SALT LAKE CITY – The Libertarian Party of Utah’s chairman, Rob Latham, announced the “Fair Representation Challenge” to the leaders of Utah’s Democratic and Republican parties, and student leaders at Utah’s colleges and universities.

For Democrats and Republicans, the challenge will measure which party does the most to make Utah’s elections more competitive and representative by the end of the state legislature’s 2006 general session. Latham and other Libertarians will encourage their candidates in swing districts to “spoil” the candidates of the party that does the least to open up the two-party system.

Libertarians have a platform that can appeal to voters inclined to vote for either Republicans or Democrats. In 1998, a Libertarian candidate for Nevada’s U.S. Senate seat was credited with drawing enough support from the Republican candidate for the Democratic candidate to win. And in the State of Washington in 2004, Libertarian candidate Ruth Bennett nearly swung the gubernatorial race to the Republican after she targeted her campaign at the Democrat.

For Utah colleges and universities, the challenge will measure which student body government does the most to advance the use of more representative electoral systems in student body elections, such as those used at the University of California at Davis and Harvard. Latham has pledged at least $1000 to be donated to the general scholarship fund of the winning school.