Difference between revisions of "GPCA Bylaws Revision Spring 2012 Article 12 Green Party of the United States"

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'''Sponsor: Bylaws Committee'''
 
 
 
'''Background:''' This article primarily reorganizes and reformats the content of the existing "Article 11. Delegates to the Green Party of the United States" including by separating the existing text about GPCA affiliation with the GPUS as its own Section, rather than burying it in another section. Then it adds how the Standing General Assembly would work to elect delegation members on-line.  There is new text clarifying the recall and removal for cause procedures.
 
'''Background:''' This article primarily reorganizes and reformats the content of the existing "Article 11. Delegates to the Green Party of the United States" including by separating the existing text about GPCA affiliation with the GPUS as its own Section, rather than burying it in another section. Then it adds how the Standing General Assembly would work to elect delegation members on-line.  There is new text clarifying the recall and removal for cause procedures.
  

Revision as of 04:00, 15 November 2012

Background: This article primarily reorganizes and reformats the content of the existing "Article 11. Delegates to the Green Party of the United States" including by separating the existing text about GPCA affiliation with the GPUS as its own Section, rather than burying it in another section. Then it adds how the Standing General Assembly would work to elect delegation members on-line. There is new text clarifying the recall and removal for cause procedures.


Proposal: That the following text be approved

Article 12. Green Party of the United States

Section 12-1 Affiliation

The GPCA is affiliated with the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). No decision of the GPUS is binding upon the GPCA without its consent.

Section 12-2 National Committee Delegates

The General Assembly shall elect Delegates who are voting members of the GPUS National Committee. The number of Delegates is established by the GPUS and Alternates may be elected equal in number to the number of delegates. Only those legally registered to vote in California as members of the Green Party are eligible to be Delegates.

12-2.1 Authority

Delegates, individually and collectively, serve at the pleasure of and are responsible to the General Assembly. Delegates and authorized by the General Assembly and recognized by the GPUS to cast the full number of votes allocated to the GPCA. Each Delegate may cast one vote and shall represent official GPCA positions taken by the General Assembly on matters before the GPUS, or the Coordinating Committee in between General Assemblies, on behalf of the General Assembly. Where there is no official GPCA position, Delegates shall represent the GPCA as best they can and cast votes as they think represent the interests of the GPCA and GPUS.

12-2.2 Responsibilities and Expectations

12-2.2(a) Delegates shall take part in the discussion and votes upon proposals before the GPUS National Committee and shall make a good faith effort to collectively discuss GPUS matters as a Delegation before voting. Alternates are encouraged to participate in the same activities as Delegates and vote according to the Delegation’s procedures for Alternates.

12-2.2(b) Delegates shall participate in Delegation teleconferences and are encouraged to attend Delegation meetings at General Assemblies and in person meetings of the GPUS National Committee. Delegates and Alternates are encouraged to serve on GPUS committees.

12-2.3 Elections

12-2.3(a) Delegates and Alternates shall serve two-year terms and elections shall be conducted each year by the Standing Green Assembly using Ranked Choice Voting with a No Other Candidate option. The discussion period shall begin on the first Monday of May.

12-2.3(b) Candidates must submit an application to the Coordinating Committee by the first Monday of March in order to be eligible. Candidates may apply for Delegate or Alternate, but not both at the same time. However, a sitting Alternate may apply to be a Delegate and if elected, vacate the position of Alternate; or a sitting Delegate may be apply to be an Alternate and if elected, vacate the position of Delegate. Applications must include a biography and what they wish to accomplish as a Delegate or Alternate. The election as it is posted to the Standing Green Assembly shall include each candidate's application, and a full and detailed explanation of Ranked Choice Voting, an explanation of the No Other Candidate option, and an encouragement that delegates make their choices seriously and a reminder that they do not have to fill all seats unless they feel there are enough qualified candidates. The Delegation may recommend candidates to the General Assembly and shall be made with attention to gender, ethnic, and geographic balance.

12-2.3(c) In the event of a vacancy for Delegate or Alternate, the vacancy shall first be declared and advertised widely to the Party membership by the Coordinating Committee, followed by sixty day application period, after which an election to fill the remainder of the term shall be put before the Standing Green Assembly at the next available starting date for on-line proposals, as defined in these bylaws.

