PROPOSAL NUMBER: 003-04
PROPOSAL SUBJECT: GPCO Presidential Nomination Procedure for 2004
PRESENTER: Royal Gorge Green Party
TIMELINE EFFECTIVE: Until after April 24
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
In the past Presidential nominations there has essentially not been a
competitive campaign. The GPCO Nominating Convention needs a
procedure to bring the grassroots choices to the GPUS Nominating
Convention.
IMPLEMENTATION - RESOURCES:
None
FULL PROPOSAL:
The delegates from the locals to the GPCO Nominating Convention will
choose the candidate(s) for which the delegates (22 authorized) to
the GPUS Nominating Convention will vote. The manner of those
delegates' voting will be determined by the following procedure:
1. Nominations for Presidential candidates will be taken from the
floor.
2. All nominated candidates' names will be displayed along with the
choices of "no candidate" and "uncommitted."
2a. A "sense of the convention" (a non-debatable, straw vote) will
determine if electioneering speeches will be allowed at this point.
3. When all nominations are in, the facilitator will call for the
first vote.
4. The results of the ballot will be visibly posted. Any candidate
or choice getting less than 5% of the votes is eliminated on this
ballot.
5. If no candidate or choice gets 60% of the votes cast, a second
vote will be taken.
5a. If the "sense of the convention" chooses, another round of
speechifying may occur.
6. The results of the ballot will be visibly posted. Any candidate
or choice getting less than 5% of the votes is eliminated on this
ballot.
7. If no candidate or choice gets 60% of the votes cast, a third vote
will be taken.
8. The results of the ballot will be visibly posted. Any candidate
or choice getting less than 5% of the votes is eliminated on this
ballot.
9. If no candidate or choice gets 60% of the votes cast and no
candidate or choice is eliminated in the third round of voting, the
convention must vote to continue balloting (a non-debatable,
procedural vote).
10. Any subsequent ballots the convention chooses to have will use
the same criteria as previous ballots.
11. When closure of balloting occurs, the final vote results will
become the GPCO Presidential slate.
12. The numbers of votes will be converted to percentages of total
votes cast and each of the surviving choices and candidates will have
the appropriate percentage assigned to that choice.
13. Delegation instructions at the GPUS Nominating Convention
13.a. When the delegates are chosen, their votes on the floor of the
GPUS Nominating Convention will be assigned and bound through the
second ballot for the Presidential Candidate of the Green Party of
the United States with the exception of the uncommitted delegates.
Only if a candidate withdraws his or her name from nomination will a
delegate be released from binding early.
13.b. The actual number of delegates on the floor of the convention
should be apportioned as closely as practicable based on the
proportions arrived at in 12.
13.c. A delegation coordinator will be chosen and be responsible for
these provisions.
13.d. On all subsequent ballots after the second, the delegate is
released from any binding direction for voting.
Pros and Cons:
Pro: The use of three ballots for nominations conforms to state law.
Using an "open nomination" process makes None Of The Above (NOTA)
unnecessary.
It is structured to allow the convention all the decision-making
power.
Allows the choices of "no candidate" and "uncommitted."
Con: There is some complication of process involved.
It restricts the freedom of the delegates to vote their personal
choices.
Alternatives:
Just letting anyone who wants to be a delegate go and vote as they
choose.
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