PROPOSAL TO UPDATE GRP BYLAWS SECTION 6 : CONVENTIONS

TITLE: PROPOSAL TO UPDATE GRP BYLAWS 

SECTION 6 : CONVENTIONS

SPONSORS:

Maureen Doyle

Henry Rose

VETTING COMMITTEES:

Procedures

StateCom

FLOOR MANAGER: [[List the name and contact information for one person who will manage the process for this proposal. This person will be the single point of contact for receiving comments on the proposal and providing decisions such as whether to accept a friendly amendment. They must be in attendance at the StateCom meeting when the proposal is under consideration. ]]  Aaron Dell

SHEPHERD: List one person who will serve as “shepherd” to monitor the implementation of the proposal after it is adopted.

Cheryl Rose

SUMMARY:

  • This is a rewording and organization of the current bylaws Section 6 to make it more consistent and clear and thus, easier to read and follow. 
  • There is a new requirement for the Convention Planning Committee to submit, get approval for, and follow a budget and submit receipts for expenditures to the State Committee; and also to implement a method for proxy voting for delegates unable to attend in person; 
  • Delegates to the convention must be nominated by either a chapter or a committee; and only Delegates can vote at the convention. Chapters and committees can nominate an unlimited number of delegates. This may have to be changed if we scale up and have many more members in many more towns.
  • The GRP Convention Rules document, which appears to never have been finalized will be reviewed and updated to be consistent with these bylaws

 

 BACKGROUND:

The current bylaws and Rules documents have some inconsistencies and some things are not clearly understandable. Since the Annual Convention is coming up, it would be extremely helpful to have this clarity and consistency of roles, rules and responsibilities in place. 

TEXT OF PROPOSAL: Replace current bylaws section 6 with the following:

PROPOSAL TO UPDATE GRP BYLAWS 

SECTION 6 : CONVENTIONS

 

  1. State Conventions 

6.1 Definition

The State Convention is the highest authority body of the Green-Rainbow Party and can override decisions of the State Committee by majority vote.  

 

6.2 Purpose

Conventions serve to ensure that the voices of the members are heard. A state convention may have these purposes: 

  • set policy; 
  • change the party platform or endorse positions; 
  • nominate candidates; 
  • elect directors and members of the Administrative Committee and delegates to the National Committee; 
  • change the bylaws; and
  • decide any other matter as specified in these bylaws.

 

6.3 Convening

6.3.1 A state convention can be convened in either of the   

   following ways: 

  • by a 2/3 vote of the State Committee; 
  • by majority votes of the members of ⅔ of the recognized Green-Rainbow chapters.

6.3.2 The Green-Rainbow Party shall hold at least one state convention every year. In a year with a federal election, the GRP shall hold its convention within the 30 days after the GPUS Presidential Nominating Convention. In all other years, the State Committee may set a date no later than the end of November.

6.3.3 The convention date must be publicized to all members at least 3 months before the convention date. Promotion shall include but is not limited to:

  • All chapters
  • All committees
  • All caucuses
  • GRP Newsletter
  • GRP Website

 

6.4 Roles and Responsibilities

6.4.1 All members are entitled to participate in the convention.

6.4.2 Only Convention Delegates may vote at the convention. Chapters, Committees and Caucuses may elect an unlimited number of delegates to a convention.

6.4.3 The Co-Chairs and Secretary of the Party shall be the Facilitators and Secretary of the Convention until and unless they are unable to serve, in which case the Administrative Committee shall choose other officers.

6.4.4 The State Committee shall: 

  1. appoint the members of the Convention Planning Committee (CPC);
  2. review convention proposals and share with CPC all that adequately specify implementable actions and are consistent with GRP Bylaws 
  3. have or can delegate to the Administrative Committee final approval of all matters, including financial, relating to the conduct of the State Convention; 
  4. adopt Convention Rules provided such rules do not contradict these bylaws.

6.4.5 The CPC shall: 

  1. develop the State Convention's agenda; 
  2. follow the Convention Rules adopted by the State Committee; 
  3. set the deadlines and processes for nominations and elections of officers, submission of delegate names, and submission of proposals 
  4. propose and follow a convention budget;
  5. submit receipts for expenditures to the State Committee;
  6. implement a method for remote participation for delegates unable to attend in person;
  7. secure the venue;
  8. publicize the convention; 
  9. disseminate the agenda and proposals; 
  10. host the convention;
  11. handle sign-in of attendees; and
  12. credentialing of delegates.



IMPLEMENTATION:

Procedures Committee, Secretaries - make sure Bylaws are appropriately updated

StateCom, AdCom, CPC - implement bylaw as written

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: $0

REFERENCES AND ATTACHMENTS:

Current bylaws

Current convention Rules

Official response from submitted

Deleted extraneous bracketed intro. text.


Showing 8 reactions

How would you tag this suggestion?
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-18 09:41:30 -0500
    To amend what I had written below:

    Let’s insist that only GRP members in good standing, and with nomination papers signed by three other GRP voters, may serve as delegates to our convention, with ‘good standing’ meaning:
    1A. Dues paid, or
    1B. Dues waived, and
    2. Signed volunteer work acknowledgement obtained from Working committee co-chairs.

    These two requirements will get us who strive to serve to:
    1. support our party,
    2. connect with other GRPers, and
    3. get a tiny introduction to campaigning, in that we will have to explain to three other GRPers why they should nominate us to the Convention.

    By the way, in my understanding, statecom is not a working committee to vet proposals by. This working committee vetting process is to help improve proposals before they come to statecom.
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-17 06:04:35 -0500
    Posting for Henry Rose:
    Re: in person attendance: Zoom option is a must IMO. We have devoted members who worked hard on projects like signature gathering who live in places like the Cape, have no car, have health issues, or family responsibilities that would prohibit attending in person. I’d settle for zoom participation and voting instead of proxy voting. Though definitely encourage in person attendance, which I plan for myself.

    Re: “why give committees representation?”: Some of our valued active members do not have a chapter.
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-16 14:08:38 -0500
    Let’s insist on either:
    1. Dues payment,
    2. Dues Waiver, or
    3. Working-committee-co-chairs-signed volunteer work acknowledgement,
    as a prerequisite for Convention Delegate status.
  • Brian Cady
    responded with submitted 2025-01-14 12:54:37 -0500
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-14 12:47:55 -0500
    “Delegates to the convention must be nominated by either a chapter or a committee” Why give working committees representation? And what about GRP-registered voters outside of our chopter areas? Perhaps this could be improved here.
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-14 12:45:27 -0500
    “receipts for expenditures to the State Committee” That is a level of detail that might best be guided to FinFundComm.
  • Brian Cady
    commented 2025-01-14 12:43:39 -0500
    “method for proxy voting for delegates unable to attend in person” I think we should insist that GRP convention voters be present.
  • cheryl Rose
    published this page in 2025 Winter Proposals 2025-01-12 12:34:53 -0500