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Rules and Procedures of the Green Party of the United States Table of Contents 1. Powers of Steering Committee Updates:
4 - updated April 15, 2007 5 - updated August 6, 2006; 6 - updated April 1, 2007; New Section 7 - added June 18 2006; New Section 8 - added April 15, 2007; New Section 9 - added November 13, 2005; PNC RULES PNC Floor Rules, Article V updated Novemeber 29, 2009 #418 - rules, adopted 11/01/09 6 - updated June 21, 2009 8 - updated November 1, 2009; proposal #429 - Amendment to GNC Apportionment Formula
1. POWERS OF STEERING COMMITTEE Organizational effectiveness requires that the Steering Committee:
2. ACCREDITATION
SECTION 1 I. Introduction - Goals of the Accreditation Process
II. Criteria for State Party Membership in the Green Party of the United States.
III. Role and Duties of Accreditation Committee.
IV. Accreditation Process. 1. Application to the Green Party of the United States Applications should be delivered to the secretary of the Green Party of the United States, who will notify the NC that the application has been received, then forward the application to all members of the accreditation committee for review. The accreditation committee may request additional paperwork, eg. by-laws, platform, etc. and assurances, in order to determine that the applicant party satisfies the criteria listed above. 2. Accreditation Committee Review 3. An accredited state party which has failed to cast votes for a period of six months, or has not sent delegates to two consecutive meetings of the National Committee, may be assigned to temporary inactive status, upon recommendation of the Accreditation Committee and majority vote of the National Committee. Parties assigned to temporary inactive status will retain GREEN PARTY accreditation and, insofar as possible, will continue to receive NC correspondence; but shall not be counted toward the NC quorum. 4. Should a party with temporary inactive status not regain its active status within one year, the Accreditation Committee may recommend a formal disaffiliation vote by the NC. 5. Report to Coordinating Committee. 6. Appeals Process V. PROCEDURES FOR REVOCATION OF ACCREDITATION 1. A duly executed disaffiliation application may be granted without discussion. The committee should try to determine the reason and report to the NC. 2. A grievance lodged against an accredited state (party) by an individual or group should be investigated by the committee as in the appeals process above. A hearing should be held at the next general meeting. The NC should formulate rules for conducting such hearings. VI. ACCREDITATION OF CAUCUSES (Notes: gp.org/documents/accreditation.shtml is the original caucus accreditation process document that was posted on GP.org. It was incorrectly labeled at the time as the "Addendum on Accreditation". See web.archive.org/...documents/rules.html for verification purposes.)
1. ABOUT GPUS 1.a: The Green Party of the United States is a federation of independent, State-level Parties. (Around the country, local Green organizations are represented in different ways, depending on by-laws and representational systems; GPUS rules, however, require that its members be State-level organizations serving statewide constituencies.) 1.b: When a caucus exists, and gains accreditation by GPUS, it sends an elected voting delegate and an alternate to the GPUS National Committee, and up to three voting members to each Standing Committee. Additional individuals from your caucus, with the assent of your elected NC delegate, are welcomed to volunteer for GPUS's various working committees. 1.c: For additional information about the Green Party of the United States: 1.c.1: GPUS's home page is www.gp.org 1.c.2: Our by-laws are available at: www.gp.org/documents/bylaws.shtml 1.c.3: The Green Party's operating procedures are: www.gp.org/documents/rules.shtml 1.c.4: The Green parties' platform can be found at: www.gp.org/platform.shtml 2. APPLICATION PACKET To apply for GPUS membership, your caucus is invited to submit a completed application packet, which should include the following documentation in the order indicated: 2.a.1: A letter of application addressed to the Co-chairs of the Accreditation Committee which indicates the date and setting of the application decision (i.e., annual meeting 2/15/01, teleconference 3/22/02, on-line decision 6/18/02), including a list of at least 100 members in at least 15 GPUS- affiliated states, containing name, address, and state party membership of each member (see section 6.b.1-5 below). 2.b The name, address and state party membership of up to three delegates to the Diversity Committee. 2.c: The current by-laws of the caucus. 2.d: The current platform of the caucus. 2.e: A list of at least 100 members, in at least 15 GPUS affiliated states, containing name, address, phone number (if available), email address (if available) and state party membership of each member. 2.f: Additional materials that the Accreditation Committee can read and use 3. THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS 3.a: Identity Group Formation: When anyone in the Green party becomes aware of an identity group being interested in forming a caucus, that person will notify the Diversity Committee. 3.b: Receipt of Application: Once a caucus is ready to consider accreditation, its official representatives will send two copies of the letter o application and packet (the Application) to the GPUS national office, once addressed to the co-chairs of the Accreditations Committee (AC), the other to the co-chairs of the Diversity Committee (DC). It is strongly suggested to also send as much of the packet as possible via email to the Accreditations and Diversity Committees at their respective email addresses. The AC and the DC will keep each other completely updated in all areas of identity caucus accreditation. 3.c: Committee Assignment, liaisons: As soon as the Application is received, the AC and the DC shall each assign a committee member to the application. The AC shall communicate to the applicant the AC and DC members assigned to the application, indicating the AC shall be the primary contact for official communications regarding the accreditation process and the DC shall assist and facilitate the process, acting as an advocate for the applying caucus. Both the AC and the DC co-chairs shall forward the application to all members of their respective committees for review. 3.d: Evaluation process: The AC shall notify the National Committee that the application has been received. The Accreditation Committee may request additional paperwork, clarifications and assurances, in order to determine that the applicant party satisfies the criteria listed below. The Accreditation Committee review process should be speedy and non-bureaucratic. If we are to err, it should be on the side of permissiveness. Applicant should experience Greens as a welcoming committee. The Diversity Committee will assist the caucus in formation to complete the necessary documentation, working hand in hand with the Accreditation Committee. 