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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	323
Proposal	Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States
Presenter	Committee on Bylaws, Rules, Policies Procedures
Floor Manager	Jim Coplen
Phase	Closed - Adopted
Discussion	10-29-2007 - 11-11-2007
Voting	11-12-2007 - 11-18-2007
Presens Quorum	Two Thirds of Active Accredited States/Caucuses
Consens Quorum	Two Thirds of Yes and No Votes

Background

Previous documents adopted to govern the Green Party's previous Presidential Nominating Conventions included provisions sunsetting those rules. It is therefore necessary to adopt a new set of rules to govern subsequent Conventions. Your Committee on Bylaws, Rules, Policies and Procedures, having reviewed those rules sunset following previous Conventions and the direction of the National Committee in its action to adopt Proposal #168, has considered and endorsed for National Committee consideration the adoption of the following rules.

The following articles include rules to govern the Presidential Nominating Convention; for the credentialing of delegations to the Presidential Nominating Convention; for promoting the use of proportional representation in the selection of state party delegations; for the creation and filing of state party delegation plans and their results; and to provide for the applications for waivers from these rules.

Proposal

Resolved, that the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States hereby adopts the following as the "Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States."

Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention
of the Green Party of the United States.

ARTICLE I. RULES OF THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTION

Section 1-1. Name, Findings, Intention, Scope and Powers

1-1.1 This policy shall be known as the "Rules of the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States", shall apply to the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States held every four years, and may be cited as the Convention Rules.

1-1.2 The bylaws of the Green Party of the United States provide that "The presidential nominating convention of the Green Party is the delegated decision-making body responsible for nominating the national Green Party's presidential and vice presidential candidates and approving the Green Party's national platform."

1-1.3 It is the intention of Green Party of the United States to provide for Presidential Nominating Conventions whose legitimacy is recognized by the member state Green Parties.

1-1.4 Each Presidential Nominating Convention shall have the powers to:

1-1.4.1 adopt the Report of the Credentials Committee, determining the voting membership of the Convention.

1-1.4.2 adopt the Platform of the Green Party of the United States.

1-1.4.3 conduct an election to name the Green Party nominees for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States.

1-1.5 Limit of powers of the Presidential Nominating Convention

Those powers not enumerated herein as delegated to the Presidential Nominating Convention by the National Committee, are reserved to the National Committee or to the state Parties.

Section 1-2. Convention of Delegates

1-2.1 Each Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States shall consist of delegates chosen as provided by this policy, among whom shall be apportioned the votes of the convention as provided by this policy.

Section 1-3. Delegate Apportionment

1-3.1 The number of delegates to which each state Green Party shall be entitled shall be apportioned according to a Presidential Nominating Convention Apportionment process, procedure or formula approved by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States; and such process, procedure or formula shall become Article III of these Convention Rules.

Section 1-4. Credentialing of Delegates

1-4.1 The manner in which delegates shall be credentialed shall be according to a process or procedure approved by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States; and such process, procedure or formula shall become Article IV of these Convention Rules.

Section 1-5. Voting and Floor Rules

1-5.1 The manner in which votes of the convention shall be cast, and the business of the convention conducted, shall be according to a process or procedure approved by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States; and such process, procedure or formula shall become Article V of these Convention Rules.

ARTICLE II. CONVENTION OF DELEGATES

Section 2-1. Delegations per State, District or Territory

2-1.1 One Delegation Per State, District or Territory

The convention shall consist of one Green Party delegation from each state entitled under the U.S. Constitution to choose members of the Presidential Electoral College, and from those territories and districts of the United States that are currently disfranchised.

2.1.2 Disfranchised Districts and Territories

Until otherwise amended by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United States, the list of those territories and districts that are considered to be disfranchised and are entitled to send a delegation to the Convention include the District of Columbia, the island of American Samoa, the island of Guam, the island of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas and Water Island.

2-1.2(a) Except as explicitly provided, all references in this document to states and statewide Green Parties as it pertains to delegates shall be considered to apply to these districts and territories where there are Greens both organized in them and seeking representation at the convention.

Section 2-2 States With An Accredited Green Party

2-2.1 In those states with a statewide Green Party organized under the election laws of their state, and accredited as a member state party of the Green Party of the United States, the Delegation to each Presidential Nominating Convention shall be chosen pursuant to that state party?s rules for naming their delegation to such convention. The votes to which each such Delegation is entitled shall be apportioned in accordance with the state party's rules.

Section 2-3 States With A Green Party, Not Accredited With the Green Party of the United States

2-3.1 In those states with a statewide Green Party organized under the election laws of their state, but not accredited as a member state party of the Green Party of the United States, the Delegation to each Presidential Nominating Convention shall be chosen pursuant to that state party's rules for naming their delegation to such convention. The votes to which each such Delegation is entitled shall be apportioned in accordance with the state party's rules. In those states with no accredited statewide Green Party, no application for such an organizing party shall be granted unless the Credentials Committee finds that the applicant would be eligible to join the Green Party of the United States were it to apply.

Section 2-4 States With More Than One Green Party

2-4.1 In those states where two or more statewide Green Parties are organized under the election laws of their state prior to October 1 preceding each Presidential Nominating Convention, the Delegation to such Convention shall be chosen as provided by the rules of the statewide Green Party which is accredited as a member state party of the Green Party of the United States. The votes to which the delegation is entitled shall be apportioned as provided by such rules.

2-4.2 In those states where two or more statewide Green Parties are organized under the election laws of their state prior to October 1 preceding each Presidential Nominating Convention, where neither is accredited as a member of the Green Party of the United States and where one but not both of the state parties retain ballot access from a previous election and another party from the state does not have and cannot reasonably be expected to obtain ballot access, the Delegation to such Convention shall be chosen as provided by the rules of the statewide Green Party with ballot access. The votes to which each such Delegation is entitled shall be apportioned in accordance with the state party's rules.

