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GPUS Rules and Procedures - Spokespersons/Leaders amendment

ARTICLE X Spokesperson/Leader Campaign Rules

10-1 Declaration of Candidacy

10-1.1 All candidates must submit a Declaration of Candidacy to the Accreditation Committee. The Declaration of Candidacy may be submitted at any time during the Declaration Period. The Declaration Period shall commence January 1st, at 12:01 am East Coast Time and conclude January 31st, at 11:109 West Coast time.

10-1.2 The Declaration of Candidacy shall be signed by the Candidate and include

10-1.2(a) a completed form, available on the GPUS website, that includes mailing address, phone and email contact information (to be used for internal administrative contact between the candidate and the GPUS);

10-1.2(b) a candidate statement of up to 800 words that includes biographical information, qualifications, related experiences, and vision for GPUS development;

10-1.2(c) contact information where Green Party members may contact the Candidate/Campaign;

10-1.2(d) website where interested individuals may learn about the Candidate/Campaign;

10-1.2(e) a digital photograph taken within the previous six months, suitable for media purposes;

10-1.2(f) a statement that the Candidate has been a member of a member state Green Party for at least 365 days prior to the declaration candidacy, and has not also held membership in any other political party and/or be registered to vote in any other political party during that time;

10-1.3(g) a statement by the Candidate that “I hereby declare my candidacy for GPUS Spokesperson/Leader (or GPUS Deputy Spokesperson/Leader or both), I understand the duties and responsibilities of this position and pledge to carry them out to the best of my ability if elected;

10-1.3(h) a statement by the Candidate that “I agree to follow the same criteria regarding the amount and source of individual contributions to my campaign as appear in the Fiscal Policy”;

10-1.3(i) a statement by the Candidate that “If I am a state Green Party spokesperson at the time I am elected GPUS Spokesperson/Leader, my election shall signify my resignation as state Green Party spokesperson”;

10-1.3(j) a statement by the Candidate that “All information contained in the Declaration is factual and accurate and I give permission to the GPUS to do a criminal records check on me.”

10.1.4 In their candidate statements, Candidates shall address how they would fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the Spokesperson/Leader position as described in the Bylaws, but not make personal attacks on other Greens. A disclaimer to all Candidate Statements will be added on the GPUS web site and when this information is communicated to National Committee members and the general public, that these Candidates Statements represent the views of the Candidates and are not necessarily those of the GPUS.

10-1.5 The Candidacy is considered declared upon receipt of a complete Declaration of Candidacy. For the purpose of being considered received, the Declaration of Candidacy may be sent via email, as long as it includes a scanned copy of the signature of the candidate, and as long as the hard copy is received within seven business days of the email being received, but no later than the conclusion of the Qualification Period.

10-1.6 All information submitted on the Declaration of Candidacy, except personal contact information and the candidate’s signature, will be considered public information, will published on the GPUS web site, communicated to National Committee members via email and used by the GPUS in its media promotion of the Spokesperson/Leadership Campaign

10-2 Qualification of Candidacy

10-2.1 The Qualification Period shall commence January 1st, at 12:01 am East Coast Time and conclude February 10th, at 11:109 West Coast time.

10-2.2 By the conclusion of the Qualification Period, a Candidate must submit Nomination Petitions bearing the original signatures of at least 100 Green Party members from member state Green Parties.

10-2.3 Each signed Nomination Petition page shall state at the top: “We the undersigned are Green Party members and support the nomination of _________ for GPUS Spokesperson/Leader”. Each signature shall be accompanied by the name, city and state of residence of each signer, and the signer shall date each signature. Signatures are only considered valid if they occurred after the Candidacy was considered declared.

10-2.4 At least five Nomination Petition signatures must come from Green Party members from each of at least 20% of member state Green Parties. Green Party members may sign Nomination Petitions on behalf of more than one Candidate. Signatures may be gathered only after the Declaration of Candidacy is received.

