Saturday, July 08, 2006
Who Should Go?
There are many folks, myself included, who believe that we erred by not running Ralph Nader for Prez in 2004. Many of us believe that the Cobb folks simply out-campaigned the Nader forces. The early steps towards Cobb's victory were sewn by influencing how many delegates each state got allocated to it, and doing their best to secure those delegates once they were allocated.
Well, no matter where you stand on that debate, one can't say that there is no opportunity for your opinion to be heard on these same issues today. The Delegate Apportionment Committee has set up a survey for members of the National Committee. Anyone can submit their opinions via the survey, but apparently they plan to have the results of National Committee members given greater weight.
Once you submit your opinions, you will be sent to the National Committee "home page", but I assume that someone will see your opinions, and hopefully take them into consideration.
If you want to see the survey but not take it, look behind the "Read more!" link, and then contact your state's National Committee reps and tell them how you think they should vote...
A. Minimum Delegation Threshold:
The GPUS has adopted a minimum threshold of 2 delegates on the NC from each state to ensure that all accredited states are represented in our national governing body. Currently there are 44 accreditation states and two caucuses (1 delegate each) with representation on the NC. The number of delegates on the NC is 120 and the number of delegates designated each state based only on the minimum threshold is 90 (44 x 2 + 2).
This means that the minimum threshold of delegates allocated to each state accounts for 75% of the NC and the delegates allocated to each state using some measure of proportional strength accounts for 25% of the NC.
1. Do you believe that a higher percentage of delegates should be chosen based on some measure of proportional strength?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
2. What percentage of the delegates to the NC should be allocated to each state based on some measure of proportional strength?
___ %
3. To increase the percentage of delegates allocated to each
state based on some measure of proportional strength would
you support lowering the minimum delegate threshold to 1 per
state or increasing the size of the NC?
__ Lower the Minimum Delegate Threshold to 1
__ Increase the size of the NC
__ Both
__ Neither
4. Would you consider changing to a regional allocation of
delegates in order to improve both the proportionality of
delegate allocation and the proportional representation
within that delegation (for example, to facilitate racial
balance as well as gender balance on delegations)?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
B. Proxy or Weighted Voting:
One way to increase proportionality without increasing the NC is through weighted or proxy voting, which would allow states to have more votes than delegates. For example a state that currently has 5 delegates could be given 7 votes based on some measure of proportional strength. In this case, the each delegate for that state would cast 1.4 votes during any decision making process.
1. What do you think of weighted or proxy voting, where a
state gets more votes than the number of delegates it has?
__Support
__Do Not Support
__Don't Know
2. If you favor weighted voting, is that just for in-person
meetings, or for the listserv as well?
__ In-person meetings only (e.g a national convention)
__ On-line Voting only
__ Both
__ Neither
3. If you would accept weighted voting, what is the maximum
number of votes you would accept one delegate casting?
(e.g., 2.0, 3.5, no limit).
______
C. Fractional Voting:
A similar method of increasing proportionality is through fractional voting. By splitting a single vote into fractions, a state is better represent minority views, especially with small delegations, in proportion to the support for that view. For example, a state might have 2 votes to cast, but could cast 1.5 yes and 0.5 no in order to reflect a 3:1 split in opinion.
1. Would you consider allowing states to use fractional
voting, if it didn't affect overall vote proportionality?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
2. If yes, would you consider separating the number of state
delegates from the number of votes allotted to that state?
(For example, a state with three votes might have six
delegates. This might increase participation at the national
level.)
__ Yes
__ No
3. If yes on #1, is there a limit to how small you think a
vote can be split (e.g., 1/2 vote, 1/4 vote, etc.)?
D. Determining Proportional Strength:
One way to determine the proportion strength of the Green Party in each state is to use several criteria to estimate membership size and then take an average value of those criteria. The list of possible criteria currently being discussed by the DAC is included in question 2 below.
1. Would you favor allowing states to choose a subset of
criteria from the larger list that best fits the conditions,
laws, and bylaws of their state party, or do you think every
state should use the same set of criteria?
__ Subset of Criteria
__ Same Criteria
2. Below is a list of possible criteria we could use to allow states to determine their proportional strength relative to other states. Please check all criteria that you think would be appropriate to use as a measure of proportional strength.
__ Number of registered Green voters
__ Green membership rolls (for non-registration states)
__ Number of elected Greens
__ Number of Green candidates that have run for office (any)
__ Total number of Greens running for statewide and federal
office (partisan races)
__ Maximum number of votes cast for a single Green candidate
__ Total number of votes cast for all Green candidates in
the state
__ Total number of votes cast for Greens candidates for
local office
__ Total number of votes for David Cobb
__ Total number of votes for Ralph Nader (2004)
__ Total number of votes for David Cobb and Ralph Nader
combined
__ State population size
other1
other2
other3
other4
other5
3. If you favored allowing states to use a subset of
criteria in question 1, what number of the criteria that you
approved
in the question above is the appropriate number of criteria
states should choose from that list?