3.e: Report to and vote by the Coordinating Committee: Except in extraordinary situations, the AC shall make its report to the NC in the form of a formal proposal, within 60 days of the AC chair receiving a complete application. A complete application is one that includes all of the documentation necessary for the NC to make an informed decision and shall be considered received when the national office issues notices of its receipt to the applying caucus. The proposal shall be presented according to the customary procedure to submit proposals for discussion and vote by email or at a national meeting of the NC, whichever can be done most promptly. The proposal to the NC should explain the committee¹s findings for each of the accreditation criteria, and recommend for or against approval of the application and accreditation of the Identity Caucus¹s one delegate and one alternate to the NC. Any request for clarification directed to the AC or the DC shall be addressed without prejudice. If the AC and the DC cannot reach consensus on the report, the proposal shall include both the AC and the DC¹s recommendations. A two-third¹s majority vote is required to approve an Identity Caucus. 3.f: Appeals process: Should the AC and the DC recommend against approving an application, the AC is obligated to report that negative recommendation to the applicant caucus, giving the applicant caucus thirty days to prepare an appeal to the NC. 3.g: Additional Documentation: The NC may require the gathering of additional evidence. This might include on-site visits by authorized representatives of the NC to caucus headquarters, gatherings or other meetings. A written report with specific recommendations should be communicated to the NC and the matter should be discussed and decided a the next general meeting of the NC. 4. Goals of the Accreditation Process 4.a: To ensure that applicant Identity Caucuses and State Parties understand: i. The goals, values, plans and organization of the Green Party of the United States, 4.b: to verify that Identity Caucuses and state parties are indeed bona-fide organizations meeting the values and criteria set forth in this proposal and related documents. 4.c: To welcome new Identity Caucuses and their representatives, and 5: Criteria for Identity Caucus Membership in the GPUS The Caucus must: 5.a: Accept of the four pillars of the international Green Party movement [ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy, non-violence], or the GPUS's Ten Key Values, as guiding principles. 5.b: Be organized and run in accordance with these values. 5.c: Be open to and reflective of natural members of the Identity Caucus. 5.d: Have held at least one meeting and will continue to hold such meetings not less than annually. 5e: Have elected its leadership and delegates in a democratic and transparent manner. 5.f.: Agree to support national candidates selected at the national Green Nominating Convention. 5.g: Maintain a current list of at least 100 members in 15 state parties with name, address and their state party membership. 5.h. Represent a historically disenfranchised or underrepresented and significant sector of the population. 6. Temporary Inactive Status An accredited Identity Caucus which has failed to cast votes for a period of six months, or has not sent delegates to two consecutive meetings of the Coordinating Committee, may be assigned to temporary inactive status, upon recommendation of the Accreditation Committee and majority vote of the National Committee. Caucuses assigned to temporary inactive status will retain GPUS accreditation and, insofar as possible, will continue to receive NC correspondence; but shall not be counted toward the NC quorum. 7. Revocation of Accreditation for Inactivity Should a caucus with temporary inactive status not regain its active status within one year, the Accreditation Committee may recommend a formal revocation vote by the NC. Addendum: Santa Barbara resolution. Here is the specific wording of the resolution approved in Santa Barbara, establishing the basic framework for accrediting caucuses: IDENTITY CAUCUS ACCREDITATION PROCESS (IDCAP or ICAP) When a caucus for an underrepresented group has formed, that caucus will submit its application for accreditation according to the same procedures used for state party accreditation. A caucus application will include documentation of caucus membership, showing that 100 individuals, from at least 15 states, who are both members of the underrepresented group itself, and of their respective state Green parties, have joined the caucus; and that the caucus uses democratic procedures for its internal leadership selection and general decision-making. As with state parties, the caucus application will include documentation for the caucus's by-laws, principles, history and activities. (Notes: gp.org/documents/accreditation.shtml is the original caucus accreditation process document that was posted on GP.org. It was incorrectly labeled at the time as the "Addendum on Accreditation". See web.archive.org/...documents/rules.html for verification purposes.) 3. FEC FILING PROCEDURE The GPUS will adhere to the following steps when filing with the FEC:
4. STEERING COMMITTEE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS/ENDORSEMENT PROCESS FOR TIME SENSITIVE REQUESTS A. 24-48 Hour Response The Steering Committee, in consultation with Green media spokespeople B. Three to fourteen day response The Steering Committee, in consultation with Green media spokespeople C. Two to three week response. Such proposals will follow the regular process for submission to the 5. FISCAL POLICY (118) INTRODUCTION These fiscal policies are intended to make possible a higher level of Green political activity, while safeguarding the independence of the Green Party, the autonomy of its member parties, and the accountability of its political and fiscal officers. INCOME
THE DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS
MERCHANDISING
LOANS
INVESTMENTS
EXPENDITURES
REVENUE SHARING
FUNDRAISING POLICY
FISCAL MANAGEMENT BANK ACCOUNTS
CREDIT CARD POLICY
BUDGETING
APPROPRIATIONS AND REIMBURSEMENTS
REPORTING AND AUDITING
AMENDMENTS TO THESE FISCAL POLICIES
Article VI PROCEDURES FOR PROPOSALS TO THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE Section 6-1 Submission of Proposals 6-1.1 Throughout this Article, any reference to "state parties" or "caucuses" is intended to refer to state Green Parties or caucuses which have been accredited by the Green Party of the United States. 6-1.2 Proposals may be submitted by one or more committees, caucuses, and/or state parties, in a manner provided for by their internal rules or procedures, and only within their scope as defined in 6-1.3. Proposals may be submitted by individuals only as defined elsewhere in the Bylaws and the Rules and Procedures. 6-1.3 The scope for proposals submitted by state parties and caucuses shall be any proposal in accordance with the Bylaws and the Rules and Procedures. The scope for proposals submitted by committees shall be as defined in their Mission Statement, or as defined in Committee Rules which were approved by the National Committee prior to June 28, 2009, and necessarily includes amendments to their Mission Statement and Committee Rules. 6-1.4 All proposals for National Committee consideration must be submitted to the Steering Committee. A proposal shall be considered submitted to the Steering Committee when it has been submitted to and acknowledged by the Secretary. 