Proposal 002-12

[Bill Bartlett]

SponsorsBob Kinsey, Eric Fried, Ryan JonesSpecific ProposalChange bylaw 4.5.4 and change 4.5.5 to read:4.5.4 Candidates for partisan political office must not have been registered as a member of a political party other than the Green Party of Colorado for at least thirty days before nomination.  4.5.5 In order to be eligible for nomination a candidate for partisan political office must be a registered elector of the Green Party of Colorado by the date of nomination.DiscussionColorado Revised Statutes set deadlines and rules for major party candidate nominations, but state that minor parties can nominate their candidates in accordance with their own bylaws. State law also gives the Green Party of Colorado’s “Central Committee” (state council) complete authority to make rules for the Party (when the Annual State Meeting is not in session). Current Green Party of Colorado bylaws give the Council the powers to change Party bylaws between Conventions/State Meetings and Assemblies.Our current bylaws limit party nominations to candidates who have been registered in the Green Party of Colorado for two months prior to the Convention and to candidates who have not been registered in another party for six months prior to the Convention.These bylaws were created prior to the advancement of required Convention dates to late March and early April. This advancement was required by State Law when the Primary election dates were moved from late August to mid June for this November’s election. But the change made our bylaws confusing (we were not even aware as a party as to when we needed to hold our Convention until discussion arose at Gary Swing’s urging in early January).The current by-laws made sense under the old Primary election dates. Six months prior to the General election comes in early May. Thus a potential candidate could register GPCO on April 10th and be in compliance with our by-laws on both counts: two months prior to a June 10th Convention and six months prior to a General Election on the first Tuesday of November.The change in convention dates is solely to accommodate an earlier Primary election. But we as a minor Party generally don’t have Primaries. In fact we have difficulty getting single Green candidates to stand for office. We must do all we can to encourage people to register Green and have Green candidates for whom to vote. We must do all we can to encourage people who want to serve in Colorado offices and have Green Values to seek nomination and election within our Party. In fact there are at least 3 candidates who currently are interested in running of office who by literal interpretation of the current by-laws cannot run.A change in our bylaws that alters the wording from two months prior to the Convention to read, “by the date of nomination” would correct this ambiguity and make it I possible for several candidates interested in representing us to be nominated on March 31. Such new Green registered candidates can bring certified copies of their registration for proof to the Convention if they registered too late to show on the County Lists.Potential candidates have been caught in the dilemma of ”lesser of two evils” voting. They may temporarily opt out of Green Registration in order to try to influence the major party candidate choices to be less evil by participating in the major Party caucuses and Primary elections. Of course we remember how well that didn’t work when they worked for Mike Miles and Romanoff, but no one can fault them for trying. It certainly is the most critical factor in whether or not they would be a good Green Party candidate. In addition, sometimes progressive Democrats get disgusted with the corporate control of their party and come over to the green party, only to find unnecessary obstacles to their participation. As Election Day nears, independents may also come to realize they belong in the Green Party, but find they cannot run for office as Greens.In general, we want to encourage, not discourage, good progressives from running for office as Green candidates. While there may be reasonable concern that this proposal opens the door for opportunist party-hoppers without a history in the green party to “use us” as a vehicle for their candidacy, the fact is candidates would still be vetted by their local and state party, and could not run without such support. The bylaws change would not automatically endorse anyone, merely remove one hurdle that limits green candidacies.Consequences of not passing this proposalSeveral persons interested in running as a Green Party Candidate in November will be ineligible to do so and we will be left with only two to three people on the whole State ballot. The agenda for the State Nominating Convention would be confronted with this item of business during the meeting and it would be better to clarify the matter as soon as possible and so encourage several potential candidates.Consequences of passing this proposalSeveral more Green party candidates for certain. The convention and/or the sponsoring local chapters will need to examine candidates carefully to ensure that candidates we approve are genuine in their Green Party commitments

[Bob Kinsey]

I fully support this proposal with this wording regardless of other suggestions I have made along the way to preparation including the one I posted on the Test Forum.  I hope we can get it approved by consensus or vote —sooner the better.

[Chris Allen]

I also agree with this proposal.

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