CBC Releases Proposed Rules for Saturday Convention

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

Feb. 15, 2010

Citizens for a Better City released today the following information concerning proposed rules for the organization’s nominating convention scheduled for Saturday Feb. 20 from 2-5pm at George Mason High School.

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Proposed Rules of the Nominating Convention – 2010

Below are the Proposed Rules of the Nominating Convention which will be presented by the Executive Committee at CBC’s 25th Biennial Nominating Convention on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at George Mason High School’s Auditorium. The 2010 Rules differ from past years in three main areas:
1) Nomination of four or fewer candidates (Rule 2)
2) Qualifications of potential candidates (Rule 3, a., iii)
3) Significant changes to the voting process which require candidates to achieve a minimum score to receive the CBC nomination (Rule 7, 8 and 9)

Reasons for the changes, discussion and a vote to adopt the Rules as proposed will be presented by Deb Gardner, CBC President, at the convention.

The convention will open at 2:00pm; all are invited! You do not have to be a CBC member to attend. We hope to see you there!

PROPOSED RULES OF THE NOMINATING CONVENTION – 2010

The convention will nominate candidates for both the City Council and the School Board.  The rules set forth below apply to the nomination of City Council Members.  When adopted by the convention, they shall also apply to the nomination of School Board Members with the proviso that wherever in the text below the words “City Council” appear, those words shall be construed to be “School Board” with respect to the rules governing the nomination of School Board members.

1.         Any person may attend the convention, but only a resident of the City of Falls Church eligible to vote in the Falls Church City May 2010 election may register to participate (vote) in the convention.

a.         All persons registered for the convention may have the privilege of the floor and may vote in the convention.  Any person addressing the Chair shall state his/her name and address.

b.         All persons who are registered shall receive a program and a ballot.

c.         Persons present who are not registered shall receive only a program.

2.         The CBC convention may endorse four or fewer candidates for City Council or School Board.

3.         Candidates for nomination in the Nominating Convention shall be those who are current members of CBC, and:

a.         Have filed with the Candidates Search Committee before 5:00 pm, Monday, February 15, 2010, and are certified by the Committee as

i. Meeting the requirements of the Code of Virginia for eligibility as City Council member, and

ii.Subscribing in the affirmative to the following:  “I support the principles of CBC and will campaign actively for election to the office of City Council member if nominated.”

iii.Such candidates will have demonstrated significant leadership on City boards or commissions or in other community organizations or other governance bodies, along with other relevant skills and experience.

OR

b.         Are present at the Nominating Convention, and

c.         Are placed in nomination from the floor, having been sponsored in writing by at least 10 registered convention participants who are current CBC members, and

d.         Are certified by the Candidates Search Committee as having met these requirements as well as the requirements specified in i, ii and iii in “a” above.

4.         Equal periods of time shall be granted to the qualified candidates to address the convention.  If any previously filed candidate is unable to be present at the convention, he/she may designate in writing to the Candidates Search Committee a representative who shall act as his/her representative in speaking and responding to questions.  These periods of time may include, at the option of such candidate with respect to his/her own time, time for one introductory or nominating speech.

a.         The total time to be devoted to the addresses by the candidates (including introductory speeches) shall be determined by the Chair of the convention.

b.         Each introductory speech shall be limited to one-third of the candidate’s allotted time.

c.         The order of speaking by the candidates shall be determined by lot.

d.         The time used by the several speakers shall be recorded by a timekeeper, who shall report to the Chair when the allotted time has expired.

5.         A question-and-answer period shall follow the addresses by candidates.

a.         The amount of time to be devoted to the question-and-answer period shall be determined by the Chair and announced at the beginning of the question-and-answer period.

b.         Persons registered for the convention may address questions to the candidates either orally or in writing.

c.         The time for presentation of any oral question shall be limited to one minute.  The person presenting the question shall state his/her name and address,

d.         Each candidate shall be permitted to comment on a question put to any other candidate.

e.         The time limit shall be one minute for each candidate to answer or comment on a question.

6.         Voting for nomination shall be by secret written ballot.  The ballot forms shall contain the names of candidates who filed before 5:00 pm, Monday, February 15, 2010, and additional space for writing in the names of any candidates nominated from the floor.

7.         A candidate shall be a nominee of the convention when, as a result of a balloting, he/she receives a positive score in convention balloting, and is among the top four scores. A score of 0 or a negative score will eliminate a candidate from contention. Voting will proceed as follows:

a.         As part of the registration, each registered convention participant shall receive a ballot. The ballot will include names of all candidates seeking the CBC nomination. Next to the name, the ballot will have check boxes specifying For, Against, or Abstain.

b.         Voters will mark the box stating their preference for each candidate. A blank ballot or no answer to a candidate will be counted as Abstain.

c.         The ballots will be counted as follows: For = +1 point; Against = -1 point; Abstain = 0 points.

d.         At the conclusion of the ballot tallying, the Convention Permanent Chair shall announce the results alphabetically and without rank order. Those candidates receiving the top four scores will receive the CBC Nomination. In the event of a tie for fourth place, a run-off election between the tied candidates will occur as in paragraph C and will proceed until the tie is broken.

8.         If the convention adjourns without nominating the full number of allowable nominees (set forth pursuant to Rule 2), the CBC Executive Committee is authorized but not required to select as a CBC nominee up to four qualified candidates who meets the requirements of Rule 3, a, i, ii and iii, and to replace any nominee of the convention who, by withdrawal or for any other reason, is unable to campaign as a candidate. The Executive Committee may not appoint a candidate rejected at the convention, but may appoint a candidate who did receive a positive vote count, or another suitable candidate from the CBC membership.

9.         Roberts Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the convention where applicable and not inconsistent with these Rules.