[GPCA-SGA-Votes] Discuss ID 154: Bylaws Interpretation regarding GPCA Endorsements of candidates in statewide races in June 2018 Primary Election

Fri Feb 16 18:02:56 PST 2018

To your point 3. The SGA is the GPCA. It is the SGA/GA that runs the party.

Eric Brooks
SF, CA

From: gpca-votes [mailto:gpca-votes-bounces at sfgreens.org] On Behalf Of Christopher Carlson
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2018 3:53 PM
To: GPCA Discussion List for SGA Votes <gpca-votes at sfgreens.org>
Subject: Re: [GPCA-SGA-Votes] Discuss ID 154: Bylaws Interpretation regarding GPCA Endorsements of candidates in statewide races in June 2018 Primary Election

Thank you for posting this bylaws interpretation.
To the Standing General Assembly,
This is the bylaws interpretation that is being submitted before you in order to endorse single candidates in each statewide race.
I am opposed to this bylaws interpretation on three grounds.
1. This bylaws interpretation omits the fact that only one candidate will receive an endorsement.
While several WHEREASes are given in support of endorsing "candidates," none of them provide grounds for limiting endorsement to a single candidate in each race.
Outside of this amendment, not included in the language, is the stipulation that only one candidate will proceed from this vote with an endorsement from the party.
Concisely, one at all or none at all. This is contrary to the misleading implication of the statement that "all Green candidates who have officially qualified to be candidates on the CA primary ballot by the time of the SGA vote be on the SGA ballot for endorsement." Equal Opportunity endorsements are not extended to all candidates.
2. This bylaws interpretation seeks to reinforce an semiformal policy of endorsement that does not need to exist under top-two primary conditions. According to it's own language:

"no existing party rules governing specifically how and which candidates shall be placed before the Standing General Assembly for endorsement"
This is neither a bylaw nor is it a window of opportunity to present a non-transparent, unclear process to the SGA without having taken the correct course of submitting the endorsement procedure, in it's entirety, before the GPCA for approval, as mandated by the following:

3. This bylaws interpretation claims to justify a vote before the SGA while citing a bylaw that requires this procedure to be brought before the GPCA, not the SGA.

"Whereas at the same time, these same procedures governing endorsements state that in special circumstances, the Coordinating Committee can approve a statement of findings to clarify under which special circumstances a primary election endorsement should be held, and that "an endorsement procedure would be brought before the GPCA."
The Coordinating committee is circumventing the GPCA to put a procedure forward to the SGA instead.

This bylaws interpretation needs revision before being submitted for discussion. It does not specify clearly the rules of the procedure enough to indicate that only a single candidate may receive an endorsement per statewide office. The Coordinating Committee has not submitted to the GPCA the rules of procedure they seek to establish, and the grounds for endorsement are clearly established to haphazardly determine, with subjective language "viable candidates" in order to grant them state funds, belied by the inclusion of this bylaw citation:
"Whereas the criteria for awarding Campaign Support Funds (http://www.cagreens.org/committees/campaign-support/criteria) includes a requirement that any candidate to be considered for such fund must be endorsed by their county party (for a non-statewide race) or the state party (for a statewide race);"
Because the Coordinating Committee on the advice of " the GPCA's GPUS Delegation." seeks to endorse and consider single, specific candidates for funding, has granted itself power to mandate a vote requiring a bylaws interpretation that would at best authorize them to submit procedures of this vote to be approved by the GPCA,  I oppose a "Yes" vote on this bylaws interpretation. It violates Three of our Ten Key Values by circumventing Grassroots Democracy to impose the will of one Green over another (Decentralization) to deny multiple candidates for the same statewide office the "Equal Opportunity" of endorsement for all.
Please join me, Veronika Fimbres, and many others in opposition to this vote, as it is also not specified if your ranked choice candidate votes will count if you vote against the bylaw interpretation. There should be no need for clarification if the procedure were clearly outlined in the bylaw interpretation, it is not.

I will yield to clarification if the GPCA referred to in the bylaws is indeed the same body of voters as the SGA, though membership in the GPCA far exceeds SGA membership.
Thank you,
Chris Carlson

On Thu, Feb 15, 2018 at 6:31 PM, james clark <faygodrinkit at gmail.com<mailto:faygodrinkit at gmail.com>> wrote:
Should not all greens have a chance to vote on who we endorse as a candidate, not just the select few who are SGA delegates?

On Feb 15, 2018 12:43 PM, "GPCA Votes" <gpca.votes at gmail.com<mailto:gpca.votes at gmail.com>> wrote:
Please send your discussion comments to gpca-votes at sfgreens.org<mailto:gpca-votes at sfgreens.org>

Discussion has begun for the following GPCA SGA ranked choice vote

Ranked Choice Vote ID #154
Ranked Choice Vote Bylaws Interpretation regarding GPCA Endorsements of candidates in statewide races in June 2018 Primary Election
Ranked Choice Vote Administrators: Victoria Ashley, Brian Good, Laura Wells, Eric Brooks, Mike Goldbeck
Discussion  02/12/2018 - 03/25/2018
Voting  03/26/2018 - 04/01/2018
Voting ends at Midnight Pacific Time

Background

Since the implementation of the Top Two primary system in California in 2012, political party primaries have been eliminated. In response, the GPCA has begun to make endorsements for Greens running in statewide races. The endorsements have been made via the Standing General Assembly (SGA) voting page, beginning with the statewide elections in 2014.