6-1.5 Proposals that have been submitted at least six days before a regular Steering Committee meeting, and meet the conditions as specified in Section 6-5, shall go to the online voting queue at the next regular starting date, except as otherwise provided in this Article. 6-1.6 Proposals submitted less than six days before a regular Steering Committee meeting, but which meet the conditions specified in Section 6-5, may be placed in the online voting queue at the next regular starting date, at the discretion of the Steering Committee. 6-1.7 A proposal's sponsor(s) may request a later regular starting date than the next scheduled one. If the proposal meets the conditions specified in Section 6-5, it shall go to the voting queue at the date requested by the sponsor(s), except as otherwise provided in this Article. Section 6-2 Types of Proposals and their Approval Threshold (Consens Quorum) 6-2.1 The following proposals before the National Committee shall require 2/3 of all 'yes' and 'no' votes cast for passage 6-2.1(a) Amendments to the Bylaws 6-2.1(b) Amendments to the Rules & Procedures 6-2.1(c) Amendments to the Fiscal Policy 6-2.1(d) Amendments to the Presidential Nominating Convention Rules 6-2.1(e) Accreditation of State Parties, Caucuses, and Networks 6-2.1(f) Establishment of Standing and Ad Hoc Committees 6-2.1(g) Creation and Amendment of Committee, Caucus, and Network Mission Statements 6-2.1(h) Delegation of National Committee Decision-Making Power 6-2.1(i) Recall of Steering Committee Members 6-2.2 The following proposals before the National Committee shall require a majority of all 'yes' and 'no' votes cast for passage. 6-2.2(a) Budget, Budget Amendments 6-2.2(b) Resolutions 6-2.2(c) Nominations by the Steering Committee for Committee Membership as specified by the National Committee 6-2.2(d) Other nominations by the Steering Committee as specified by the National Committee, including nominations for: Forum Managers; Facilitators for Annual National Meetings; Facilitators; and Honorary Co-Chairs and Elections Administrators for Presidential Nominating Conventions 6-2.2(e) Certification of Steering Committee Election Results 6-2.2(f) Rules, Policies, and Procedures for GPUS Standing and Ad Hoc Committees, Caucuses, and Networks 6-2.3 Proposals which have multiple operative clauses or sections shall require a 2/3 threshold for passage if any part of the proposal meets the criteria as described in Section 6-2.1. 6-2.4 Proposals which seek to modify the scope or powers of a committee or network must come in the form of an amendment to their Mission Statement. 6-2.5 Proposals that do not fit into Sections 6-2.1, 6-2.2 or 6-2.3 may be submitted to the Steering Committee with a recommended threshold. The Steering Committee shall make an evaluation and assign a threshold as per Section 6-5. Section 6-3 Decision-Making Timelines 6-3.1 When it submits a proposal, a proposal's sponsor(s) may request in advance one of the following timelines, and then may amend that request later as specified in Section 6-6: 6-3.1(a) Timeline A - Two weeks discussion, followed by one-week vote. 6-3.1(b) Timeline B - Three weeks discussion, followed by one-week vote. 6-3.1(c) Timeline C - Four weeks discussion, followed by one-week vote. 6-3.2 In addition to the options provided in 6-3.1, the Steering Committee may: 6-3.2(a) Sponsor a proposal with a shorter discussion period, if by a 2/3 vote it approves findings that declare that a shorter period would allow the GPUS to meet deadlines it would otherwise not meet, or be of other substantial benefit to the GPUS. In such cases the Steering Committee is strongly urged to schedule a one-week discussion beginning on the regular starting date, unless the circumstances identified in the findings clearly require a discussion period of different length. 6-3.2(b) Declare an expedited placement into the voting queue, earlier than the next regular starting date, if by a 2/3 vote it approves findings that this would allow the GPUS to meet deadlines it would otherwise not meet or be of other substantial benefit to the GPUS 6-3.2(c) Delay placing a proposal into the voting queue for up to two weeks, if by a 2/3 vote it approves findings that the timeframe of the proposal would overlap with holidays or major public elections, or to limit the number of proposals on the voting queue at the same time, so as to allow for greater participation on the part of the National Committee. 6-3.3 The National Committee may direct the Steering Committee to place no proposals in the voting queue for a period of up to three months for recessing or for any other purpose as specified by the National Committee. The Steering Committee may at its discretion, by a 2/3 vote approving findings to such effect, place a proposal before the National Committee during such a voting hiatus, but only for a stated emergency purpose. Section 6-4 Proposal Format The format for proposals shall be: 6-4.1 SPONSOR(S): (State Party, Caucus, Committee, or group(s) thereof) 6-4.2 CONTACT: Primary Presenter(s) (name, phone number, email) 6-4.3 SUBJECT/TITLE: (Goal of 10 words or less) 6-4.4 TYPE OF PROPOSAL, EXPECTED APPROVAL THRESHOLD: (as per 6-2) 6-4.5 REQUESTED PROPOSAL DECISION-MAKING TIMELINE 6-4.6 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: (relationship, reasons and/or justification to the GPUS; presentation should be short and to the point, with further background provided in the Resource section) 6-4.7 PROPOSAL: 6-4.8 IMPLEMENTATION/TIMELINE/RESOURCES: (personnel, meetings, work hours, finances, period of implementation, including any sunset clause if applicable) 6-4.9 REFERENCES: (Sources for readily obtainable materials to aid in the decision making process of voting members, including additional background) Section 6-5 Steering Committee Review 6-5.1 The Steering Committee shall have the responsibility to review whether a proposal satisfies the following criteria: 6-5.1(a) Is a proposal as defined in Section 6-2; 6-5.1(b) Has been submitted in the appropriate format as defined in 6-4; 6-5.1(c) Is within the scope of the sponsoring committee or network, if sponsored by a committee or network, as defined in Section 6-1.2; 6-5.1(d) Is not in conflict with GPUS Bylaws, Rules and Procedures, Fiscal Policy or Presidential Convention Rules; 6-5.1(e) Is clear in what it asks the National Committee to decide; 6-5.1(f) Has been properly approved according to the relevant rules and procedures of the sponsoring entity or entities. 6-5.2 If a proposal has satisfied the criteria in Section 6-5.1, the Steering Committee shall place the proposal into the voting queue according to the timing specified in Sections 6-1 and 6-3. 6-5.3 When the Steering Committee places a proposal into the online voting queue, it shall 6-5.3(a) State the quorum requirement as a percentage and as a specific number of states and caucuses necessary to meet it; 6-5.3(b) State the appropriate approval threshold by the National Committee; 6-5.3(c) Assign a Steering Committee member as Floor Manager for the proposal's discussion and vote periods. 