So You Want to Be a National Convention Delegate!
Tips for Potential National Convention Delegates
By Marc Montoni, LP Radical Caucus
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1. REGISTER.
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http://lpcon2014.org/registration/
Remember, today (May 15) is the LAST day for the “early bird” registration rates.
BAD IDEA: Forget to register.
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2. MAKE SURE YOU’RE CREDENTIALED.
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Your state LP sends its delegate list to the Credentials Committee, and it is the members of the CC who decide who is qualified to participate on the convention floor.
DO NOT fail to verify that the Credentials Committee has credentialed you, especially if you’re planning to attend only the Business Session without buying a package.
BAD IDEA: To forget your colleagues are human. Trust, but verify.
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3. RESERVE YOUR HOTEL ROOM!
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Last I heard, the LP convention rate was sold out. However, there are people looking for roommates. Begin letting others know of your interest NOW:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LNC2014Roomshare/
Or perhaps: http://www.easynest.com/
BAD IDEA: Waiting until the last minute to make your travel plans.
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4. CARPOOLING
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I set up a ridesharing page for people who wish to ride together to the national convention. The interface could use some help in the customer-friendliness department but if you can figure out how to navigate it, it may be helpful for LP members trying to arrange rideshares to Columbus. Give it a shot.
STEP I. Set up a login for yourself. You will need one to be able to offer or request rides.
https://erideshare.com/membership.htm#form
STEP II. Once you’ve completed setting that up, come back to this email and click this link to go straight to the national LP convention ridesharing page:
https://www.erideshare.com/travel.php?&group=2014lpconventn&radiodate=All
Where the page says: “Please enter your group password:”, paste in “freedom” (without quotes).
The next screen you come to will show the ride requests and offers. Mine is the one from Virginia.
Those of you with smartphones or other smallish screens note that the site is ad-supported and they are rather prominent — you may have to scroll down a bit to get to the actual listings.
BAD IDEA: Failing to figure out how you’re getting there.
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5. FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME A DELEGATE FROM YOUR STATE
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Find out how your state party assigns delegation seats. Read your state LP bylaws.
BAD IDEA: Ignoring your state party’s convention call.
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6. SHOW UP AT YOUR STATE CONVENTION, AND SEEK ELECTION TO A DELEGATE SEAT.
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SHOW UP at your state LP convention, with your LP activity resume in hand, and do what you need to do to be among those considered for a delegate seat. n This is a fairly complete schedule:
https://independentpoliticalreport.com/2014/01/libertarian-state-conventions-january-june-2014/
http://www.lp.org/blogs/staff/2014-state-conventions
If you don’t win a delegate seat this year, then start working on the next cycle. Have some accomplishment behind you. Don’t wait to organize a booth, do a fundraising round for the Party, recruit candidates and members, or organize your home precinct. DO IT NOW. Next week is too late; next month is too late. Do nothing and show up at your state convention and those who have done their homework will be first in line for those precious delegate seats — ahead of YOU. Get away from the computer, get off the couch, and engage in a real political act.
BAD IDEA: Failure to show up.
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7. STUDY NATIONAL’S RULES AND PROCEDURES.
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Do a thorough read of the Delegation Chair’s Manual. The 2014 Manual has not been made available yet, but you can look at the 2010 & 2012 manuals to get the gist:
2012:http://marketliberal.org/LP/Conventions/2012%20DelegationChairsManual.pdf
2010:http://marketliberal.org/LP/Conventions/2010%20Delegation%20Chairs%20Manual.pdf
Study up on the Convention Committee structure:
http://www.lp.org/bylaws-mandated-committees
Here are the Delegate Allocations by state:
BAD IDEA: Remaining unfamiliar with or clueless about convention procedures.
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8. GET FAMILIAR WITH THE LP NATIONAL PLATFORM
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Read through the current LP Platform, such as it is:
BAD IDEA: Not being fairly familiar with what the Party actually says.
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9. KNOW YOUR PLATFORM COMMITTEE
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a) Check out who is on the Platform Committee:
b) Their first meeting was earlier this month:
c) Take anything said about the LP platform and how it “compares” with the platforms of other parties with a grain of salt. Review the opposition’s platform(s)for yourself:
BAD IDEA: Remaining ignorant of what our competition has in their platforms.
BAD IDEA: Allowing the individuals on the Platform Committee — some of whom want us to say nothing about anything — to make up your mind for you.
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10. LP BYLAWS
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Familiarize yourself with the current LP Bylaws:
BAD IDEA: Remaining unfamiliar with the current LP Bylaws.
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11. BYLAWS COMMITTEE
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Study the Bylaws Proposals from the Bylaws Committee, and be sure to review any comments on each proposal:
http://lpbylaws2014.blogspot.com/2014/05/bylaws-committee-report.html
BAD IDEA: Taking every idea in the Bylaws Committee Report at face value. Some items will have a hidden agenda.
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12. Get yourself a copy of Robert’s Rules:
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http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780738203072&itm=1
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780306813542&itm=3
Watch “Parliamentary procedure made simple: how to conduct a meeting”. Available at most large-ish public libraries. Example:
http://catalog.henrico.lib.va.us/uhtbin/cgisirsi/EVmqRegnAx/Z-HQ/213070085/9
If you can’t find it at your local library, don’t forget your municipality’s law library, as well as school and college libraries. I saw a few university copies available on this search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=video+parliamentary+procedure+library&btnG=Search
BAD IDEA: Complaining when parliamentary tricks are used to silence and bypass you, and you don’t know how to counter them.
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13. HAVE A GREAT TIME!
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I don’t go because I think all of my ideas, candidates for LNC positions, or whatever will all win. I go because I want to see that crazy remnant I enjoy spending time with so much. Go for the drinking games, the parties and the socializing, and have a good time.
See you there!
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Originally written January 2008, by Marc Montoni – Libertarian Party Radical Caucus. For more information about the Radical Caucus, seewww.LPRadicals.org or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LPRadicals . License to use hereby granted under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ . All use of this or derivative works must include an unedited copy of this attribution statement as well as an unedited copy of the above original article (if used in a derivative work).
Marc Montoni is a long-time Libertarian activist from Virginia. He sometimes writes or posts article here at IPR.
Marc–
Excellent advice! I especially liked your listing the bad ideas.
Good advice!