10-2.5 By the conclusion of the Qualification Period, the Treasurer must receive at least $2,000 in donations to the Restricted Spokesperson/Leader Fund in the name of the Candidate. Donors shall specify the Candidate in whose name the contribution is made. No more than $1,000 can count towards the $2,000 that comes from the candidate. Candidates shall submit a summary of those contributions to the Accreditation Committee, and shall include the name, city and state of residence of each signer, and amount of each contribution. Donors shall provide information to the GPUS as required by law for such a contribution.

10-2.6 The Candidate may revise their Candidate Statement once before the end of the Qualification Period, subject to the same 800-word limit.

10-2.7 Upon receipt of the Nomination Petitions and the summary of those contributions, the Accreditation Committee shall review the documents. If there are at least 100 signatures of Green Party members from member state Green Parties, if the Treasurer confirms the receipt at least $2,000 in contributions in the name of the candidate, and if the hard copy of the Declaration of Candidacy has been received, complete and signed, then the Candidate shall be deemed to be qualified. If the Treasurer is unable to carry out the confirmation of receipt of contributions, the Finance Committee shall assume this responsibility.

10-2.8 After a Candidate is deemed qualified, the names and cities of residence of the signers shall be made available to the National Committee. A challenge may be made in writing to the Accreditation Committee to any of the signatures within 20 days. Any challenge must be supported in writing or email by at least ten National Committee members or five percent of the National Committee, whichever is greater, and must include members from at least three states. Challenges shall only be made when the challengers have a good faith reason to believe that Nomination Petition signers are not members of members State Green Parties and/or that the signatures are not those of the members of State Green Parties.

10-2.9 The Accreditation Committee shall rule on all challenges. If the number of signatures challenged, if found invalid, would not disqualify the Candidacy, then the Accreditation Committee shall file a report of its ruling with the National Committee, including its ruling and any findings it deems relevant, and the Candidacy shall remain deemed qualified. If the number of signatures challenged, if found invalid, would disqualify the Candidacy then the decision of the Accreditation Committee may be appealable to the National Committee at the request of the Candidate. The responsibility to forward such an appeal to the National Committee would be the Steering Committee’s. In such appeals, the ruling of the Accreditation Committee may be overturned by majority vote of the National Committee

10-3 Campaign – the GPUS

10-3.1 The GPUS shall maintain a web page on its web site dedicated to the Spokesperson/Leadership campaign. The web page shall include each Candidate’s campaign statement, web site and optional contact information. The Candidate may also supply a link to a single candidate campaign video, which shall also be linked to from the GPUS web page.

10-3.2 The GPUS shall do media outreach to promote the Spokesperson/Leadership campaign, including a press release announcing Candidates who have qualified.

10-3.3 To provide an opportunity for Candidates to contact National Committee members, National Committee members will be offered an opt-in option to give their email and/or phone numbers to any/all of the candidates. National Committee members may also opt-in to allow the GPUS to send to them via postal mail as described in 10-3.4.

10-3.4 Each Candidate shall have one opportunity at their own cost, to have their own message and materials sent by the GPUS directly via U.S. postal mail to National Committee members who have opted-in as described in 10-3.3. All GPUS costs must be paid for in advance by the Candidate. The GPUS shall have 21 days to process such a request after materials have been received, and notice of such a request must be received no later than 42 days before the Annual National Meeting.

10-3.5 The Annual National Meeting Committee shall make provisions at the Annual National Meeting for a Candidate forum to be held and/or for Candidate speeches to be made before the vote takes place.

10-4 Campaign – the Candidates

10-4.1 Candidates shall be free to make their own contacts with National Committee members, state parties and Greens across the United States to promote their candidacy.

10-4.2 Candidates shall address how they would fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the Spokesperson/Leader position as described in the Bylaws, but not to make personal attacks on other Greens.

10-4.3 Candidates may raise and spend funds to promote their campaign. Contributions to their campaigns are considered gifts in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service and are not reportable as contributions in the eyes of the Federal Election Commission. However, Candidates must agree to follow the same criteria regarding the amount and source of individual contributions as appear in the Fiscal Policy regarding the same to the GPUS, and shall sign a statement to that effect as part of their Declaration of Candidacy.

10-4.4 Any debts incurred by the Candidate’s campaigns are the full responsibility of the candidate and the GPUS shall assume no responsibility for such debts.