Frequently Asked Questions

How is PA PAC governed and what are its bylaws?

A:

The PAC is governed by bylaws adopted by the membership and amended from time to time.  The PAC’s business is electoral politics.  Under the PAC bylaws, only the membership can make endorsement decisions.  The membership elects coordinators to promote the election of candidates endorsed by the membership and otherwise administer the business of the PAC.  PA PAC coordinators may not support or promote a candidate not endorsed by the PAC membership.

Who is a member of PA PAC?

A:

Every member of the People’s Alliance is automatically a member of the PAC. Go to www.durhampa.org/become_a_member to learn about how you can join PA.

Can anyone join the People’s Alliance and participate in the PAC endorsement process?

A:

Yes and no.  People’s Alliance and People’s Alliance PAC are organizations firmly guided by a progressive mission. Only persons who in good conscience are able to subscribe to the Vision Statement of the People’s Alliance should join People’s Alliance and participate in the business of PA PAC. Go to www.durhampa.org/vision_statement to read the PA Vision Statement.

Who may attend a PAC endorsement meeting?

A:

Every member of the PAC who has paid his or her annual dues to the People’s Alliance may attend a PAC endorsement meeting.  Go to www.durhampa.org/become_a_member to learn about how you can join PA.

I am a lapsed PA member, may I pay my dues at the door of an PAC endorsement meeting and then attend?

A:

UPDATE AUGUST 2, 2020: Please note that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PA PAC endorsement meetings may be held virtually.  At such meetings it will be impossible to join PA or to renew a PA membership “at the door.”  Instead, we ask that persons desiring to participate in a virtual endorsement meeting join PA or renew their memberships at least two full days prior to the date set for the meeting.

 

Yes, please come to the meeting, pay your dues at the door, and attend the meeting.

I have never been a member of PA, may I come to the PAC endorsement meeting and join at the door?

A:

UPDATE AUGUST 2, 2020: Please note that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, PA PAC endorsement meetings may be held virtually.  At such meetings it will be impossible to join PA or to renew a PA membership “at the door.”  Instead, we ask that persons desiring to participate in a virtual endorsement meeting join PA or renew their memberships at least two full days prior to the date set for the meeting.

Yes.  New members who join for the first time at an endorsement meeting may attend the meeting and participate in debate, but they may not vote at that meeting. Please see the next question and its answer.  Go to www.durhampa.org/become_a_member to learn about how you can join PA.

Who may vote at a PA PAC endorsement meeting?

A:

Anyone who has been a member for more than 60 days may vote at a PAC endorsement meeting. This applies even to members whose memberships had lapsed, but who renew their memberships at the door of the endorsement meeting.  Only persons who have joined PA for the first time during the 60 days preceding the meeting may not vote at that meeting – however, they may attend the meeting and participate in debate. They may vote at the next endorsement meeting and every endorsement meeting thereafter if they pay their PA dues.

I am a PA member, but I can’t attend the PAC endorsement meeting, may I vote by proxy or absentee ballot?

A:

No.  The PAC endorsement process is deliberative.  Only eligible members who attend the meeting and are present for the debate may vote.

May candidates attend a PA PAC endorsement meeting?

A:

Yes, if they are members of the People’s Alliance.  Under the PAC bylaws, however, candidates and members of their immediate families are excluded from the portion of the meeting during which endorsement decisions concerning their own races are debated and decided.  Candidates who are not PA members often come to the meeting to meet and talk with PA members before meeting begins.  These candidates are welcome, but unless they join PA, they may not stay in the meeting hall after the meeting has begun.

Will I get to speak at the meeting?

A:

Not necessarily. As more and more candidates and their supporters decide to be a part of the People's Alliance PAC's endorsement process, the PAC coordinators may decide to end debate before every member wishing to speak has the opportunity to do so. The coordinators who preside at the meeting may reasonably regulate debate, and will do so to ensure that all races are considered before the meeting must end.

I strongly support one candidate in the upcoming elections. I have donated to her campaign and I have volunteered to help her. May I still attend the PA PAC endorsement meeting?

A:

Yes you may.  PA members are active in the political life of the community.  It is expected that some members will be involved in candidates’ political campaigns.  Making political donations and volunteering to help a candidate does not disqualify a member from participating at a PAC endorsement meeting.  PA PAC bylaws do require that a member who is a candidate’s campaign manager or treasurer or otherwise in a candidate’s close inner circle disclose this relationship before participating in debate.

Is what happens at a PA PAC endorsement meeting secret?

A:

No; however, PAC bylaws require that members allow PAC coordinators 24 hours to notify candidates and the press of the PAC’s endorsement decisions.  The bylaws also state that members must not attribute statements made during the meeting to identified persons when discussing what happened with persons who were not there.