6-5.4 If the Steering Committee deems that a proposal does not comply with any/all of the conditions in Section 6-5.1, it must approve findings that state how the proposal does not comply and how it can be corrected. Such findings shall be published to the National Committee votes list no more than 72 hours after the conclusion of the Steering Committee meeting at which the findings are approved. In the absence of a vote approving such findings, a proposal shall be assumed to satisfy the conditions in Section 6-5.1 and must be placed in the voting queue according to the timing specified in Section 6-1. 6-5.5 If the Steering Committee deems that a proposal warrants a different approval threshold than that specified by the sponsor, it must approve findings stating why, including directly addressing 6-2. Such findings shall be published to the National Committee votes list no more than 72 hours after the conclusion of the Steering Committee meeting at which the Findings are approved. In the absence of a vote approving such findings, a proposal shall be assumed to satisfy the conditions in Section 6-5.1 and must be placed in the voting queue according to the timing specified in Section 6-1, except as otherwise specified in this Article. 6-5.6 Decisions of the Steering Committee may be appealed according to the process defined in Section 6-10. Section 6-6 Online Discussion Period 6-6.1 The regular starting time of the discussion period shall begin at 12:01am Eastern Time on Mondays. The regular discussion period shall be for either two or three weeks, as specified in Section 6-3 followed by a voting period of one week, ending at 11:59pm Pacific Time on Sundays. 6-6.2 The National Committee shall strive for consensus in decision-making. The discussion period is the place for stating and responding to clarifying questions and concerns, and proposing amendments and responding to them. 6-6.3 If a two-week discussion period had been chosen, the sponsor(s) retain the option to extend the discussion period for one or two more weeks, upon notifying the Floor Manager at least 48 hours before the close of the discussion period. If a three-week discussion period had been chosen, the sponsor(s) retain the option to extend the discussion period for one more week, upon notifying the Floor Manager at least 48 hours before the close of the discussion period. 6-6.4 The Steering Committee may extend a discussion period for up to two weeks, so long as the total discussion period does not exceed four weeks, if it approves findings stating specifically how this would benefit the National Committee's decision-making process. Such findings shall be published to the National Committee votes list no more than 72 hours after the conclusion of the Steering Committee meeting at which the findings are approved. Sponsor(s) should be consulted in advance, if possible, and if a proposal sponsor should express any concerns with extending discussion, such concerns should be part of the record of the Steering Committee's findings. Section 6-7 Amendments by the Sponsor(s) 6-7.1 During the online discussion period, sponsors may amend their proposal and resubmit the amended version to the National Committee if at least 48 hours before the commencement of the voting period, they make their submission to the Secretary and notify the Floor Manager. The sponsors shall also post the text of such amended proposals to the National Committee votes list to help ensure that the National Committee has the greatest opportunity to discuss the amended proposal. Section 6-8 Amendments by the National Committee Section 6-9 Online Voting Period 6-9.1 The voting period shall be seven days, commencing upon the close of the discussion period. 6-9.2 Quorum shall be at least one delegate present from each of two-thirds of the state parties and caucuses. A delegate is "present" that casts a 'yes', 'no', 'abstain' or 'none-of-the-above.' 6-9.3 Abstentions count towards the quorum (presens quorum), but not towards the approval threshold (consens quorum.) 6-9.4 For proposals that provide options other than 'yes' and 'no' and which are not conducted using ranked choice voting, all delegates shall be given the additional option of casting a vote for "none of the above." "None of the above" cast by a delegate shall be a 'vote' for purposes of this section. 6-9.5 Proposals which are conducted using ranked choice voting shall be tabulated using the method for ranked choice voting defined in GPUS Rules and Procedures. Section 6-10 Appeals of Procedural Decisions Made by the Steering Committee, Floor Manager or Facilitator 6-10.1 Should any five members of the Green National Committee of the Party representing any five state parties or caucuses assert that any ruling of the Steering Committee or the Floor Manager on any point with respect to the handling of a Proposal submitted for the consideration of the National Committee was made contrary to the rules governing such rulings, such objection shall be recognized, and shall serve to initiate an appeal from the decision. When meeting face-to-face a Delegate may raise such an objection by respectfully addressing the facilitator and stating: "I appeal from the decision of the facilitator because this ruling is contrary to our rules" and then explaining the inconsistency. When meeting by email such an objection may be initiated by posting the same statement to the votes list. Any such appeal which is then joined by sufficient cosponsors as required by this paragraph shall stay the effective date of that decision, pending the resolution of the appeal. 6-10.2 The facilitator at a face-to-face meeting, or the Floor Manager, when conducting business by email, shall acknowledge the appeal by stating to the body the point ruled on, the Steering Committee or facilitator's decision on it and shall then put the appeal to the National Committee. The question put to the body shall be framed as: "Shall the body sustain the decision of the Steering Committee (or the Floor Manager or the facilitator) that . . . " 6-10.3 Debate on the correctness of the ruling shall be limited to twenty minutes when meeting face-to-face or when conducting business by email shall end at 12:00 midnight Pacific on the day following the day on which the appeal is acknowledged by the Floor Manager as being in order due to its having sufficient cosponsors. The facilitator or Floor Manager shall then put the question of the appeal to the body for a vote. When conducting business by email, the vote shall commence upon the close of debate and shall close seventy-two hours later. 6-10.4 The ruling of the Steering Committee, Floor Manager or facilitator shall be sustained unless overruled by the vote of a majority of those voting, who voted in opposition to the question of sustaining the decision, provided votes have been cast by Delegates from at least a simple majority of the state parties and caucuses eligible to cast votes on the matter. All appeals from the decision of the Steering Committee or facilitator at a face-to-face meetings shall be made immediately, and no appeal shall be in order after other business has intervened from the time of the alleged error of the Steering Committee or facilitator and before the appeal is sought. All appeals from the decision of the Steering Committee or Floor Manager when conducting business by email shall be made not later than midnight Pacific time, the third complete day after the publication to the votes list of the decision appealed. 