GPCA Rules & Procedures Draft Comprehensive Revision

GPCA Rules and Procedures

Presidential Primary Election Ballot

1-1 Authority

The authority to recommend names to the California Secretary of State for inclusion on the GPCA presidential primary election ballot shall rest with:

1-1.1 The General Assembly, if it meets and decides between E-125 and E-190 preceding the Primary Election, or

1-1.2 The GPCA Coordinating Committee by E-125 if no General Assembly as per 1-1.1 occurs in that period.

1-2 Eligibility

To be considered eligible for recommendation under 1-1, an interested candidate must

1-2.1(a) Be a registered Green Party member in those states in which it is possible to register Green or otherwise be a member of the Green Party (or the state party affiliated with the GPUS as it may be otherwise named) in those states in which one cannot register Green; or

1-2.1(b) Be registered "independent" or "decline-to-state" or otherwise not be a member of a ballot qualified political party; and

1-2.1(c) Not be a registrant of any state or national level ballot qualified political party in the individual's primary state of residence except for a ballot qualified state party which has affiliated with GPUS, or a party forming for the intent of GPUS affiliation in a state where there is no GPUS affiliated state party.

1-2.2 Make a request in writing to the GPCA as per 1-3.

1-3 Written Requests

Written requests requesting placement upon the GPCA presidential primary ballot must:

1-3.1 Be submitted to the GPCA Liaison to the Secretary of State, which the Liaison to the Secretary of State shall forward to the co-coordinators of the GPUS Delegation and the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group. Such requests can be initially made by email if the email contains an electronic copy of the candidate's signature that is personally confirmed by the candidate as his/her actual signature within ten days of transmittal of that email.

1-3.2 Be submitted at least seven days before the General Assembly (or meeting of the Coordinating Committee), but preferably earlier, with the knowledge of the dates when the GPUS Delegation and/or the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group will meet to make recommendations under 1-4.1. The dates of those meetings shall be made available to the co-chairs GPUS Presidential Campaign Support Committee for distribution to those who have contacted the GPUS to seek its presidential nomination.

1-3.3 Include a statement that the candidate:

1-3.3(a) is seeking the GPUS Presidential Nomination,

1-3.3(b) requests to be placed on the GPCA Presidential Primary Election Ballot,

1-3.3(c) is familiar with the platforms of the GPCA and GPUS and states where and why the candidates substantially disagrees with the GPCA or GPUS platform, if at all,

1-3.3(d) will make a good faith effort to campaign in the state during the primary election season,

1-3.3(e) if he/she receives the nomination at the GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention, that he/she would accept it and would appear on the GPCA general election ballot.

1-3.4 Include the candidate's

1-3.4(a) web site,

1-3.4(b) response to the GPUS presidential questionnaire, if any, and if the candidate is an officially recognized candidate for the Green Party nomination for President by the GPUS, and

1-3.4(c) Federal Elections Committee (FEC) committee name and number and a report of funds received and spent. If no FEC committee has been established, then the name of campaign treasurer and financial institution where a campaign account has been established, and a statement of funds received and spent.

1-4 Certification

1-4.1 It shall be the responsibility of the Liaison to the Secretary of State, in consultation with the co-coordinators of the GPUS Delegation and the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group, to certify compliance with 1-3 and to report the results to the Coordinating Committee, the GPUS Delegation and the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group, of those who did and did not comply and in the case of those who did not, why not.

1-4.2 The Liaison to the Secretary of State shall inform the candidate of these results and in the case of those that did not comply, inform them of why not. Where a candidate has time to revise and resubmit their request in response, they may do so.

1-4.3 The certification or not by the Liaison to the Secretary of State under 1-4.1 may be appealed to the General Assembly and overturned by a 2/3 vote. The process for such an appeal to be heard shall be that after the names of those recommended under 1-4.1 are presented to the General Assembly, the facilitator shall ask if there are delegates who wish to appeal any decision of the Liaison to the Secretary of State under 1-4.1. If at least one third of the number of delegates present cosponsors a proposal to appeal, the body shall decide upon that proposal.

1-5 Decision-Making

1-5.1 All candidates from among those eligible under 1-2 that are recommended by either the GPUS Delegation or the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group shall automatically be placed before the General Assembly (or the Coordinating Committee) for consideration. Recommendations by either committee must be made at least ten days prior to the meeting of General Assembly (or the Coordinating Committee), although where possible, at least three weeks is preferred so that recommendations may be circulated to county Green organizations as early as possible.

1-5.2 The General Assembly may by a majority vote (or the Coordinating Committee by a 2/3 vote) add additional names of candidates for consideration who meet the criteria under 1-3, but who were not recommended by the GPUS Delegation or the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group. The process for such a proposal to be heard by the General Assembly (or the Coordinating Committee) shall be that after the names of those recommended under 1-4.1 are presented, the facilitator shall call for any other recommendations from the floor. If at least one third of the number of delegates present cosponsors a proposal to recommend someone eligible under 1-3, the body shall decide upon that proposal.

1-5.3 Once the list of recommended candidates is finalized, the General Assembly (or the Coordinating Committee) shall conduct its regular decision-making process, including hearing clarifying questions, concerns and affirmations. Then each candidate shall be voted upon individually by written ballot. Any candidate receiving at least a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly (or the Coordinating Committee) shall be reported to the California Secretary of State by the GPCA Liaison to the Secretary of State as being recommended by the GPCA. A copy of this recommendation shall be forwarded to the co-chairs of the GPUS Delegation , the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group and the GPUS Presidential Campaign Support Committee.