, and 1,909 people are listed as "early movers" to New Hampshire on the FSP website, saying they had made their move prior to the 20,000-participant trigger.[5] In the 2017–2018 term of the 400-member New Hampshire House of Representatives, 17 seats were held by Free Staters.[6]
The FSP is a social movement generally based upon decentralized decision making. The group hosts various events, but most of FSP's activities depend upon volunteers and no formal plan dictates to participants or movers what their actions should be in New Hampshire.
As of May 2022, approximately 6,232 participants have moved to New Hampshire for the Free State Project.[7]
Eric Brakey is the Executive Director of the FSP as of 2024.[8][9]
- ^ Belluck, Pam (October 27, 2003). "Libertarians Pursue New Political Goal: State of Their Own". The New York Times. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
- ^ Kitch, Michael (October 22, 2021). "Its founder reflects on the Free State Project". New Hampshire Business Review. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
- ^ Feathers, Todd (February 9, 2019). "Free State Project looks to get its groove back". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Free State Project Triggers the Move". Free State Project. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
- ^ Weigel, David (June 15, 2011). "Free State Project: What happens if 20,000 libertarians move to New Hampshire?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
- ^ "FSP Members in NH State Senate & House, 2017-2018". Free State Project Watch. July 19, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
- ^ "FSP current mover count". fsp.org. Free State Project. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ "Free State Project taps Maine state senator as its next leader". New Hampshire Public Radio. December 1, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ Kobin, Billy (November 30, 2023). "Maine GOP senator will lead New Hampshire libertarian group". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved July 12, 2024.