The Green National Committee is considering 3 proposals, including Proposal 355 This proposal would elect members of the Green Party House Campaign Committee. The Green Party has already established a Green Party Senatorial Campaign Committee which is recognized by the Federal Elections Commission.
Proposal 354 which would elect the tabulations committee responsible for counting the votes in the election of the Steering Committee at the Nominating Convention. Proposal 355 is the third iteration of the same topic, and Proposal 354 is up for the second time.
I called Holly Hart, national party Secretary, and asked her what had happened via her answering machine. She called my answering machine and explained that in both cases new people had stepped forward offering to serve on these committees. One committee had fewer people willing to serve than slots available. Since they had both already gone to a vote the software would not allow the vote to be extended or changed, so Hart explained that starting over is the best way to handle the situation.
Proposal 356 calls for a change in the GPUS By-Laws to allow the Steering Committee members to be nominated and elected the same day. Current by-laws require nomination on one day of the Annual National Meeting and election the next. The wording of the new rules does not seem to open up the nomination to last minute changes, but in fact seems to require that potential steering committee members announce their interest well in advance of the convention, but allow them to be formally nominated and elected the same day at the convention.
Proposal 348 creates rules and amends existing rules and floor rules to be used at the Nominating Convention in Chicago. This proposal is already being being voted on, and as of this writing is winning with 8 “yes” votes, 3 “no” votes, and 1 “abstain. It may be worth noting that the abstention and two of the three “no” votes are from California, and none of the “yes” votes are from that state.
Proposal 353 is also in the voting stage, with 11 voting “yes and 1 voting “no”. This proposal will allow Green Party members to offer interest free loans to the Green Party to cover costs associated with the nominating convention this July. The proposal points out that there have been similar loans authorized in the past by the Green National Committee, and each has been repaid sooner than scheduled.