How would you have us vote? Proposal to update Article X of GPUS Rules and Proc

[Andrea Mérida Cuéllar]

Colorado Greens, what's your take?Background: On September 18, 2007 the National Committee approved a proposal (#311)sponsored by the Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC)entitled "Implementation of Standards for Recognizing PresidentialCandidates", which applied to the 2008 presidential cycle.On February 21, 2010 the National Committee approved a proposal (#439)sponsored by the PCSC entitled "GPUS Policy for Recognition of DeclaredCandidates for the Green Party Nomination for President", which placedall deadlines in generic terms corresponding to all election cycles,rather than specific only to the 2007/2008 cycle. Proposal 439 alsomade several other modifications to the rules established underProposal 311.Based upon the experience of working with those standards, the PCSC isproposing an amended version of that proposal that would do thefollowing:- Requires that the list of supporters in Section 10-1.5 be submittedto the GPUS Secretary, and that no more than 50 supporters can be fromone state.- Requires that the $5,000 raised in in Section 10-1.7 must include atleast $300 in each of five states or at least $100 in each of tenstates; that no more than $500 come from any individual donor; and thatthe fundraising requirements must be verified through a campaignfinance report posted on the Federal Election Commission's website.- Requires that the PCSC Co-chairs make a written report including alldocumentation to the PCSC when an individual has met eligibility underSection 10-1.Proposal: That the existing Article X be replaced with the following text:Section 10-1 EligibilityAn individual may become an officially recognized candidate for theGreen Party nomination for President provided that he/she:10-1.1 Submits a filled out official Candidate Questionnaire to thePresidential Campaign Support Committee;10-1.2 Is not a registrant of any state or national level politicalparty in the individual's primary state of residence except for a stateparty which has affiliated with GPUS, or a party forming for the intentof GPUS affiliation in a state where there is no GPUS affiliated stateparty;10-1.3 Has pledged in writing to the Presidential Campaign SupportCommittee to appear on all offered statewide Green Party ballot lines;10-1.4 Has a website to promote his/her candidacy.10-1.5 Receives and submits written support from 100 Green Partymembers to the GPUS Secretary, with no more than 50 from one state, andincluding members from at least five state parties; this requirement isnot applicable until December 1st of the year preceding thepresidential election;10-1.6 Establishes a campaign committee and files with the FederalElections Commission; this requirement is not applicable until December31st of the year preceding the presidential election;10-1.7 Raises at least $5,000, not including self-financing, for thepurpose of his/her campaign; verified by submission of a campaignfinance report to this effect with the Federal Elections Commission(FEC), received and posted on the FEC’s web site; where no more than$500 from any individual donor may count towards this threshold, andwhere at least $300 must come from at least five states, or at least$100 from at least ten states. This requirement is not applicable untilFebruary 1st of the year of the presidential election;10-1.8 Has made a good faith effort to participate in the presidentialpreference processes of state Green Parties, either by sending adeclaration of candidacy to those state parties, by seeking to appearon the ballot where there is a party primary and/or by otherwiseseeking to comply with the relevant procedures for inclusion in a stateparty's preference process.Section 10-2 Recognition10-2.1 Provided that a candidate is eligible under Section 10-1, thenthe Presidential Campaign Support Committee shall consider whether toextend official recognition as a candidate for the Green Partynomination.10-2.2 The Presidential Campaign Support Committee co-chairs shall makea written report including all documentation to the committee when anindividual has met eligibility under Section 10-1, including a reporton the objective efforts made to satisfy all requirements under Section10-1.10-2.3 If no action is taken by a committee member within seven days,beginning the day after notification under 10-2.2, then the candidateshall be extended official recognition. Within those seven days, anycommittee member may introduce a proposal, specifying which criteria in10-1 have not been met, to decline to extend official recognition. Sucha proposal shall be acted upon per the Presidential Campaign SupportCommittee's standard policies and procedures, and candidate recognitionshall only be declined upon a 2/3 vote of the committee. Should such aproposal fail, the candidate shall be extended official recognition.10-2.4 Once a candidate has been extended official recognition, suchrecognition may be rescinded by a proposal specifying cause and actedupon per the standard policies and procedures of the PresidentialCampaign Support Committee, with a 2/3 vote of the committee; or, if,in the determination of the Presidential Campaign Support CommitteeCo-Chairs (with such determination subject to the review of the entirecommittee), an officially recognized candidate fails to meet one ormore of the deadline-specific requirements for recognition delineatedin Section 10-1 of this policy, such recognition shall be consideredrescinded until and unless the candidate meets such requirements.10-2.5 Individuals who are officially recognized candidates may beeligible for GPUS provided resources, including information on GPUSsponsored websites, contact lists, and other resources that GPUS mightprovide.Resources: Recognition Process would be posted on the GPUS Rules and Proceduresweb page and included in PCSC outreach.Link to the current rules/process:  http://gp.org/pcsc-rules-policies-and-proceduresThanks for your attention!

[Harry Hempy]

I stopped reading at 10-1.7, which requires a candidate to raise money. I would vote NO.

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