Alternative political parties in Arkansas are going more than Green.

The Libertarian Party of Arkansas filed 16,144 petitions today with Secretary of State Mark Martin to qualify as a recognized political party in state. Ballot access would allow the Libertarian Party to field candidates from the local to federal levels in 2012.

Martin has 30 days to review the petitions to ensure that at least 10,000 are qualified, registered voters in Arkansas.

Jason Tolbert with our content partner, The Tolbert Report, visited with party spokesperson Jessica Paxton.

“It has taken almost a year, nearly $40,000 and thousands of man-hours to get here today,” said party spokesman Jessica Paxton.” However, without the support of more than 16,000 Arkansans who signed our petition, it would have all been for naught. Arkansans have spoken and they want choice on the ballot, and that’s what the Libertarian Party of Arkansas is giving them.”

Paxton dismissed the notion that the Libertarian Party will take votes away from either Republicans or Democrats saying, “The Left/Right paradigm is misleading and politically flawed.”

She went on to say that they will give voters “the option to select a candidate who represents what it means to support Constitutional limits to federal and state government.”

Paxton also says she expects the Libertarian Party to field candidates from  the courthouse to Congress. You can read more from Tolbert at this link.