PROPOSAL FOR VOTING RULES
TO BE ADDED TO THE RULES AND PROCEDURES OF THE USGP
DISCUSSION PERIOD:
2/19/02 – 3/5/02
VOTING PERIOD:
3/5/02 – 3/12 02
PRESENTER:
Bylaws and Steering committees
CONTACT:
Thomas McGuire, Idaho, thomas_mcguire@msn.com, or
Thomas Sevigny, Connecticut, capeconn@attbi.com
PURPOSE: Clarification of on-line voting and the effect of abstentions; inclusion of IRV; inclusion of mandatory “none of the above.”
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PROPOSAL
CURRENT LANGUAGE:
ARTICLE V. VOTING RULES
The Coordinating Committee shall strive for consensus in decision making. If consensus is not possible, general decisions shall be passed by simple majority and rules, by-laws, and platform issues must pass by a two-thirds majority. A quorum shall exist when two-thirds of member states have voted.
PROPOSED LANGUAGE:
ARTICLE V. VOTING RULES
The Coordinating Committee shall strive for consensus in decision making. If consensus is not possible, decision shall be passed by majority vote with the required presens quorum and the required consens quorum.
Presens quorum: In order for a decision to pass, at least one delegate from each of two-thirds of the states must be present.
A delegate is “present” when:
— (physical meeting:) he or she is physically at the location (in the room) where the vote is taken at the time the vote is taken; or
— (phone or web conference:) he or she is connected live to all other participants at the time the vote is taken; or
— (email voting:) he or she submits to the floor manger within the voting period a vote or an abstention.
Consens quorum: In order for a decision on rules, by-laws, and platform issues to pass, a two-thirds (2/3) majority of all votes cast is required.
For all other decision, a simple majority (more than 50%) of all votes cast is required. A majority can be reached in a run-off vote or by the use of instant-run-off procedures.
Abstentions are not “votes” for purpose of this sections; therefore an abstention shall count towards the presens quorum, but shall be disregarded for purposes of the consens quorum.
For proposals that provide options other than “yes” and “no,” all delegates shall be given the additional option of casting a vote for “none of the above.” “None of the above” cast by a delegate shall be a “vote” for purposes of this section.