Decision/Discussion: The GPCA and the 2016 Green presidential process

Subject: Decision/Discussion: The GPCA and the 2016 Green presidential process 
Sponsor: GPUS Delegation - this item is in four parts, the first a decision and the other three information/discussion

Part 1 - GPCA General Assembly and the GPCA 2016 presidential primary ballot

Background: The process by which the GPCA makes a recommendation upon what names shall go upon its presidential primary ballot appears in the GPCA Rules and Procedures as Article 1. 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.

For the 2016 presidential cycle, those days would be E-190 (Monday, November 30,  2015) and E-125 (Wednesday, February 3, 2016, meaning the General Assembly could be held on a weekend in December or January.  In choosing between December and January, there would be a much greater certainty in January of who may be seeking the GPUS nomination and the GPCA primary ballot line - and who had raised enough money and met other conditions of GPUS recognition - and the GPCA could invite the declared candidates to address the General Assembly. 

Proposal: That the General Assembly set January 2016 in which which to hold the GPCA Winter General Assembly at which the GPCA will recommend names to the California Secretary of State for inclusion on the GPCA presidential primary election ballot:

Part 2 - GPUS Presidential candidate recognition and GPCA presidential primary ballot line

Background: There was a great deal of controversy in 2012 regarding the process by which the GPUS granted recognition to a particular candidate, and the degree to which that led to that candidate being placed upon the GPCA's 2012 presidential primary ballot, leading to the GPCA sending this letter to the GPUS Steering Committee seeking answers to several questions about that process http://www.cagreens.org/committees/coordinating/minutes/2012-02-29.  

For 2016, an alternative approach is being considered that would take the subjectivility out of the documentation verification process, by making the recognition process more objective and transparent. This agenda item is meant to review where the proposed text is within the GPUS process and take input on the draft text.

Part 3 - Timing of Delegate Selection Committee

Background: The GPCA's Delegate Selection Committee (for the GPUS Presidentila Nomination Convention) must be chosen by E-180 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015), and the process is governed by GPCA Rules and Procedures: 2-1 Delegate Selection Committee

2-1.1 Appointment of Delegate Selection Committee

A special group called the Delegate Selection Committee shall be formed for the duration of each Presidential election cycle, not later than 180 days prior to the California Presidential primary election. It shall consist of eight members: two members appointed by the Electoral Reform Working Group (ERWG), two appointed by the California GPUS delegation, two appointed by the Campaigns and Candidates Working Group (CCWG), one appointed by the GPCA Bylaws Committee, and one appointed by the GPCA Coordinating Committee. No presidential or vice-presidential candidates or current campaign staff for these candidates are eligible to serve to the Delegate Selection Committee.

2-1.2 Responsibilities of Delegate Selection Committee

The Delegate Selection Committee shall be an ad hoc committee of the General Assembly empowered to select and credential the California delegation to the national Presidential nominating convention in accordance with the methods described in the following Sections.

Part 4 - Timing of GPUS Delegate Credential Application Process

Background: The GPCA must submit its list of delegates seeking credentials by the following process www.gp.org/convention-rules#04-01 and attached below.
 

ATTACHMENT #I: GPCA Rules and Procedures Governing the Presidential Candidate Nomination Process

ARTICLE I  Presidential Primary Election Ballot (Established by the GPCA General Assembly, April 30th, 2011)
1-1 Authority 
1-2 Eligibility
1-3 Written Requests
1-4 Certification 
1-5 Decision-Making

ARTICLE II  Policies and Procedures for Selection and Conduct of GPCA Delegates to the GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention (Established by the GPCA General Assembly, December 4, 2011)
2-1 Delegate Selection Committee
2-2 Delegate Allotments
2-3 Delegate Slates
2-4 Delegate Selection
2-5 Delegation Voting Rules
2-6 Ascertaining Ranked Preferences

ATTACHMENT #II: GPUS Delegate Credential Application Process Timing

Section 4-3 Delegate Credential Applications - Timing and Receipt of Submission

4-3.2 Each Accredited Caucus or state Green Party (or grouping of Greens where there is no state party) that desires to credential a delegation to the Presidential Nominating Convention shall submit both an original and duplicate hard copy of their Delegate Credential Application by U.S. Mail, as well as an electronic application by email. No application shall be accepted unless both original and duplicate and electronic versions are submitted.
 
4-3.3 Delegate Credential Applications must be submitted prior to the application deadline, unless granted an extension by the Credential Committee. Accredited Caucuses or state Green Parties that anticipate submitting their Delegate Credential Application after the deadline are encouraged to seek an extension before the deadline and as early as possible.
 
4-3.4 The deadline for postmarking a credentials application to be considered prior to the convention shall be forty-five days prior to the convening of the Presidential Nominating Convention, and not later than thirty days later than the delegation has been named.
 
Section 4-4 Delegate Credential Applications - Process for Consideration of Late Filings
 
4-4.1 Any application which is not submitted by the filing deadline may be considered by the Credentials Committee if:
 
4-4.1(a) before the filing deadline, a majority of the active Committee members voting find that the applicant has demonstrated that the functioning of the applicant's state law operates to make meeting that deadline and serving the internal democracy of the party mutually exclusive, and has agreed to grant an extension of the filing deadline by their vote; or,
 
4-4.1(b) either before or after the deadline, a two-thirds majority of the active Committee members voting find that the applicant has demonstrated that justice in the credentialing process would be served by granting the application, and has agreed to grant an extension of the filing deadline by their vote.