6-10.5 Any member may have entered in the minutes a protest in writing based on any ruling so made. Said protest shall clearly and succinctly set forth the grounds of such protest and shall not exceed 200 words. It shall not impugn the motive of the body or any member thereof. Section 6-11 Long Term Planning and Scheduling of Proposals 6-11.1 At the beginning of each Fiscal Year, state parties, committees, caucuses and networks that expect to advance proposals to the National Committee, including any required by the Bylaws, Rules and Procedures, Fiscal Policy, Presidential Convention Rules, and/or by resolution of the National Committee, are encouraged to forward the basic scope and expected timing of submission of such proposals to the Steering Committee. 6-11.2 The Steering Committee shall publish the list of potential proposals identified in Section 6-11.1, together with the schedule of internal elections and other mandated decisions, to the National Committee on a semi-annual basis. 6-11.3 Once a state party, caucus, network, or committee has begun an internal vote to send a proposal to the Steering Committee, the Co-Chairs of that state party, caucus, network, or committee are encouraged to notify the Steering Committee of the anticipated date of the proposal's submission should it be approved. 6-11.4 Where it may ensure that decisions already required by the Bylaws, Rules and Procedures, Presidential Convention Rules and/or by Resolution of the National Committee are heard by the National Committee, the Steering Committee is encouraged to consult with sponsors of other proposals to voluntarily adjust their timing, to give these mandated items priority. 6-11.5 Where there may be potential overlap of mission and/or jurisdiction among proposals and/or proposal sponsors, the Steering Committee may facilitate a consultative process among them and any relevant other committees, caucuses, networks, and/or state parties. The existence of such a consultative process does not prevent a proposal from going forward in the voting queue as otherwise specified in Section 6-5. However, a proposal's sponsor(s) may amend the timing and content of their submission as a result. Resources As specified. Many committees will need to review their Committee documents to ensure that they have a clearly defined Mission Statement. References Rules and Procedures, Existing Proposal Procedures, Proposal 266 back to top 7. PREFERENCE VOTING RULES FOR STEERING COMMITTEE ELECTIONS "Preference Voting" shall mean a voting system which achieves representation in deliberative bodies proportional to the support such representation enjoys among the voters by allowing voters to rank candidates for the internal Party offices in the order of their choice, according to the method described and by tabulating votes pursuant to the rules provided in this Article. Preference Voting tabulates votes based on the principle that any vote cast which would not otherwise help elect a voter's most preferred candidate(s), shall be used to help elect that voter's next most preferred candidate(s). Thus, if a voter's first choice among the candidates receives more than enough votes to win, the surplus proportion of that vote will be transferred to that voter's second or succeeding (next-highest ranking) choice. Alternatively, if a voter's first choice candidate is eliminated, that vote instead will be cast for the voter's second or succeeding (next highest ranking) choice. B. TABULATION OF VOTES Two months before each Annual National Meeting (reduced to one month for 2006), the Secretary of GPUS shall post to the GNC a request for nominations for an Election Tabulation Committee. The Election Tabulation Committee will consist of five members of the GNC and will be elected by the NC using the current system of Single Transferable Voting employed by the Green Party website: Multi-Seat Ranked-Choice Voting http://lobitos.net/voting/ Ballots shall be counted by the Election Tabulation Committee according to the following rules: 1. Determination of Victory Threshold (a) In order for a candidate to be elected, the number of votes for that candidate to be an elected shall surpass the "threshold" or "winning threshold". (b) The threshold determines transferable surpluses as defined below. The threshold is determined by dividing (the number of valid votes cast) by (the number of seats + 1). In an election to name a single individual to fill an office, the winning threshold shall be a simple majority of the ballots cast and these rules may be referred to as instant run-off voting. 2. Rules regarding the transfer of votes at all stages of tabulation: (a) Votes acquired by a candidate in excess of the threshold for that election shall be termed their "surplus". A candidate's surplus votes shall be transferred according to the following rule: transfer a portion of each vote determined by dividing the surplus of the candidate by the total number of votes for that candidate, rounded to the third decimal place, to each voter's next choice. Votes cast for candidates who are eliminated (as described below) shall be transferred at their full current value to those voter's next choice(s). (b) Votes may not be transferred to candidates who have already surpassed the threshold, nor may votes be transferred to candidates who have been eliminated. When a voter's next (c) If a voter fails to designate a candidate to a ranking, the vote shall be transferred to that voter's next clearly indicated choice. (d) Any ranked votes cast for eligible write-in candidates shall be tabulated in the same manner as those for candidates whose names are printed on the ballots. (e) If a ballot has no more available choices ranked on it, that ballot shall be declared "exhausted." Ballots ranking two or more candidates as the voter's first ranked choice shall be declared "exhausted". Ballots with two candidates sharing the same rank shall be declared exhausted when a transfer of a surplus would put in doubt which candidate would next be eligible for the transfer, unless all but one of the candidates with the shared ranking have already been defeated or elected making them ineligible to receive a transfer. 3. Stages in the Tabulation for multi-seat positions: (a) Any candidate whose total votes at any stage of the tabulation exceeds the winning threshold shall be declared to have won a seat. (b) Vote counting shall start with a tabulation of first choice votes and with the transfer of a proportion of any existing surplus votes according to the rules specified above. Transfer of surpluses shall commence with the candidate having the largest surplus and proceed successively to the candidates with the next largest surplus. (c) If the transfer of surplus votes to voters' next choice candidates creates a new surplus, then a proportion of these votes shall be transferred to those voter's succeeding choices, until all surpluses have been transferred or all declared choices on a ballot have been exhausted. (d) When all surplus votes have been distributed in this manner, a tally shall be taken. Any remaining surpluses created by any transfer shall once again be transferred, and a new tally taken, until all surpluses have been transferred. Then the remaining candidate with the least number of votes shall be eliminated. (e) This process of transferring surpluses followed by eliminating candidates with the least number of votes shall continue until every available seat has been filled by a candidate whose support has surpassed the winning threshold, or until no candidate remains to be eliminated. Any seat not filled by a candidate surpassing the winning threshold shall be declared vacant and a new election shall be called to fill such vacancies. 