[Pvgreens-discussion] Fw: [ GPCO Council] Proposal 003-08

[sandylemberg at juno.com]

I have not followed this closely, but it seems that would-be candidate
Buddy Moore is trying to become a Green nominee in contravention of state
law and GPCO bylaws. So this proposal would support our bylaws and our
position of abiding by state law and reject him as a potential candidate.
there is wide support for the proposal, the only exceptions to my
knowledge being Charlie Green and Doug Malkan. If anyone else from our
local has something to add, please do so.

Sandy

On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 03:21:30 +0000 ericfried at comcast.net writes:
> Ideally, consensus is reached and we vote accordingly. Practically, 
> most people on the list do not weigh in, making it hard to tell what 
> consensus is, and the reps vote as they think best. You might need 
> to provide some background to folks so they know what this is all 
> about.
> 
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: sandylemberg at juno.com 
> 
> > Does our local reach consensus on this, or do I just vote as a 
> Council 
> > member? 
> > 
> > Sandy 
> > 
> > --------- Forwarded message ---------- 
> > From: "Kevin Alumbaugh" 
> > To: grns-gpoc-council at greens.org 
> > Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 11:56:01 -0600 
> > Subject: [ GPCO Council] Proposal 003-08 
> > Message-ID: 
> <8f5e0be60803221056q7e94b36bp9c728d6ec3575e4c at mail.gmail.com> 
> > 
> > Dear Council Members, 
> > 
> > This is Proposal # 003-08. 
> > 
> > The proposal will be posted for one week of discussion and 
> agreement 
> > seeking. 
> > 
> > The posting period will end at midnight Friday, March 28th, 2008. 
> > 
> > A quorum of 75% requires at least one response from eight (7) 
> chapters. 
> > There are currently ten (9) active voting chapters in the Green 
> Party of 
> > Colorado. 
> > 
> > Arapahoe County Green Party - Active 
> > Boulder County Green Party - Inactive 
> > Denver Green Party - Active 
> > Greeley Green Party - Inactive 
> > Jefferson Greens - Active 
> > La Plata County Green Party - Inactive 
> > Mesa County Green Party - Active 
> > Poudre Valley Greens - Active 
> > Royal Gorge Green Party - Active 
> > San Miguel Greens - Active 
> > Southwest Greens - Active 
> > Summit County Green Party - Active 
> > 
> > Please read the proposal, and confine any comments to the proposal 
> > only. 
> > Designate your wishes by using "agree", "block" or "stand aside". 
> Any 
> > blocks 
> > will require a vote of the Council. 
> > 
> > 
> > Thank you, Kevin Alumbaugh, Current Council Facilitator 
> > 
> > ---- 
> > *1. Date proposed*: 3/22/08. Name of the sponsor: Dave Chandler, 
> > co-chair. 
> > Co-sponsered by Tom Kelly, Co-Chair; Eric Fried, Secretary; Dan 
> Sage, 
> > Treasurer; Claire Ryder, Chair-Denver Greens; Antonio D'Lallo, 
> > Chair-Adams-Jefferson Greens. 
> > 
> > *2. Title:* Qualification of Candidates 2008 
> > 
> > *3.Text of Proposal*: We resolve here that the bylaws of the Green 
> Party 
> > of 
> > Colorado do not alter or modify 1-4-1304(2)(c) Colorado Revised 
> > Statutes which states: 
> > 
> > (2) Nominations by a minor political party, to be valid, shall be 
> made 
> > in 
> > accordance with the party's constitution or bylaws. No nomination 
> under 
> > this 
> > section shall be valid for any general election held after January 
> 1, 
> > 1999, 
> > unless the nominee: ... 
> > 
> > (c) Has not been registered as a member of a major political party 
> for at 
> > least twelve months prior to the date of nomination unless 
> otherwise 
> > provided in the constitution or bylaws of the minor political 
> party. 
> > 
> > 
> > The Green Party of Colorado accepts the interpretation of that law 
> > meaning 
> > that no person will be considered to be qualified as a candidate 
> for 
> > nomination to any office in 2008, who has been either a registered 
> > Democrat 
> > or Republican anytime since May 3, 2007 -- twelve months from the 
> date of 
> > the Party's scheduled nominating convention, May 3, 2008. 
> > 
> > We agree and accept the explanation provided to us by the Colorado 
> > Secretary 
> > of State, Elections Division office contained in the following 
> > communications: 
> > 
> > Mr. Chandler, 
> > 
> > I agree with your interpretation of section 1-4-1304(2)(b) and 
> (2)(c), 
> > C.R.S. 
> > In both cases, the statute creates affiliation requirements for 
> minor 
> > political party candidates. Additionally, this same statute allows 
> for 
> > the 
> > minor political party to adjust the affiliation requirements by 
> changing 
> > their minor party bylaws. In cases where the party bylaws have not 
> been 
> > amended, the statutory requirement must be followed. 
> > 
> > *Therefore, in regards to section 1-4-1304(2)(c), C.R.S., a 
> candidate 
> > must 
> > not have been registered with a major party for at least 12 months 
> before 
> > the date of nomination if no party bylaws are in place that 
> provide 
> > otherwise.* [Emphasis added] 
> > 
> > Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, 
> > 
> > Kathryn Mikeworth 
> > Colorado Secretary of State 
> > Elections Division 
> > 1700 Broadway, Suite 270 
> > Denver, CO 80290 
> > 
> > ++++++ 
> > 
> > From: Dave Chandler 
> > Co-Chair, Green Party of Colorado 
> > 
> > To: Ms. Kathryn Mikeworth 
> > I am writing to receive from the Colorado Secretary of State's 
> office, 
