The History of the Free State Project

On July 23, 2001, Jason Sorens, a political science graduate student at Yale, published the essay that launched the Free State Project. He proposed that 20,000 liberty-minded people move to a small state, where their combined efforts could have a greater impact.

Readers responded, discussed the proposal, and began organizing a coordinated migration. Sorens published a follow-up essay in August addressing questions about the plan.

Read Jason Sorens’s account of the early years →

After the project reached 5,000 signatures, participants voted among ten candidate states. More than 2,500 people cast ballots. New Hampshire’s selection was announced on October 1, 2003.

The ranked-ballot vote used the Condorcet method: New Hampshire prevailed in head-to-head comparisons with every other candidate state.

Before the state-selection vote, Governor Craig Benson welcomed visiting Free Staters in June 2003: “Come on up. We’d love to have you.”

Explore the state-selection account and announcement video →

Read the June 2003 account of Governor Benson’s welcome →

Some participants moved soon after New Hampshire was selected, years before the project reached its recruitment goal. They helped newcomers settle in, formed local groups, started media projects, and pursued independent civic efforts.

Local meetings and practical help with housing and moving made it easier for later arrivals to settle in. The early-years archive includes interviews with movers at Merrimack Valley and Concord gatherings.

Watch the early-mover interviews →

The first Porcupine Freedom Festival, known as PorcFest, brought participants and prospective movers together in New Hampshire. It became an annual gathering for camping, talks, and meeting other liberty-minded people.

Read the PorcFest origin story →

The Free State Project adopted a formal mission statement centered on protecting individual rights to life, liberty, and property.

Joel Winters became the first Free State Project mover elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Launched in January 2006, the First 1000 campaign invited people to commit to moving by the end of 2008, rather than waiting for the full 20,000-person target. The campaign exceeded its pledge target, with 1,033 signers recorded in the LPedia historical account.

The first Liberty Forum brought together participants and visitors for discussion, learning, and connection, with featured speakers John Stossel and Ron Paul.

Watch John Stossel’s interview at Liberty Forum 2007 →

Amid the Tea Party election wave, Free Staters elected to the state legislature reached double digits, expanding the movement’s presence in state politics.

Free State Project movers William Kostric and Ofer Nave established the Quill in Manchester in 2010 as a member-supported community space for liberty-minded people to meet and organize. Its gatherings include new-mover potlucks and volunteer nights.

Ron Paul won roughly 23 percent of the vote in New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary. The campaign also brought national attention to “Ron Paul’s Freaking Giant,” Free Stater Chris Lawless.

New Hampshire enacted HB 146, allowing criminal defendants to inform juries of their right to judge the facts and the application of the law. The measure was approved in June 2012 and took effect January 1, 2013.

Free Staters joined other residents in opposing Concord’s proposed acquisition of a BearCat armored police vehicle. FSP president Carla Gericke testified at the August 12 City Council meeting, challenging the grant application’s characterization of Free Staters and calling for its retraction.

On February 3, 2016, the Free State Project announced that it had reached 20,000 signed Statements of Intent. The milestone activated the original commitment for signers to move within five years.

The milestone shifted the organization’s work toward helping signers visit, plan their moves, and settle in New Hampshire.

Read the February 3, 2016 announcement →

New Hampshire removed the licensing requirement for carrying a concealed pistol or revolver for people legally eligible to carry. The law was signed on February 22, 2017.

Read the FSP’s February 2017 account →

During the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown period, the Free State Project proceeded with PorcFest, bringing hundreds of attendees together in person.

The SHELL was founded in 2020 as a community space for liberty lovers in Rollinsford. Its name stands for “Seacoast Harbors Every Liberty Lover.” The independently run clubhouse gives the Seacoast community a year-round place for member-hosted events, parties, and gatherings. Its first meetup took place on November 12, 2020.

New Hampshire launched Education Freedom Accounts for the 2021–2022 school year, giving eligible families access to state funding for approved educational options outside their assigned public school.

On December 1, 2023, Maine State Senator Eric Brakey was named executive director of the Free State Project.

After eleven years of support for the “Free Ross” campaign at PorcFest, participants welcomed Ross Ulbricht in person to the 22nd Porcupine Freedom Festival. Carla Gericke introduced him to the gathering, connecting his appearance with the community’s years of advocacy for his freedom.

By summer 2025, North Country Porcupines had established a new clubhouse, the Pine. Alongside the community’s FreedomPalooza music festival, it expanded the places where liberty-minded residents and visitors could gather in northern New Hampshire.

New Hampshire’s interest and dividends tax repeal took effect on January 1, 2025. Later that year, lawmakers removed the income eligibility limit for Education Freedom Accounts, expanding access to the program established in 2021. The state also authorized its treasury to invest in qualifying digital assets and precious metals, creating a legal framework for a Bitcoin reserve.

Interest and dividends tax repeal →
Education Freedom Account expansion →
Digital assets and precious metals legislation →