Transition Committee Proposal

Santa Barbara Meeting

The resolution as approved:

Each member state party shall have one vote on the Coordinating Committee for every four Congressional Districts or major fraction thereof into which the state is divided. Regardless, each state party shall have at least two votes. State parties shall make a good faith effort, where reasonable, to have delegates to the Coordinating Committee elected by clusters of local Green groups. 

For the purpose of tallying its number of delegates to the Green National Committee a state party may include only Congressional Districts in which there is an organized Green Party Local.  

Criteria for an organized Green Party Local shall consist of: 
- Recognition by the member state Green Party 
- Bylaws and/or a constitution
- Adoption of the 10 Key Values and a mission statement and/or platform that demonstrates this commitment. 

The member state Green Party shall be responsible for maintaining a current record and validation of active local affiliates, to be provided to the GP-US on request for credentialing purposes. 

*No delegate to the Coordinating Committee may cast more than two of that state's votes. (This clause will be eliminated after the 2004 general election, reverting back to one vote per delegate, if no further action is taken). 

This rule will go into effect January, 2002. 

This entire section of the bylaws will be reviewed after the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee..." 

The original resolution:

Whereas: the Association of State Green Parties has in its Platform recognized individual empowerment, full citizen participation, and PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION as the foundation of an effective and PLURALISTIC democracy; 

Whereas: since its inception in 1997 the Association of State Green Parties has constituted itself in a transitional stage of two representatives for each member state; 

Whereas: the Association of State Green Parties is a value-based political association dedicated to Social and Economic Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Ecological Wisdom and Nonviolence; 

Whereas: authentic democracy is best served by a proportionally representative body held accountable to the party's platform and  membership;

Whereas: democratic institutions must have a form and purpose beyond the leadership of a few individuals in order to be viable; 

Be It Therefore Resolved that the following process be followed in order to adopt a progressive form of Proportional Representation from the following four Options to become effective January 1, 2002 or the next meeting of the Coordinating Committee, whichever occurs first. 

PROCESS

A paper ballot straw poll of the Coordinating Committee shall be taken on Saturday, July 27th using approval voting whereby each delegate shall fill out a ballot indicating which Options would be acceptable. The two Options receiving the highest tallies on Saturday will be considered on Sunday, July 28th.  That Option which receives the highest tally on Sunday shall be adopted. 

OPTION # 1 

Consolidated Proportional Representation 

RATIO - 6.5:1 between largest state and smallest state. 

Each member state party shall have one representative on the Coordinating Committee for every four Congressional districts or major fraction thereof into which the state is divided. Regardless, each state party shall have at least two representatives. State parties shall make a good faith effort, where reasonable, to have delegates to the Coordinating Committee elected by clusters of local Green groups.  State Delegate Votes would not be Weighted. 

OPTION #2 

Limited Proportional Representation 

RATIO: 7:1 between largest state and smallest state. 

Each member state party shall have one representative on the Coordinating Committee for every eight Congressional districts or major fraction thereof into which the state is divided. Regardless, each state party shall have at least two representatives. In states divided into twelve or more Congressional districts, each representative shall carry two votes. State parties shall make a good  faith effort, where reasonable, to have delegates to the Coordinating Committee elected by clusters of local Green groups.

OPTION #3 

Bounded Proportionality 

RATIO: 10:1 between largest state and smallest state. 

Each member state party shall have one representative on the Coordinating Committee for every ten Congressional districts or major fraction thereof into which the state is divided. Regardless, each state party shall have at least two representatives and no state party shall have more than four. Each representative shall carry one vote for every four Congressional districts or major fraction thereof into which his or her state is divided. Regardless, no representative shall carry more than five votes. State parties shall make a good faith effort, where reasonable, to have delegates to the Coordinating Committee elected by clusters of local Green groups. \

OPTION #4 

None Of The Above - No Proportionality 

RATIO: 1:1 between largest state and smallest state.  

Retains existing language: "Each member state Green Party, or Green Groups in a state having no Green Party as yet and whose membership application has been accepted by the Coordinating Committee of the Association, will have two representatives on the Coordinating Committee." 

NO AMENDMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON THIS PROPOSAL

Amendments will be considered after one option has been adopted CHARTS FOR CLARIFICATION ONLY 

This is to give the Coordinating Committee a sense of size and impact.  Reapportionment Will Change Status of Some States.  This is not a formal part of the proposal. 

OPTION # 1

KEY: CD/D (Congressional Districts/Delegates)

Arizona 6/2             Arkansas 4/2            Colorado 6/2
California 52/13        Connecticut 6/2         Delaware 1/2
Florida 23/6            Georgia 13/3            Hawaii 2/2
Idaho 3/2               Illinois 20/5           Iowa 5/2
Kansas  4/2             Maine 2/2               Michigan 16/4
Massachusetts 12/3      Minnesota 8/2           Nevada 4/2
New Jersey 13/3         New Mexico 3/2          New York 31/8
Ohio 19/5               Oregon 5/2              Pennsylvania 21/5
Rhode Island 2/2        Tennessee 9/2           Texas 30/8
Utah 3/2                Virginia 11/3           Wisconsin 9/2
Wyoming 1/2             Washington DC 0/2

TOTAL DELEGATES: 106    TOTAL VOTE: 106

OPTION # 2

KEY: CD/D/WV (Congressional Districts/Delegates/Weighted Vote Each)

Arizona 6/2/1           Arkansas 4/2/1          Colorado 6/2/1
California 52/7/2       Connecticut 6/2/1       Delaware 1/2/1
Florida 23/3/2          Georgia 13/2/2          Hawaii 2/2/1
Idaho 3/2/1             Illinois 20/3/2         Iowa 5/2/1
Kansas  4/2/1           Maine 2/2/1             Michigan 16/2/2
Massachusetts 12/2/2    Minnesota 8/2/1         Nevada 4/2/1
New Jersey 13/2/2       New Mexico 3/2/1        New York 31/4/2
Ohio 19/2/2             Oregon 5/2/1            Pennsylvania 21/3/2
Rhode Island 2/2/1      Tennessee 9/2/2         Texas 30/4/2
Utah 3/2/1              Virginia 11/2/1         Wisconsin 9/2/2
Wyoming 1/2/1           Washington DC 0/2/1

TOTAL DELEGATES: 76     TOTAL WEIGHTED VOTES: 114

OPTION # 3

KEY: CD/D/WV (Congressional Districts/Delegates/Weighted Vote Each)

Arizona 6/2/2           Arkansas 4/2/1          Colorado 6/2/2
California 52/4/5       Connecticut 6/2/2       Delaware 1/2/1
Florida 23/2/5          Georgia 13/2/3          Hawaii 2/2/1
Idaho 3/2/1             Illinois 20/2/5         Iowa 5/2/1
Kansas 4/2/1            Maine 2/2/1             Michigan 16/2/4
Massachusetts 12/2/3    Minnesota 8/2/2         Nevada 4/2/1
New Jersey 13/2/3       New Mexico 3/2/1        New York 31/3/5
Ohio 19/2/5             Oregon 5/2/1            Pennsylvania 21/2/5
Rhode Island 2/2/1      Tennessee 9/2/2         Texas 30/3/5
Utah 3/2/1              Virginia 11/2/3         Wisconsin 9/2/2
Wyoming 1/2/1           Washington DC 0/2/1

TOTAL DELEGATES: 68     TOTAL WEIGHTED VOTES: 172