12-2.4 Recall

12-2.4(a) Any person elected to the Delegation may be removed from office by the General Assembly upon a 2/3 vote in response to a Recall Petition. When a delegate habitually fail to perform their duties, the Delegation co-coordinators shall discuss the situation with the delegate. If the situation continues or recurs without the delegates resigning, the Co-coordinators shall bring the matter to the Delegation to decide whether to submit a Removal for Cause proposal to the General Assembly. A Recall Petition must contain the written basis for removal, be approved by the Delegation, and must be received by the Coordinating Committee before it can be forwarded to the General Assembly for a vote. The written basis for recall must be failure to perform the duties of a Delegate as defined in this Article and the GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures, and malfeasance.

12-2.4(b) Upon receipt of such Recall petition, the Coordinating Committee shall schedule a vote of the General Assembly. If an in-person General Assembly is scheduled to occur within 60 days of the receipt of the petition, the Coordinating Committee shall place the vote on the draft agenda and any agenda approved by the General Assembly must include the vote. If an in-person General Assembly is not scheduled to occur within 60 days of the receipt of the petition, the Coordinating Committee shall submit the petition to the Standing Green Assembly. The individual subject to a Recall Petition shall have the right to submit a written response to the petition for inclusion with the agenda item, when the agenda item is released.

12-2.5 Removal for Cause

Any person elected to the Delegation may be removed from office by the Coordinating Committee upon a 4/5 vote in response to a Removal for Cause petition. When a delegate habitually fail to perform their duties, the Delegation co-coordinators shall discuss the situation with the delegates. If the situation continues or recurs without the delegates resigning, the Co-coordinators shall bring the matter to the Delegation to decide whether to submit a Removal for Cause proposal to the Coordinating Committee. A Removal for Cause petition must contain the written basis for removal, be approved by the Delegation, and must be received by the Coordinating Committee before it can be forwarded to the General Assembly for a vote. The written basis for recall must be failure to perform the duties of a Delegate as defined in this Article and the GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures, and malfeasance.

Section 12-3 GPUS Delegation

12-3.1 Duties and Authority

The GPUS Delegation is charged with generally facilitating communication and representation between the GPCA and GPUS, including to:

12-3.1(a) Sponsor and submit proposals on behalf of the GPCA to the GPUS National Committee;

12-3.1(b) Appoint who shall be the GPCA’s representatives on GPUS committees, where GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures provide for state party-appointed membership; or otherwise make recommendations or nominations for GPUS committee eligibility as provided for by GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures.

12-3.1(c) Provide a forum for Delegates to collectively discuss and seek common understanding and consensus around proposals before the GPUS National Committee.

12-3.1(d) Prepare an annual Work Plan and submit it along with any budget requests.

12-3.1(e) Establish Internal Procedures of the GPUS Delegation, that are not in conflict with these Bylaws, as necessary to facilitate these tasks.

Any GPCA member as defined in 3-1.3 is eligible to be on a GPUS committee, unless GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures state otherwise.

12-3.2 Coordinators

12-3.2(a) There shall be two co-coordinators of the Delegation, with gender, ethnic and geographic balance preferred. The coordinators shall facilitate the Delegation, coordinate its activities and communicate on its behalf with the Coordinating Committee and General Assembly and the GPUS Steering Committee and National Committee.

12-3.2(b) Co-coordinators shall be elected by the Delegation to staggered two-year terms at the first General Assembly after the GPUS Annual National Meeting. Delegates and Alternates are eligible to be elected. Elections shall be Instant Run-Off Voting.

12-3.3 Meetings

The Delegation shall establish a meeting schedule so that it may address GPUS business in a timely manner. For any delegation meeting including teleconferences, a quorum shall be equal to a majority of Delegates, but participating Alternates shall count towards quorum.

12-3.4 GPUS Committees

Any GPCA member as defined in 3-1 may be appointed by the Delegation to serve on a GPUS Committee, unless this is otherwise prohibited by GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures.



Reference: Text from Existing Bylaws

Article 11. Delegates to the Green Party of the United States Section 11-1 Purpose The Green Party of California (GPCA) is affiliated with the Green Party of the United States (GPUS). No decision of the GPUS is binding upon the GPCA without its consent. The GPCA selects delegates who are voting members of the GPUS National Committee (GPUS NC). These delegates are authorized by the GPCA and recognized by the GPUS to cast the full number of votes allocated to the GPCA to represent GPCA positions on matters before the GPUS.

