[GPSCC-chat] Warner's Picks re GPCA CC At Large Candidates Electio n

[Valerie D. Face]

I'm concerned that our county will be seen as obstructionist if we boycott this election.

Here are some thoughts and questions I think we might consider.  I don't intend this as an attack on anyone.  I know that many folks have a high level of frustration, and for good reason.  I would just like us to consider alternatives that may be seen as more constructive than a boycott.  I apologize in advance for rambling -- I promise I won't run on like this at the meeting!

If the CC expansion was intended to bring in new people and energies, it's logical that we may get candidates that haven't participated on the CC or on other state-level committees and working groups -- that's part of their newness.  However, it looks like all candidates have demonstrated some level of commitment to the Green Party locally, and most of them have been around for more than 10 years.

If we're not enthusiastic about these candidates, do we have anyone else to recommend?  Would the people we recommend want to volunteer in that capacity?  Maybe the folks we'd nominate would rather volunteer on other projects or take a break from volunteering.  Do we want to leave lots of positions unfilled while we keep waiting for "ideal" candidates who won't commit to running for the offices we've selected for them, or do we want to give others -- who have said they're willing -- a chance to grow into new roles?

Do folks in the GPSCC have direct negative experiences with any of the candidates that are serious enough to warrant voting against them with NOC?  I would understand the logic of voting against someone who is truly incompetent at something they would need to do on the CC, or who doesn't act in accordance with Green values, but I think it's unfair to vote against NEW CC candidates because we disapprove of something the OLD CC has done.

What happens if our boycott prevents quorum from being met after all?  Is the CC getting enough done with the number of members it has?  Is it doing the things we want it to do?  What if the election of new candidates would shift the balance on the CC toward its taking more actions that we favor?

Will the new candidates get discouraged if we prevent them from being elected simply because we disapprove of a vote the old CC made?  Sure, it would be great if they persisted in coming back to volunteer for things because they really wanted to help, but we can't expect them to keep coming back forever if controversies they didn't create keep giving rise to actions that block their participation.  How much might our boycott contribute to driving away good people?

If we vote against any candidates using NOC I would prefer to see that vote be based on direct negative experiences with those individuals.  If that's really true for some of them, fine.  If it's not true for some of them, I would prefer to see us vote for those candidates to affirm their willingness to try to help the party and to give them the opportunity to do so.  We should certainly rank the ones with the most experience and accomplishments highest.

None of these candidates have done anything to offend me personally, and I have not heard that any of them are incompetent.  Therefore I don't like the idea of boycotting their election.

Perhaps the election will meet quorum, everyone will get elected, and a boycott will be purely a symbolic gesture.  Perhaps nobody will get elected, but things will work out OK on the CC in the long run.  Perhaps something else will happen...  Symbolic or not, a boycott feels like a very negative gesture to me, and I'm tired of the high level of negativity.  I would rather see us take positive steps to move forward.

Thanks for listening/reading.

Respectfully,
Valerie

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