Mark Hinkle, currently Vice-Chair of the Libertarian Party of Santa Clara County received the Thomas Jefferson Leadership Award at the LP's 2022 national convention, held over the Memorial Day weekend in Sparks, Nevada.

This award has been presented at each national convention starting in 1996, in recognition of "outstanding leadership, high character, and dedication to the principles and goals of the Party". Previous recipients include LP founder David Nolan and presidential candidates Ed Clark, David Bergland, and Harry Browne.

Hinkle has been a member of the Libertarian Party since the early 1970s. He served as county chair for Santa Clara County from 1980 to 1983, as state chair of the Libertarian Party of California from 1986 to 1988 and from 1997 to 2001, as National Chair from 2010 to 2012, and on many committees at the local, state, and national level over the years.

He has been a candidate for the California state legislature eight times, has also run for local office, and in recent years has been taking the lead in ensuring that arguments appear in the county voter guide in opposition to the many tax and bond measures that local cities and districts place on the ballot each year.