4. Tabulation for single seat positions If a candidate receives a majority of the first-choice votes, then that candidate shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives such a majority, then the candidate with the fewest first choices shall be declared defeated. Ballots cast for this defeated candidate shall be transferred at full value to the next choice candidate marked on each ballot. Last-place candidates are eliminated and their supporters' ballots transferred to next-choice candidates who are still in the race in a similar manner until a candidate receives a number of votes surpassing the winning threshold. Should no candidate enjoy sufficient support to surpass the winning threshold, a vacancy is declared and a new election shall be held to fill the vacant seat. 5. Determinations in the case of a Tie: For ties between candidates occurring at any stage in the tabulation, determinations shall be made based on whomever was credited with the most votes at the previous successive stages of tabulation. Specifically, if in any round of tabulation, two or more candidates have an equal number of votes, the candidate with the most first choices shall prevail. If two or more candidates have an equal number of first choices, than the candidate with a greater number of second choices shall prevail, and so on. If this information fails to resolve the tie, the Election Tabulation Committee shall consider the approval expressed by the ballots determined by the ranks assigned by all the ballots which ranked each tied candidate in question and whether any ballots cast ranked no-other-candidate at a higher preference than a candidate in question. C. CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS 1. Tabulation & Report Immediately upon the close of the polls the Election Tabulation Committee shall tabulate the ballots pursuant to these rules. Immediately following the tabulation of such ballots, the Election Tabulation Committee shall file its written report on the election with the National Committee. The report shall declare which candidates were elected to which seats and for what terms for each election they are charged with tabulating, and a narrative description of the tabulation detailing how surpluses were redistributed, how candidates were identified for elimination at the end of each round, how ties were resolved and other factors that weighed in the final determination of the winning candidates. The Election Tabulation Committee shall publish as an appendix to their Report the details of each ballot received sufficient to permit an independent tabulation. The report shall further evaluate the extent to which these rules anticipated the demands of the election and gave adequate guidance to the Election Tabulation Committee on the conduct of its responsibilities. 2. Receipt & Right to Challenge Election Results When the GNC receives a report from the Election Tabulation Committee or a properly filed Challenge as described in paragraph 3., below, the question shall be put to the GNC, on the fourteenth day following the transmittal of the report, on certifying the results as so reported, and as a distinct question, on sustaining each Challenge as may have been timely filed. In presenting a question on sustaining a Challenge, it shall be made clear that to sustain the Challenge is to act to adopt such amendments to the certification as may be proposed by the sustained Challenge. Such questions shall be resolved by a simple majority vote of the GNC. 3. The Resolution to a Challenge to Election Results, Proposed for certification (a) Any contest to the results proposed by the Election Tabulation Committee for certification by the body conducting the election shall be filed within seven days of the transmittal of the report to be challenged. It shall take the form of a Challenge to the Election Results, as Reported by the Election Tabulation Committee on (a date). It shall set out the facts supporting its contention that the election proposed to be certified was not conducted in accordance with the rules governing such elections, and that a proper application of the rules would have yielded a different result. Such Challenge shall also propose amendments to the certification report to permit the GNC to certify those portions of the report, supportable by the evidence, and proposing a course of action for the resolution of the remaining contested seats. (b) Such a Challenge may be filed by (i) any candidate who appeared on the ballot by virtue of having been nominated for consideration in such election, or (ii) any write-in candidate (c) If there is objection to the certification, the question of sustaining the challenge shall be put to the GNC, followed by the question of Certifying the Report, as amended by any sustained challenge. A majority vote of the GNC shall be binding on each question. D. PRESERVATION OF ELECTION RECORDS (a) All original election materials, including ballots and tally sheets, with an original signed copy of the report of the Election Tabulation Committee shall be sealed under the signatures of each committee member. An additional signed copy of the report and copies of all other election materials shall be preserved for review. The sealed original record may not be unsealed except by resolution of the GNC or by Order of a Court of competent jurisdiction. (b) An original signed report of the Elections Tabulation Committee, including the details of each ballot received sufficient to permit an independent tabulation, shall be preserved, published and made available at the principle office of the Party for inspection by any member of the Party. An electronic form of the report shall be published, web-accessible, in the archives of the Party. E. FILLING A VACANCY: Any vacancy that occurs within one month of an election shall be filled by interim appointment by recounting the ballots from the election which elected that member, by an Election Tabulation Committee designated by the GNC experiencing the vacancy, in the manner specified herein, except that the vacating member's name shall be deleted from all ballots. Any candidate accruing sufficient votes to surpass the winning threshold in the recount that was not elected to office in the original count shall fill the vacancy. If such a recount fails to resolve a vacancy or if the vacancy occurs more than one month after the election, the Steering Committee may provide for a special election under these rules to fill the seat until the next regularly scheduled election for that position. F. NO-OTHER-CANDIDATE An implicit 'no other candidate' shall remain an option of each voter who chooses not to rank possible candidates on their ballot.