> > clarification on the meaning of CRS 1-4-1304(2)(c): 
> > 
> > (2) Nominations by a minor political party, to be valid, shall be 
> made 
> > in 
> > accordance with the party's constitution or bylaws. No nomination 
> under 
> > this 
> > section shall be valid for any general election held after January 
> 1, 
> > 1999, 
> > unless the nominee: ... 
> > 
> > (c) Has not been registered as a member of a major political party 
> for at 
> > least twelve months prior to the date of nomination unless 
> otherwise 
> > provided in the constitution or bylaws of the minor political 
> party. 
> > 
> > 
> > My interpretation from reading this language would be that a 
> potential 
> > nominee for the Colorado Green Party in 2008, must have not been a 
> > registered Republican or Democrat for at least twelve months 
> before the 
> > date 
> > of our nominating convention this year -- unless our bylaws had 
> already 
> > been 
> > altered to modify that length of time (which they have not). That 
> means a 
> > prospective Green 2008 nominee must have been registered as a 
> member of a 
> > minor party or as unaffiliated for the past year from the date of 
> our 
> > scheduled May 3 convention. 
> > 
> > In addition, I would appreciate confirmation regarding CRS 
> > 1-4-1304(2)(b): 
> > 
> > (b) Has been affiliated for a period of twelve months immediately 
> > preceding 
> > the date of nomination with the minor political party that is 
> making the 
> > nomination as shown in the registration books of the county clerk 
> and 
> > recorder unless otherwise provided in the constitution or bylaws 
> of the 
> > minor political party; 
> > 
> > 
> > Our Green Party of Colorado bylaws do already say that a nominee 
> "must be 
> > registered with the Green Party for at least six months before the 
> > general 
> > election or for two months prior to the Green Party of Colorado 
> > nominating 
> > convention, whichever is earlier, in order to be eligible for 
> > nomination." 
> > 
> > Therefore, am I correct in understanding that these provisions of 
> the law 
> > mean that a Green Party nominee in 2008 must not have been a 
> Republican 
> > or 
> > Democrat for the past twelve months from the date of our May 3 
> > convention, 
> > but must at least be a registered member of the Green Party of 
> Colorado 
> > for 
> > the length of time our bylaws stipulate, in order to be eligible 
> for 
> > nomination? 
> > 
> > I appreciate your assistance in helping us to understand the 
> meaning of 
> > the 
> > current election laws as they regard candidate nominations for 
> minor 
> > political parties. 
> > 
> > Thank you for your time and consideration. 
> > ________ 
> > 
> > *4.Background:* Mr. Buddy Moore announced to Adams-Jeffco Greens 
> on 
> > Thursday, February 7, 2008, that he was seeking the Green Party's 
> > nomination 
> > to the U.S. Senate, running against Bob Kinsey. At that meeting, 
> Moore 
> > said 
> > that he had changed his voter registration from Democrat to Green 
> only 
> > the 
> > previous day. 
> > 
> > Reading Colorado election law on primaries for minor parties by 
> state 
> > co-chair, Dave Chandler, revealed that a candidate for a minor 
> party 
> > nomination must have not been registered with a major party for 
> twelve 
> > months before their convention unless that law was altered by the 
> party's 
> > bylaws. GPOC bylaws have not been changed to modify that section 
> of the 
> > law. 
> > 
> > The communication from the Secretary of State's office in the text 
> of the 
> > proposal is a result of this research into the meaning of the law. 
> > 
> > At the regular Adams-Jeffco Greens meeting on Thursday, March 6, 
> 2008, 
> > Mr. 
> > Moore was not recommended for approval by the Coordinated Campaign 
> > Committee 
> > because his recent voter registration with the Democratic Party 
> was 
> > adjudged 
> > by the committee to make him ineligible for a Green Party 
> nomination 
> > under 
> > Colorado state law. 
> > 
> > The Adams-Jefferson Greens by consensus chose not to forward 
> Moore's 
> > candidacy to the state convention. 
> > 
> > Buddy Moore has nevertheless continued to label himself as a Green 
> Party 
> > candidate for the U.S. Senate, even though he is clearly not 
> qualified 
> > under 
> > the law. He has become increasingly disruptive and a distraction 
> to 
> > important organizing and planning work being done by GPOC 
> activists. 
> > 
> > *5.Justification/Goals:* To express compliance with state law on 
> > qualifications of candidates in 2008. 
> > 
> > *6.Pros: *Adopting the proposal puts the Green Party of Colorado 
> clearly, 
> > definitively and publicly on record as in compliance with Colorado 
> state 
> > election law. 
> > 
> > Adopting the proposal insures and affirms the integrity of our 
> candidate 
> > selection process by demonstrating that we apply the law and our 
> bylaws 
> > equally and fairly to everyone. 
> > 
> > Adopting the proposal lets Mr. Moore know clearly, definitively 
> and 
> > publicly 
> > that he is not qualified to seek our party's nomination to any 
> office in 
> > 2008. 
> > 
> > *7.Cons:* Mr Moore probably will not like this proposal. 
> > _______________________________________________ 
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> > grns-gpoc-council at greens.org 
> > http://forum.greens.org/mailman/listinfo/grns-gpoc-council 
> > 
> > 
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