What are the voting procedures?

A:

PA PAC Endorsement Voting Procedures Explained:

 

Who May Vote:

 

Persons who have been members of the People’s Alliance for more than sixty days prior to the endorsement meeting and who are current on their annual dues for the year during which the meeting is held may vote at a PA PAC endorsement meeting.  PA members who have joined PA for the first time during the sixty-day period immediately preceding an endorsement meeting may not vote at that meeting, but may attend the meeting and participate in debate.  A PA member who is a candidate and PA members who are members of the candidate’s immediate family may not participate in the debate or decision for the candidate’s office.  Immediacy shall be one degree of kinship, including the candidate’s spouse.

 

The Consent Agenda

 

There may be a consent agenda.  It shall consist of a list of all the candidates in the races to be handled by general consent.  There shall be no debate or discussion about endorsements to be handled by consent; however, any member present may object to the handling of any particular race by consent by indicating his or her objection before action is taken on the consent agenda.  At the discretion of the chair, the race objected to may be removed from the consent agenda.  In making a determination, the chair will consider whether a debate is likely to change the choice of endorsee.  If the chair agrees to the motion, the race will moved to the end of the regular agenda and will be handled like other races on the agenda, including discussion and debate.  The consent agenda will be voted on in a single vote of the voting members.  If consent is not given, the agenda may be reconsidered or, at the discretion of the coordinators, each race may be handled like other races on the agenda, including discussion and debate.

 

The Regular Agenda

 

The regular agenda shall be organized by office/race.  For each race, the agenda shall be divided into two parts:  First there shall be reports – during which the coordinators or someone designated by them shall report on the candidates, their questionnaire responses, and their interviews.  A recommendation if there is one, shall be made at this time.  Questions seeking information (as opposed to debating) are appropriate at this time. Second, the body shall debate and vote to determine which candidate, if any, shall receive the PAC’s endorsement.  The procedure for voting shall be as follows:

 

A. When There is a Single Seat and Only One Candidate:

 

When a candidate is running unopposed, there shall be a competitive ballot between “yes” to endorse and “no” to withhold the PAC’s endorsement.  This procedure shall also be employed for bond issues and other referenda.

 

B. When There is a Single Seat and Only Two Candidates:

 

There shall be a competitive ballot allowing each member to vote for one or the other candidate as the candidate’s name is called or for “no endorsement” which shall also be called.

 

C. When There is a Single Seat, But Three or More Candidates:

 

There shall be a competitive ballot allowing each member to vote for the candidate of his or her choice or for “no endorsement” as the candidate’s name or “no endorsement” is called.  If one candidate gets 50% plus one of the votes cast, that candidate wins.  If no candidate wins in the first round of balloting, the candidate(s) receiving the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated and there shall be another round of balloting.  If the number of candidates under consideration in any round is five or greater and there is no winner in that round, then the two candidates who received the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated from consideration in the next round.  If the number of candidates in any round is four or fewer and there is no winner in that round, then the candidate who received the least votes shall be eliminated from consideration in the next round.  In every round of voting, members shall be afforded the opportunity to vote for “no endorsement.”

 

D. When There are Multiple Candidates Competing for More Than One Seat:

 

Each voting member shall have as many votes as there are seats in the race. There shall be a competitive ballot during which each candidate’s name shall be called. A voting member may expend one vote for each candidate whom he or she supports until the member has no more votes. After the first round of balloting, candidates who have received 50%-plus-one vote of the votes cast shall be endorsed. If more candidates receive over 50%-plus-one votes than there are seats, only as many candidates as there are seats are endorsed, starting from the candidate with the most votes, and continuing in descending order of number of votes. If a seat or seats remain for which no endorsement winner is identified, there shall be another ballot round during which each voting member shall have as many votes as there are seats remaining. Voting shall continue in ballot rounds in this way until all endorsements have been awarded. For the second round and each succeeding round the candidate(s) receiving the least votes shall be eliminated at the rate described in procedure (c) above. If no candidates receive 50%-plus-one in the second or later round of balloting, voting ends, and no more candidates are  endorsed.

 

 

Procedimientos explicados para votar la aprobación del PAC de PA:

 

Quién puede votar:

 

Personas que fueron miembros de People’s Alliance durante más de sesenta días con anterioridad a la reunión de aprobación y quienes estén al día en sus cuotas anuales durante el año que tenga lugar la reunión pueden votar en la reunión de aprobación del PAC de PA. Los miembros de PA que se unieron a PA por primera vez durante el período de sesenta días inmediatamente anterior a la reunión de aprobación no pueden votar en dicha reunión, pero pueden acudir a esta y participar en el debate. Un miembro de PA que sea candidato y los miembros de PA que sean a su vez familiares directos del candidato no pueden participar en el debate ni en decisiones relacionadas con la oficina del candidato. La proximidad será de un grado de parentesco, incluido el de cónyuge del candidato.

