ELECTIONS PROCEDURE FOR GPUS DELEGATION The Delegation uses the same election process as the CC at-large elections (bylaws 11-2.1; 7-1.7). PROCESS Overview: Candidates for this election submit applications/biographies to a specified address. The apps/bios are posted on a web page. The agenda packet contains an announcement of the election and URL to view apps/bios. Send apps/bios to -- applications@cagreens.org View apps/bios at -- http://cagreens.org/delegates/election/ Details: The Delegation cocos send an election announcement to the Contacts list. (sample below). Candidates submit apps/bios to applications@cagreens.org. This address forwards the original message to Mike F (who maintains the viewing page) and to the list http://lists.cagreens.org/mailman/listinfo/apps-archive, which is used solely for archiving. This address also invokes a script that sends a 'received' message to recipients listed in the file /w/cal/it/apps- addresses. The Delegation cocos tell IT who is to be on the recipient list. The Delegation's web person posts the apps/bios at http://cagreens.org/delegates/election/. The Delegation cocos provide the agenda team with an announcement for the packet and a request for schedule time. The Delegation may run the election themselves or ask the CC to have the ad-hoc GA elections committee do it. ================================================== SAMPLES [[ Contacts list: ]] Dear Greens, Two years ago, as part of the national party's re-apportionment process, the number of national party delegates from California was increased from 13 to 42. Because our delegates (and alternates) have two-year terms, the majority of those seats are now up for election: 32 of the 42 delegate seats, and 28 of the 42 alternate seats will be voted on at the upcoming May state party plenary meeting. (Note: About 14 to 18 current delegation members will likely be running for re-election -- mostly for delegate seats. But even so, over 40 seats will still be open for new delegation members). If you would like to apply for one of these seats, please send your statement to: applications@cagreens.org as soon as possible, and definitely no later than March 16, 2009. (Please indicate whether you are applying to be a delegate or an alternate). Your statement should include biographical information about positions, experience, skills, and/or service that you have had (both within and outside of the Green Party), along with your vision or commitment for the position. (Please see statements submitted by previous candidates for examples, here: http://www.cagreens.org/delegates/election/history). You should also be familiar with the delegate and alternate duties, guidelines, and expectations, which are listed on our state party website at: http://www.cagreens.org/delegates/delegate_guidelines.shtml If you have any questions, please contact any current delegation members whom you may know, or you can contact our delegation co-chairs: Sanda Everette ( sanda@greens.org ) and Greg Jan ( gregjan4@yahoo.com ). Of course, please be sure to forward this message to all relevant local and county listserves and e-mail lists! And thanks in advance for helping us to maintain California's delegation to the national party! Sincerely, Sanda Everette Greg Jan [[ agenda packet ]] Delegation to the Green Party of the United States There are candidates running for seats on the delegation. Their applications are posted at http://www.cagreens.org/delegates/election/. Paraphrasing from the GPCA bylaws, the GPCA selects delegates who are voting members of the National Committee of the GPUS. These delegates are authorized to cast the full number of votes allocated to the GPCA to represent GPCA positions on matters before the GPUS. (On July 4, 2007 the number of votes allocated increased from 13 to 42, capped at 21% of the national body.) GPCA delegates to the GPUS take part in the on-line discussion of proposals before the GPUS NC and vote on those proposals. They participate in monthly teleconferences and are encouraged to attend delegation meetings at State General Assemblies. They are expected to attend the GPUS National Committee Annual National Meeting. They are encouraged to participate in GPUS committees. They are responsible to the GPCA General Assembly (GA) and the GPCA Coordinating Committee (GPCA CC). Alternate delegates are encouraged to participate in all meetings, teleconferences, and votes, and to serve on GPUS committees. Voting Instructions Elections will be held on at the General Assembly using Choice Voting as defined in GPCA bylaws 7-1.8. As described in the bylaws, for a candidate to win a seat s/he must 1) cross the voting threshold, and; 2) receive more votes than the NOC option (explained below). Voting Theory: On a ranked choice ballot, you indicate a "yes" vote by ranking a candidate and you indicate a "no" vote by not ranking a candidate. You rank all candidates of whom you approve for the office in order of preference. In addition to the candidates, the ballot also contains an "NOC" (no other choice) option which is used to indicate the end of your voting if you do not rank all candidates. Also remember that a candidate must receive more votes than NOC to win a seat, so ranking NOC as your last choice indicates a "no" vote for the candidates that you did not rank. If you do not rank NOC, that indicates an "abstention" for the candidates that you did not rank. An abstention means that your vote has no affect, it does not count as a "yes" or "no" vote. Voting Process: YES -- For all candidates of whom you approve for the Delegation, rank those candidates in order of your preference, starting with "1" for your first choice. Continue ranking for all candidates of whom you approve. NO -- For all candidates of whom you DO NOT approve for the Delegation, do not rank them on the ballot. Then, give NOC your last ranking to indicate a "no" vote for all unranked candidates. Abstain -- If you do not rank NOC as your last selection, you are abstaining from voting on all unranked candidates on your ballot. This neither helps the candidates get elected, nor helps prevent them from getting elected.