The Coordinating Committee on its February 5th, 2018, teleconference approved the following statement of findings / bylaws interpretation for the Standing General Assembly to determine endorsements of Green candidates in statewide races for the June 2018 Primary.  Green candidates running for statewide offices in California who have officially qualified to be candidates on the CA primary ballot by the time of the SGA vote (voting period starting March 26th), will be on the SGA ballot for endorsement. “No position” will be an option.  The endorsement process will be voided if the SGA votes against this bylaws interpretation.

Proposal

That the Standing General Assembly confirm the following Bylaws Interpretation / Statement of Findings as approved by the Coordinating Committee on February 5, 2018, establishing the endorsement process for the Standing General Assembly (SGA), to determine endorsements of Green candidates in statewide races for the June 2018 Primary.

Bylaws Interpretation to Establish Process for GPCA endorsements in June 2018 primary

Whereas the June 2018 primary elections are operating under the Top Two primary system for statewide office, a system under which it is highly unlikely that any Green Party candidate (or candidate from any other smaller, ballot-qualified party) will appear on the statewide general election ballot; and

Whereas the existing GPCA procedures governing endorsements in statewide races were passed at the June 2006 Ventura General Assembly (http://www.cagreens.org/elections/endorsement-procedures) and were designed for general election endorsements under the prior system, under which the Green Party primary election winner automatically appeared on the general election ballot; and

Whereas at the same time, these same procedures governing endorsements state that in special circumstances, the Coordinating Committee can approve a statement of findings to clarify under which special circumstances a primary election endorsement should be held, and that "an endorsement procedure would be brought before the GPCA."; and

Whereas while existing GPCA rules governing endorsements permit endorsing in Green Party primaries in special circumstances  (http://www.cagreens.org/elections/endorsement-procedures), under the Top Two primary system, there is no longer a Green Party primary (or other party primary) but only a single non-partisan primary with candidates from all parties running against each other, meaning there will be no primary election held among Green Party members to choose the party's nominees; and

Whereas the criteria for awarding Campaign Support Funds (http://www.cagreens.org/committees/campaign-support/criteria) includes a requirement that any candidate to be considered for such fund must be endorsed by their county party (for a non-statewide race) or the state party (for a statewide race); and

Whereas endorsements of statewide candidates are made by the Standing General Assembly, according to GPCA Bylaws 7-6.2 Decision Items ( http://www.cagreens.org/bylaws/2016-07-03#Section_7-6_Standing_General_Assembly ) which state "The following decision items shall automatically be placed before the Standing General Assembly":   7-6.2(b) Endorsements of statewide candidates (secret ballot); and

Whereas GPCA Bylaws 7-4 Endorsements ( http://www.cagreens.org/bylaws/2016-07-03#Section_7-4_Endorsements ) state that "A GPCA position to endorse or oppose shall require 2/3."; and

Therefore the Coordinating Committee approves this statement of findings and interprets GPCA Bylaws under 13-3 (http://www.cagreens.org/bylaws/2016-07-03#Article_13-3_Bylaws_Interpretation ) that the findings above establish the special circumstances under which the GPCA should make endorsements in the statewide races in the June 2018 Top Two primary election, and

Whereas there are no existing party rules governing specifically how and which candidates shall be placed before the Standing General Assembly for endorsement; and

Whereas in the case of the party's presidential preference primary ballot - which is not a Top Two primary - under GPCA Rules and Procedures 1-5 (http://www.cagreens.org/rules#Section_1-5_Decision-Making), the GPCA's GPUS Delegation and the GPCAs Campaigns and Candidates Working Group (CCWG) may make recommendations to the GPCA General Assembly for approval by the General Assembly for recommendation to the California Secretary for State for inclusion on the GPCA's presidential primary ballot up to ten days before the General Assembly; and

Whereas the CCWG on January 28th approved a proposal that the endorsement process state that “all Green candidates who have officially qualified to be candidates on the CA primary ballot by the time of the SGA vote be on the SGA ballot for endorsement”; and

Therefore, the Coordinating Committee finds that it is appropriate for both the Coordinating Committee and the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group to have the authority to recommend consideration of endorsement by the Standing General Assembly for all Green Party candidates who have officially qualified to be on the June 2018 Primary ballot for any/all 2018 statewide offices; and

Whereas an upcoming Standing General Assembly is scheduled to begin its discussion period on Monday February 12 running through Sunday, March 25, with the voting to begin Monday, March 26 and run through Sunday, April 1; and

Whereas the viable candidates for statewide office (those who officially qualify to appear on the Primary ballot) will be determined after the discussion period begins;

Therefore the endorsement process 6 week SGA discussion period will be timed to the upcoming Standing General Assembly beginning on Monday February 12 and running through Sunday, March 25, and during the discussion period the eligible candidates will be narrowed down from all declared candidates to only those Green Party candidates who will have officially qualified to be on the June Primary ballot by the time of the SGA voting to begin Monday, March 26 and run through Sunday, April 1.

Resources
None

References
GPCA Bylaws 7-4 Endorsements  http://www.cagreens.org/bylaws/2016-07-03#Section_7-4_Endorsements

Full details will be available at: http://www.sjcgreens.org/sga_vote_bylaw_interpretations

Please send your discussion comments to gpca-votes at sfgreens.org<mailto:gpca-votes at sfgreens.org>

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