Section 11-2 Number, Eligibility and Alternates

The number of delegates is established by the GPUS and each may cast one vote. .Any member of the GPCA as defined in 3-1.3 is eligible to be a delegate to the GPUS. Alternates may be elected equal in number to the number of delegates.

Section 11-3 Responsibilities and Expectations

11-3.1 Representing GPCA to the GPUS

GPCA delegates shall take part in the discussion and votes upon proposals before the GPUS NC. Votes shall be submitted to the process established by the GPUS.

Delegates shall participate in monthly teleconferences and are encouraged to attend delegation meetings at GPCA General Assemblies and in person meetings of the GPUS NC They are encouraged to serve on GPUS committees. Alternate delegates are encouraged to participate in the same activities as delegates and vote according to the delegation’s procedures for alternates.

11-3.2 Serving the GPCA General Assembly

a) GPCA delegates, individually and collectively, serve at the pleasure of and are responsible to the GPCA General Assembly (GA). Delegates are authorized to represent the GPCA as best they can and cast votes as they think represent the interests of the GPCA and GPUS. As a whole, the delegation shall make a good faith effort to collectively discuss GPUS matters before voting.

b) The GA may bind the delegation to represent a particular position . When bound in this manner, the delegation shall modify its positions to reflect this intent. Between General Assemblies the delegation shall report to the GPCA Coordinating Committee (CC) and the CC may bind it on behalf of the GA. If it does so, the CC shall report upon its actions to the next GA.

Section 11-4. Elections

11-4.1 Regular Elections

At each GA, delegates and alternates shall be elected for two-year terms. Elections shall be by 7-1.8 Choice Voting. The delegation may recommend candidates to the GA. Recommendations shall be made with attention to gender, ethnic, and geographic balance.

11-4.2 Filling Unscheduled Vacancies

If delegate and alternate seats become vacant in the middle of a term the GA may elect replacements at its first meeting following the vacancy and at subsequent meetings until the end of the term. Elections shall be by 7-1.8 Choice Voting and those elected in this manner shall serve the remainder of the term.

Section 11-5 Resignations and removals

The CC may remove a delegate by an 80% vote. The only reasons for removal are failure to perform the duties of a delegate as defined in this Article and the GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures, and malfeasance. When delegates habitually fail to perform their duties, the delegation co-coordinators shall discuss the situation with those delegates. If it continues or recurs without the delegates resigning, the Co-coordinators shall bring the matter to the delegation to decide whether to ask for resignations and refer the matter to the CC.

Section 11-6 Coordinators

11-6.1 Role

There shall be two co-coordinators of the delegation, with ethnic, geographic and gender balance preferred. Cocoordinators shall be selected by and serve at the pleasure of the delegation.

11-6.2 Responsibilities

The coordinators shall facilitate the delegation, coordinate its activities and communicate on its behalf with the CC and GA and the GPUS Steering Committee and National Committee.

11-6-3 Elections

Co-coordinators shall be elected by the delegation to staggered two-year terms at the first GPCA General Assembly after the annual national meeting of the GPUS NC. Delegates and alternates are eligible to be elected. Elections shall be by 7-1.9 Single Seat Election: Instant Run-Off Voting.

Section 11-7. Meetings, policies, and procedures.

11-7.1 Meetings

The delegation shall establish a meeting schedule so that it may address GPUS business in a timely manner. For any delegation meeting including teleconferences, a quorum shall be equal to 50% plus one of the number of elected delegates, but participation by both delegates and alternates shall count towards achieving quorum.

11-7.2 Policies and procedures

The delegation shall create whatever policies and procedures are necessary, that are not in conflict with this Article, to fulfill its responsibilities as defined in this Article and in the GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures. The delegation shall provide written report of these policies and procedures to the next GA as they are created or amended.

Section 11-8. GPUS Committees

Where GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures provide for state party-appointed membership, the delegation shall determine who shall be the GPCA’s representatives on GPUS committees, or shall otherwise make recommendations or nominations for GPUS committee eligibility as provided for by GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures. Any GPCA member as defined in 3-1.3 is eligible to be on a GPUS committee, unless GPUS Bylaws and Rules and Procedures state otherwise.