8. ALLOCATION OF DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE GREEN PARTY ARTICLE I. RECALCULATION This apportionment will be recalculated every two years, in the odd numbered year following the national election year by the Apportionment Standing Committee (see Article VII). This committee shall convene for a period of not less than four months after election day in the even numbered year, shall put out a call to state parties to request information necessary for the apportionment calculation, and will present the results of its recalculation to the National Committee by the end of the sixth month following the election or as soon as practicable thereafter. The results of each apportionment recalculation must be accepted by the National Committee by a two thirds vote, and shall become effective at the conclusion of the vote. ARTICLE II. Accredited caucuses will have one vote. ARTICLE III. SIZE OF THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE The National Committee shall consist of 200 ±2 delegates when all accredited state parties and caucuses are included. Should any new state party or caucus become accredited after an apportionment, the NC will be expanded by the number of delegates allotted to the newly entering member party or caucus. The next reapportionment will return the size of the NC to as close to 200 as the mathematics of the formula allows, within ± 2. ARTICLE IV. MINIMUM VOTE All accredited state parties are entitled to a minimum of two votes and two delegates. However, a state party may voluntarily choose to have fewer than two votes or delegates if having two is a burden, and the Green Party of the U.S. may offer special assistance to state parties who choose to have only one vote, including but not limited to: special consideration for support of candidates by the Coordinated Campaign Committee, free bundles of the Green Pages newspaper and discounts or scholarships for delegates or observers attending national meetings. ARTICLE V. PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION METHOD Each state party shall have two months from the Apportionment Committee's call for information to submit the information needed to calculate their portion of seats. After receiving necessary data from each state party, the Apportionment Standing Committee will determine the proportion of delegates allocated to each state party using four measures of relative Green Party strength. These measures are based on estimating each state party's active contribution to the Green Party in terms of campaign strength, in-state voting strength, presidential voting strength, and counts of people. Within most of these categories, there are multiple methods of determining the strength of a state party relative to parties in other states. The state may choose which method in each category to use. If the state does not choose, the Apportionment Standing Committee will use the method in each category that gives each state party its highest possible score. The final score is given in terms of a percentage of the National Committee. The formula for calculating the number of delegates allocated to a given state party is as follows: 1. Using the choices of the state party, calculate the score in each of the four categories. Normalize each category so that the total percentage is 100%. 2. Add up these scores and divide by 4 to get an average score. This is the percentage of the delegation designated to the state. 3. If the percentage is less than the minimum percentage threshold of delegates allocated to each state, then two delegates will be allocated to that state party. The minimum percentage threshold is {2 /[200 - (number of accredited caucuses)]} x 100%. 4. If the percentage is greater than the minimum threshold, that is the initial percentage of delegates allocated to the state party. Once the initial percentages are calculated for all accredited parties, these values must be normalized to assure that the total percent of delegates equals 100%. The formula for normalizing the initial percentages is as follows: 5. Set all states with initial percentage scores below the minimum threshold value equal to the minimum threshold. 6. Add up the initial percentage scores of all states and divide each state's initial percentage by this total. 7. Repeat steps 5. and 6. until the total percentage of delegates allotted to all states (200 - number of accredited caucuses) equals approximately 100% (will usually take 3 to 4 iterations), The number of delegates allocated to each state is calculated by multiplying the normalized percentage of each state by [200 - (number of accredited caucuses)] and rounding off to the nearest integer. 8. The total number of delegates allowed for a single state shall be capped at 21% of the target NC size (42 delegates). 9. The threshold for rounding may need to be adjusted in order to bring the total number of delegates within the range of ±2 of the target number. ARTICLE VI. ALLOCATION MEASURES The Apportionment Standing Committee will seek submissions of data from state Green Party organizations according to the following criteria: 1. Membership The number of Green Party members in the state party as close as possible to the date of the start of the work of the committee. (This will then be calculated as a percentage of the total number of Green Party members in the United States.) Green Party membership is defined as follows: » In states where the Green Party can register voters, Green Party membership is defined as the number of voters that are registered in the Green Party. Green Party membership in these states may also include those who are ineligible to vote but are extended formal membership by the state party. » In states without Green Party voter registration(*), Green Party membership is defined as the number of people who have filled the qualifications for membership in that state party, have signed up to be Green Party members, are included in the database of current members in that state party. Signers of ballot access petitions may be considered members of the Green Party if the signers willingly join the Green Party simultaneously or if signing the petition constitutes acceptance of membership in the Green Party according to state law. Calculations and email lists may not be substituted for membership rolls. Solely for the purposes of standardizing this apportionment measure between states, after voting in a primary of another political party, Green Party members should re-affirm their Green Party membership with their state party. This may be handled on the honor system and does not require a significant extra administrative burden for the state party. The state party is free to count its own membership however it wants for other purposes; this restriction is solely for reporting this particular measure to the Apportionment Committee in a manner that makes the numbers as comparable as possible. If state legal action results in a state Green party having its members legally invalidated, they may continue to use the same membership count until the next apportionment cycle. NOTE: For the purposes of #2, Campaign Strength, and #3, State Voting Strength, Green Party Office Holders and Green Party Candidates must be Green Party members. They may not also be members of the Republican or Democratic Party or running solely on another political party?s ballot line. For State Voting Strength, if a candidate is listed on more than one party's ballot line, only the votes for the Green Party ballot line can be counted. 2. Campaign Strength A. The number of Green Party Office Holders in your state as a percentage of the total number of Green Party Office Holders in all affiliated state parties. Green Party office holders are defined as members of the Green Party who are elected to public office in elections (not including internal party offices such as central committees). If they were elected in an election where less that 300 ballots were cast, they will count half. B. The number of local and statewide Green Party Candidates that ran for office in your state during the last four-year election cycle as a percentage of the total number of local and statewide Green Party Candidates that ran for office in the U.S. in all affiliated state parties during the same period. Local or statewide Green Party Candidates are defined as Green Party members who run and appear on the ballot in public elections. If they ran in an election where fewer than 300 ballots were cast, they will count half. C. The percentage of the total U.S. population that resides in your state, multiplied by 0.5. (This measure is designed to compensate for overly restrictive ballot access laws in some states. If used here, population may not be used in #3, State Voting Strength or in #4, Presidential Voting Strength.) 