_____
4. If a method for determining the proportional strength of
each state is adopted that is based on some calculations of
Green accomplishment how often do you think the NC numbers
should be recalculated based on new elections?
__Every year
__Every 2 years
__Every 4 years
Well, no matter where you stand on that debate, one can't say that there is no opportunity for your opinion to be heard on these same issues today. The Delegate Apportionment Committee has set up a survey for members of the National Committee. Anyone can submit their opinions via the survey, but apparently they plan to have the results of National Committee members given greater weight.
Once you submit your opinions, you will be sent to the National Committee "home page", but I assume that someone will see your opinions, and hopefully take them into consideration.
If you want to see the survey but not take it, look behind the "Read more!" link, and then contact your state's National Committee reps and tell them how you think they should vote...
A. Minimum Delegation Threshold:
The GPUS has adopted a minimum threshold of 2 delegates on the NC from each state to ensure that all accredited states are represented in our national governing body. Currently there are 44 accreditation states and two caucuses (1 delegate each) with representation on the NC. The number of delegates on the NC is 120 and the number of delegates designated each state based only on the minimum threshold is 90 (44 x 2 + 2).
This means that the minimum threshold of delegates allocated to each state accounts for 75% of the NC and the delegates allocated to each state using some measure of proportional strength accounts for 25% of the NC.
1. Do you believe that a higher percentage of delegates should be chosen based on some measure of proportional strength?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
2. What percentage of the delegates to the NC should be allocated to each state based on some measure of proportional strength?
___ %
3. To increase the percentage of delegates allocated to each
state based on some measure of proportional strength would
you support lowering the minimum delegate threshold to 1 per
state or increasing the size of the NC?
__ Lower the Minimum Delegate Threshold to 1
__ Increase the size of the NC
__ Both
__ Neither
4. Would you consider changing to a regional allocation of
delegates in order to improve both the proportionality of
delegate allocation and the proportional representation
within that delegation (for example, to facilitate racial
balance as well as gender balance on delegations)?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
B. Proxy or Weighted Voting:
One way to increase proportionality without increasing the NC is through weighted or proxy voting, which would allow states to have more votes than delegates. For example a state that currently has 5 delegates could be given 7 votes based on some measure of proportional strength. In this case, the each delegate for that state would cast 1.4 votes during any decision making process.
1. What do you think of weighted or proxy voting, where a
state gets more votes than the number of delegates it has?
__Support
__Do Not Support
__Don't Know
2. If you favor weighted voting, is that just for in-person
meetings, or for the listserv as well?
__ In-person meetings only (e.g a national convention)
__ On-line Voting only
__ Both
__ Neither
3. If you would accept weighted voting, what is the maximum
number of votes you would accept one delegate casting?
(e.g., 2.0, 3.5, no limit).
______
C. Fractional Voting:
A similar method of increasing proportionality is through fractional voting. By splitting a single vote into fractions, a state is better represent minority views, especially with small delegations, in proportion to the support for that view. For example, a state might have 2 votes to cast, but could cast 1.5 yes and 0.5 no in order to reflect a 3:1 split in opinion.
1. Would you consider allowing states to use fractional
voting, if it didn't affect overall vote proportionality?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Don't Know
2. If yes, would you consider separating the number of state
delegates from the number of votes allotted to that state?
(For example, a state with three votes might have six
delegates. This might increase participation at the national
level.)
__ Yes
__ No
3. If yes on #1, is there a limit to how small you think a
vote can be split (e.g., 1/2 vote, 1/4 vote, etc.)?
D. Determining Proportional Strength:
One way to determine the proportion strength of the Green Party in each state is to use several criteria to estimate membership size and then take an average value of those criteria. The list of possible criteria currently being discussed by the DAC is included in question 2 below.
1. Would you favor allowing states to choose a subset of
criteria from the larger list that best fits the conditions,
laws, and bylaws of their state party, or do you think every
state should use the same set of criteria?
__ Subset of Criteria
__ Same Criteria
2. Below is a list of possible criteria we could use to allow states to determine their proportional strength relative to other states. Please check all criteria that you think would be appropriate to use as a measure of proportional strength.
__ Number of registered Green voters
__ Green membership rolls (for non-registration states)
__ Number of elected Greens
__ Number of Green candidates that have run for office (any)
__ Total number of Greens running for statewide and federal
office (partisan races)
__ Maximum number of votes cast for a single Green candidate
__ Total number of votes cast for all Green candidates in
the state
__ Total number of votes cast for Greens candidates for
local office
__ Total number of votes for David Cobb
__ Total number of votes for Ralph Nader (2004)
__ Total number of votes for David Cobb and Ralph Nader
combined
__ State population size
other1
other2
other3
other4
other5
3. If you favored allowing states to use a subset of
criteria in question 1, what number of the criteria that you
approved
in the question above is the appropriate number of criteria
states should choose from that list?
_____
4. If a method for determining the proportional strength of
each state is adopted that is based on some calculations of
Green accomplishment how often do you think the NC numbers
should be recalculated based on new elections?
__Every year
__Every 2 years
__Every 4 years
// posted by Gregg Jocoy @ 5:59 PM 
