(The following press release was distributed to local D.C. and national media on Thursday, November 10, by Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty)
(WASHINGTON, November 10, 1994) --- David Morris, president of Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty (GLIL), was elected on Tuesday to Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2F in Washington, D.C. Morris becomes the first GLIL member since its founding to be elected to public office. He received 53.6 percent of the vote while the incumbent received 44 percent. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2F covers the neighborhoods near Logan Circle and Thomas Circle in downtown Washington -- the "Centre City" area.
Morris, a political consultant and member of the D.C. Libertarian Party, ran a grassroots campaign under the umbrella of a committee called "David's Friends and Neighbors." He contacted more than 75 percent of the voters in his district through hand-addressed postcards and notes, as well as greeting all the voters as they entered the polling place.
"This is an exciting moment for me personally and for the Libertarian Party," said Morris. "For the first time in memory, a Libertarian Party member has been elected to local office in the nation's capital. Moreover, this gives me the opportunity to serve my community in an open and substantial way. I would like to thank each and every person who voted for me. Their support is quite meaningful to me and I look forward to working with all my friends and neighbors in this district."
Morris, a native of Texas, came to the Washington area in 1993 as campaign manager for Richard Sincere, the first openly gay candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, who was one of the co-founders of Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty. Morris previously had managed a congressional campaign in South Carolina and had been a candidate for the Greenville (S.C.) City Council. This year, he consulted on grassroots and candidate campaigns across the nation. Morris was elected GLIL's president in May 1994.
"What motivated me to run for the ANC was first -- and foremost -- the concern about safety in my neighborhood. I want to hold a public hearing in Logan Circle Park on crime and safety issues," said the 30-year-old Morris. "I am also concerned about economic development in my neighborhood."
Gays and Lesbians for Individual Liberty was founded in February 1991 to advance the ideas of economic and personal freedom and individual responsibility. It has members across the United States and in several foreign countries. For more information, visit http://www.glil.org or telephone 202-903-5555.
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