Section 2-5 States Without A Green Party

2-5.1 In those states where no Green Party is organized at a state level, any three or more local Green organizations, cumulatively comprising at least 15 individuals, may by joint resolution call a statewide convention under such rules as may be provided in such joint resolution, for the purpose of electing the state's delegation to the Presidential Nominating Convention, where such statewide convention also resolves to organize a statewide Green Party under the laws of the state and to work for ballot access.

2-5.2 Those initiating the call and attending the convention are subject to the following conditions regarding their political party affiliation:

2-5.2(a) In states where party membership is defined by voter registration - and one can legally register Green ? those comprising the call and those attending the convention must be a registered Green Party member; or

2-5.2(b) In states where party membership is defined by voter registration - but one cannot legally register Green - one cannot be a registered voter in another party; or

2-5.2(c) In states where party membership is not defined by voter registration, one cannot also be a member of another party.

2-5.3 Such a call shall be published to all Green locals within the state which have been identified to the Secretary of the Green Party of the United States; and such notice shall be published at least 30 days prior to the proposed statewide convention.

2-5.4 Such a call shall be published to any statewide Green Party in a geographically adjacent state for dissemination to each identified Green local or state organization in such border state with a request to alert any known Greens from the adjacent, unorganized state holding the convention.

2-5.5 Such a call shall be sent to the Secretary of the Green Party of the United States, so that the Secretary may publish the call to the National Committee.

2-5.6 The failure of existing Green organizations within such an unorganized state to publish a call for such a statewide convention prior to March 15th of each year during which a Presidential Nominating Convention is held shall serve as prima-facie evidence of that they will not do so.

2-5.7 In those states with no statewide Green Party where no agreement can be reached among a majority of participants in the state convention on how or whether to elect a Delegation, no such Delegation shall be seated, except by special dispensation of the National Committee, or of the Presidential Nominating Convention once it has convened.

Section 2-6. Diversity and Representation in Delegations

2-6.1 Each state Green Party is urged to choose a Delegation that, in addition to being representative of its membership, also reflects the diversity of the people of that state.

2-6.2 Each state Green Party is encouraged to select its delegates in a way that offers representation proportional to the support each candidate enjoys within the party, parties or confederation of locals represented by the delegation, and that allows the delegation to truly reflect the diversity of people within the state.

Section 2-7. Delegation Plans for Selection and Instruction of Delegates

2-7.1 Deadline for Submission of Delegate Plans

2-7.1(a) At least 120 days prior to the convening of each Presidential Nominating Convention, each state?s Green Party shall submit to the Credentials Committee, a Delegate Plan for selecting and instructing its delegation. The Credentials Committee shall post a copy of each Delegate Plan on its website.

2-7.2 Content of Delegate Plans

2-7.2(a) Delegate Plans shall include a description of the methods used to learn the preferences of state Green Party members for the nomination for President at the Presidential Nominating Convention.

2-7.2(b) States are urged to provide in their Delegate Plans for a delegate selection process that offers representation proportional to the support each candidate enjoys within the state Green Party represented by the Delegation (or similarly where there is no state Green Party, as defined in Section 2-1) and that allows the Delegation to reflect the diversity within the state Green Party and the state?s population.

2-7.2(c) Delegate Plans shall provide explanation of the process to be employed to apportion delegates among the candidates seeking the nomination of the party, and for those that favor ?none of the above," ?no nominee? or other such preference.

2-7.2(d) Delegate Plans may provide for alternates for delegates, but shall not name, nor shall the Credentials Committee credential, more alternates than the number of delegates to which the state is entitled. Where alternates are provided for, Delegate Plans shall specify the manner in which they take the place of delegates and the instructions they have in doing so.

2-7.3 Change to Delegate Plans

2-7.3(a) After its Delegate Plan has been submitted to the Credential Committee, no change to the rules used by a state Green Party for selecting or instructing its delegation shall be binding unless the state Green Party submits within thirty days of such change to the Credentials Committee a supplementary report describing those amendments.

Section 2-8. Reporting the Results of the Delegate Selection Process

2-8.1 Not later than 14 days following any action to fill seats on a state Green Party's convention delegation, a state party shall file with the Credentials Committee the results of its delegate selection process, including vote totals and the proportion of support enjoyed by each candidate seeking the nomination of the party, as well as a list of delegates and alternates and an explanation of how each has been instructed to vote in the first round of voting in the convention's Presidential Nominating process.

2-8.2 A state-by-state summary of delegate pledges shall be made public on the website of the Credential Committee in a timely manner.

Section 2-9. Compliance With These Rules

2-9.1 If compliance with these rules and a state's election laws creates a significant burden to a state Green Party, it may apply to the Credentials Committee for a waiver to such provisions of these rules as would best serve the democratic engagement of that state Green Party?s members in the national nominating process.

2-9.2 Each such application for a waiver shall be published on the website of the Committee, accessible to members of the National Committee and to Delegates and Alternates extended preliminary credentials.

2-9.3 The Credentials Committee shall have the discretion to consider such applications, and shall report to the National Committee each action by the Credentials Committee to receive, hold a hearing on, schedule debate on or consider the disposition of each such application.

Resources

none

References

Hugh Esco hesco at greens.org
Audrey Clement aclement65 at hotmail.com

http://brpp.campaignfoundations.com/index.php?title=Prepare2008PNC
http://brpp.campaignfoundations.com/index.php?title=QPNC_Delegations

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