3. State Voting Strength A. The number of votes cast for Green Party Candidates in your state during the last four-year election cycle as a percentage of the total number of votes cast for Green Party Candidates in the U.S during the same time. B. The highest number of votes received by a single Green Party Candidate in your state during the last four-year election cycle as a percentage of the total number of Green Party votes received by the highest vote getter in each state in the U.S. during the same time. C. The highest vote percentage received by a Green Party candidate in your state during the last four years in a statewide partisan election for Governor, Lt. Governor or U.S. Senate (or Mayor or Chair of the City Council for the District of Columbia) that is contested by both major political parties, weighted against the same data from every affiliated state Green Party. Because this measure, unlike all the others, is a percentage of a percentage, its effect shall be capped at a maximum of 2 extra delegates. D. The percentage of the total U.S. population that resides in your state, multiplied by 0.5. (This measure is designed to compensate for overly restrictive ballot access laws in some states. If used here, population may not be used in #2, Campaign Strength or in #4, Presidential Voting Strength.) 4. Presidential Voting Strength A. The number of votes cast for the Green Party presidential nominee in your state in the most recent presidential election as a percentage of the number of votes cast for the same candidate nationwide. B. The number of votes cast for the Green Party presidential nominee in your state in the next preceding presidential election as a percentage of the number of votes cast for the same candidate nationwide. C. The percentage of the total U.S. population that resides in your state, multiplied by 0.5. (This measure is designed to compensate for overly restrictive ballot access laws in some states. If used here, population may not be used in #2 , Campaign Strength or in #3, State Voting Strength.) D. As another option to compensate for overly restrictive ballot access laws, states may choose to repeat the Membership measure (Article VI, Section 1, above) in this category. ARTICLE VII. RESOLUTION TO FORM AN APPORTIONMENT STANDING COMMITTEE The GPUS hereby creates the Apportionment Standing Committee to make decisions regarding the implementation of the above formula. This committee will consult with state parties on state party numbers and apply the criteria stated in this proposal, as interpreted by the committee. The structure of the Apportionment Standing Committee will be a volunteer committee following the structures and practices laid out in the GPUS bylaws and rules and procedures and consisting of up to 3 members per state. The National Committee agrees to consider a proposal for Policies and Procedures for the new Apportionment Standing Committee within six weeks after passage of this proposal. Members of the committee must be Green Party members who have permission from their state party to serve. State parties are required to vet candidates for the knowledge and skill set needed for apportionment calculations, including the necessary mathematical understanding and spreadsheet skills. The tasks laid out for the committee include the following: 1. Designing spreadsheets that perform the calculations of the formulas described above for delegate apportionment. 2. Soliciting the state parties to send the relevant data so that apportionment can be undertaken with the most complete data. (If a state party does not submit numbers in a timely fashion, the committee is empowered to use publicly available data or to allocate the delegate minimum to that state party until the next apportionment.) 3. Applying the criteria of this proposal to the data, plugging the most accurate available numbers into the formula, and completing the computations. 4. Developing a formal challenge process for data submitted by a state party or to the data entry or computational analysis, reviewing any such challenges, and making the final decision regarding the numbers to be used. 5. Reporting the results of apportionment to the NC in a timely fashion and presenting the proposal to approve the completed computations. * The DAC recommends that the GPUS create an official roll of Green Party members in states without Green Party registration over the next two years.
9. GPUS NATIONAL COMMITTEE LISTSERV PROTOCOLS AND POLICIES DEFINITIONS List / Listserv / Forum - These terms are used interchangeably to refer to a group of people (members) who can send emails to a common email address and have those emails disseminated to the other people who are in the group. I. Natlcomvotes List II. Natlcomaffairs List III. Posting Guidelines B. Relevance. Posts unrelated to formal party business should not be sent to the Natlcomvotes list, and party unrelated to Green Party or general public issues should not be sent to either list. Messages of a personal nature are not considered relevant for NC lists. C. General Netiquette. In general, when quoting other messages, the person quoted should be properly cited, and extraneous text (including headers, footers, irrelevant messages to the section being responded to when replying to a digest, and the like) should be deleted. Non-substantive one-word replies generally should be sent off-list. Violations of General Netiquette guidelines can result in written informal reminders from the Forum Managers. Repeated off topic posting, over posting and other disregard for the purpose of the lists can be grounds for an official warning. D. Tone. Insults, name-calling, sexist/sexual, racist, homophobic, or otherwise demeaning or degrading comments will not be tolerated. (Personal, one-on-one arguments are inappropriate and should be taken off list for one-on-one communication.) Hateful, abusive, and threatening language are prohibited. Attacks of a personal, ad hominem nature are prohibited. Making false and defamatory accusations on the listserve against another list member, a Green delegate, candidate, committee, caucus or the Green Party, that can be clearly and objectively disproved, is prohibited. If such accusations are made unintentionally, a retraction is called for. Failure to retract such allegations can result in an action by the Forum Managers. All lists serve members are strongly encouraged to bear in mind the official nature of the lists and refrain from the use of obscene or otherwise offensive language in keeping with Respect for Diversity. E. Forwards of Private Messages. Forwarding private messages to either list without the expressed written permission of the original author is prohibited. F. Forwards of Other Items. Copyrighted material (newspaper articles, website content, etc.) and other items forwarded should be accompanied by, if applicable, a source URL, the name(s) of the author(s), and the originating source (if a publication). G. Proper Use of Messages. List members retain their personal copyright for their original messages, but through use of these forums grant other members the right to publicly quote portions of their message in any medium, and the right to forward messages in their entirety to others so long as the author's name and web address is cited or linked. IV. Forum Managers and Enforcement The Forum Managers shall provide Quarterly Reports to the NC via the Natlcomaffairs listserv. These reports shall include the number of informal advisories, number of official warnings and probations. B. The three Forum Managers must be in agreement prior to any change in status of a member's access to a list. C. Forum Managers may at their discretion send informal advisories to posters to encourage protocol compliance. Two of the three Forum Managers must agree on the content of an advisory for it to be sent. Every attempt shall be made by the Forum Managers to address individual complaints regarding offending posts. This may include contacting the author of the offending post and working with/educating them on constructive, neutral, and effective ways to communicate. D. List members may file a complaint about a specific post directly with a Forum Manager. Complaints will not be publicly posted to the forum. List members are encouraged to send informal complaints privately to the potentially infringing participants to encourage member-to-member accountability. If filing a complaint with a Forum E. After at least two informal advisories within a six month period, if at least two of three Forum Managers determine that the guidelines have been violated a third time by the same infringing member, an official private warning will be sent to the member by the Forum Managers. Forum Managers will respond to complaints in a uniform fashion and maintain electronic records of all official warnings. Official warnings remain in effect for six months. F. List members that receive a second official warning within six months will be placed on probation, including moderation of the messages that the member posts. The State or Caucus represented by any delegate placed on probation will be notified immediately when any delegate is placed on probation. The Forum Managers will review all proposed submissions from the probated member and will only forward those posts that do not violate list guidelines. Probation shall be for a term not to exceed 3 months. Completing the 3-month term of probation will clear the record of official warnings.
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