 

Orden del día acordada

 

Puede haber una orden del día acordada. Consistirá en una lista de todos los candidatos de las campañas para que se traten mediante un acuerdo general. No se tratarán por consentimiento debates ni discusiones acerca de aprobaciones. Sin embargo, cualquier miembro que esté presente podrá rebatir el tratamiento de cualquier campaña indicando su desaprobación antes de llevar a cabo cualquier acción sobre la orden del día acordada. La campaña rebatida se eliminará de la orden del día acordada, se pasará al final de la orden del día ordinaria y se tratará en esta como el resto de campañas, incluyendo su discusión y debate. La orden del día se votará mediante el voto simple de los miembros de la votación. Si no se logra un acuerdo, se volverá a revisar la orden del día o, a discreción de los coordinadores, se tratará cada campaña por igual en la orden del día, incluyendo su discusión y debate.

 

Orden del día ordinaria

 

La orden del día se organizará por oficina/campaña. Para cada campaña, la orden del día se dividirá en dos partes. La primera consistirá en informes, donde los coordinadores o cualquier persona asignada informarán sobre los candidatos, sobre las respuestas de las encuestas y sobre sus entrevistas. Cualquier recomendación que se realice se hará en ese momento. Las preguntas que impliquen información (frente al debate) serán adecuadas en ese momento. La segunda parte consistirá en un organismo que debata y vote qué candidato, si hay alguno, recibirá el apoyo del PAC. El procedimiento para votar se realizará de la siguiente forma:

 

A. Cuando solo hay un puesto y un único candidato:

 

Cuando haya un candidato sin oposición, la votación consistirá en un “sí” para apoyar y en un “no” para negar el apoyo del PAC. Este procedimiento se llevará a cabo por emisión de obligaciones y por otros referendos.

 

B. Cuando solo hay un puesto y dos únicos candidatos:

 

La votación consistirá en que cada miembro vote de forma nominal por uno u otro candidato mediante el nombre del candidato, o bien, con “no apoyo” (no endorsement).

 

C. Cuando solo hay un puesto, pero tiene tres o más candidatos:

 

La votación consistirá en que cada miembro vote de forma nominal por el candidato de su elección o con un “no apoyo” (no endorsement). Si un candidato consigue el 50 % más uno de los votos escrutados, el candidato saldrá vencedor. Si ningún candidato gana la primera ronda de votaciones, el/los candidato/s que reciba/n el/los número/s de votos más bajo/s será/n eliminado/s de la votación y no podrá/n participar en la siguiente votación. Si el número de candidatos, bajo consideración, en cualquier ronda es de cinco o más y no hay ganador en dicha ronda, los dos candidatos que obtuvieron los números de votos más bajos serán eliminados para la siguiente votación. Si el número de candidatos de cualquier ronda es de cuatro o menos y no hay ganador en dicha vuelta, el candidato que reciba menos votos será eliminado, bajo consideración, para la siguiente votación. En cada ronda electoral, los miembros tendrán la oportunidad de votar “no apoyo”.

 

D. Cuando hay muchos candidatos compitiendo para más de un puesto:

 

Cada miembro votante tendrá tantos votos como puestos en la elección. Habrá una votación competitiva en la que se mencionará el nombre de cada candidato. Un miembro votante podrá gastar un voto por cada candidato que respalde hasta que no le queden más votos. Después de la primera ronda de votación, los candidatos que hayan recibido el 50% más uno de los votos emitidos serán respaldados. Si más candidatos reciben más del 50% más uno de los votos que puestos disponibles, solo se respaldarán tantos candidatos como puestos haya, comenzando por el candidato con más votos y continuando en orden descendente de votos. Si queda algún puesto sin un candidato respaldado, habrá otra ronda de votación en la que cada miembro votante tendrá tantos votos como puestos disponibles. La votación continuará en rondas de votación de esta manera hasta que se otorguen todos los respaldos. En la segunda ronda y cada ronda subsiguiente, el o los candidatos que reciban menos votos serán eliminados a la tasa descrita en el procedimiento (c) mencionado anteriormente. Si después de dos rondas de votación quedan puestos sin un candidato respaldado, el presidente convocará una votación entre los miembros para decidir si continuar o detener la votación. Esta convocatoria se hará después de cada ronda de votación mientras queden puestos sin un candidato respaldado.

 

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