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Presenter: Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC) Background: This proposal is the result of two months of discussions by the members of the Floor Rules Working Group (FRWG), a working group of the Presidential Campaign Support Committee (PCSC), in regular consultation with the rest of the PCSC, the Annual National Meeting Committee (ANMCom), and the Bylaws Rules Policy and Procedure Committee (BRPP). The PCSC and FRWG have begun discussing possible alternatives for rules enabling the convention to endorse a candidate, should no candidate win the nomination. We welcome feedback regarding endorsement rules. Proposal: (Second Revision posted 4/22/04) - - - Intent - - - These floor rules are designed to meet the following goals: - - - Overview - - - Delegates vote in multiple rounds until there is a simple majority for a candidate that will accept the nomination, or a simple majority for not fielding a presidential ticket. After the second and all subsequent rounds, last-place candidates and all candidates receiving less than 10% of the vote during the rounds will be eliminated except as otherwise stated. - - - The Election Administrator - - - The GPUS Steering Committee shall select an Election Administrator to supervise the nomination process, and to select Assistant Election Administrators as necessary; all of which are to be given final approval by the Coordinating Committee. - - - Candidate Speeches - - - Equal time shall be allocated for the purposes of addressing the convention to those candidates who have submitted a petition documenting an intention to vote for the candidate in the first round by at least 25 credentialed delegates from at least 3 states. Such petitions must be submitted to the Election Administrator by 6:00pm on Friday the 25th of June; delegate signatures which appear on more than one petition will be disqualified. A candidate need not qualify for the speeches portion of the agenda in order to receive nominating votes. - - - State Delegations - - - Each state party shall elect a Reporter and an Alternate Reporter from among its delegates, and shall provide the Election Administrator with the Reporter and Alternate Reporter contact information in advance of the nominating session. Responsibilities of all state delegation Reporters include attending a preliminary meeting of all state delegation Reporters on the morning of Saturday, June 26, and accurately reporting vote totals from their state within the allowed time limit set by the Election Administrator. A Reporter may designate another delegate to announce votes. If a state fails to designate a Reporter who can fulfill the required duties, then the Election Administrator shall appoint an Assistant to carry out such requirements for that state. A state party's instructions to its delegates shall not be enforced by the convention. Enforcement of instructions and mandates shall be a matter between the state party and its delegates. Disputes shall be resolved by a vote of a state's delegation, according to the state's rules, and the convention shall accept the decision of the delegation. - - - Rounds of Voting - - - Multiple rounds of voting shall be conducted until a simple majority of the voting delegates vote for an eligible candidate or for "No Nominee". In each round of voting, the states shall be polled. Each state's Reporter, or designated speaker, shall announce 1) the number of state delegates plus alternate delegates standing in for regular delegates present (not to exceed the state's authorized number of delegates), and 2) the votes for each candidate, including "No Nominee". A delegation may pass no more than once per round. The total votes cast by any state may not exceed the number of authorized delegates for that state, nor the number of delegates and alternate delegates present. Half-votes from delegates assigned with such will be counted in the first round. Succeeding rounds will count whole votes only. Delegates may vote for any candidate or any non-candidate option during the first round. If there is a first-round winner, that candidate must formally accept nomination, or that candidate becomes ineligible and the voting proceeds to the second round. After the first round of voting, candidates who have not formally indicated in writing their willingness to accept nomination and to allow their names to be placed on all state ballots shall be ineligible to receive votes in subsequent rounds. The Election Administrator shall permit a reasonable period of time between voting rounds for states to caucus, and for candidates to withdraw. Candidates who withdraw shall not be eligible to receive votes in subsequent rounds. Beginning with the second round, only votes cast for eligible candidates or for "No Nominee" shall count toward the threshold for nomination. Votes for ineligible candidates or any non-candidate option besides "No Nominee" shall be treated as abstentions and shall not count toward the threshold for nomination. The next whole number greater than half the number of non-abstention votes cast in each round shall be the threshold for nomination in that round. At the completion of the second round and all subsequent rounds, any candidate who received less than 10% of the vote in that round shall become ineligible. Should all candidates have received in excess of 10% of the vote in the previous round, the lowest vote-getter from that round shall become ineligible. "No Nominee" shall remain an option through all rounds of voting. In the case of a tie between last-place candidates receiving at least 10% of the vote, none of these last-place candidates shall become ineligible after the first such tie. If two consecutive rounds end in a tie between the same last-place candidates and the elimination of all such tied candidates would leave two or more candidates, all such candidates shall become ineligible. If two or more consecutive rounds end in a tie between the same last-place candidates and the elimination of all such tied candidates would leave fewer than two candidates, no candidates shall become ineligible after any such round. When an eligible candidate receives the majority of votes in a given round, the Election Administrator shall ask for an approval voice vote of the assembled delegates, after which the candidate shall be declared the presidential nominee of the Green Party of the United States. Endorsement of candidates may only occur if the Party chooses not to nominate a presidential candidate. Candidate endorsement rules and procedures, as well as vice-presidential nomination procedures, shall remain separate from presidential nomination convention floor rules. Resources: Implementation of this proposal will require action by the Steering Committee in appointing an Election Administrator, the Annual National Meeting Committee in facilitating AV and other logistics, and the Presidential Campaign Support Committee in preparing materials for the delegates regarding the floor rules and voting procedures. |
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