2005 Convention Rules
1.
A quorum shall consist of a majority of the seated delegates.
2.
Each delegate and alternate must provide credentials of election and
pay
required fees.
3.
No one shall be admitted to the convention floor without paying
required fees.
Alternates and observers are permitted on the convention floor.
Observers may
speak only at the pleasure of the body.
4.
Voting shall be by display of official red voting card.
5.
Each state or local delegation shall designate a “delegate captain” who
shall
keep the convention secretary informed of any changes to the
delegation. The
delegate captain” shall also be responsible for maintaining order and
gender
balance within her or his delegation.
6.
The deadline for challenging the credentials of any delegate shall be
7.
Convention chairs shall be elected at the opening session of the
Convention,
two for each morning, afternoon and evening session. Convention chairs
for each
session shall be gender-balanced
8.
A Peacekeeper shall be appointed by the Chair of the first session and
she or
he shall appoint assistants as necessary.
9.
The chair of the first session shall appoint two convention secretaries
for
each morning, afternoon and evening session.
10. The
chair of the first session shall appoint four tellers who shall count
votes and
distribute written ballots as necessary.
11.
Committees of the Convention shall be as follows:
1)
Credentials
2)
Platform
3)
Constitution
4) Finance
5)
Resolutions
6) By-Laws
12.
Delegates are encouraged to join a convention committee when
registering.
13.
The National Committee shall appoint the Credentials Committee.
1) The
Credentials Committee determines the validity of delegate credentials
and
reports
to the first session.
2) In particular, the Credentials Committee
takes
gender balance rules into
account
when deciding questions of credentials.
3) The meetings of the Credentials Committee
are
closed.
14.
The convention committees shall elect their own convenors and recording
secretaries.
15.
The Convention shall determine the time and location of convention
committee
meetings.
16.
All motions and resolutions, except procedural and congratulatory
motions,
shall be in writing.
17 Resolutions
and constitutional amendments are vetted through the convention
committees.
1. All proposed resolutions,
platform planks and constitutional amendments shall be presented in
writing to
the convention committees before
2. The
committees shall post (or otherwise publish to the
delegates) all resolutions by Saturday,
3.
Convention committees decide whether a proposal is reported to
the convention.
4.
Proposals that were published in the convention’s resolution
book have priority in committee deliberations. “Priority” means that
all
proposals published in the resolutions book must be disposed of before
other
proposals are inorder.
18 .
Proposed resolutions and constitutional amendments will be considered
by the
convention in the following order of priority:
1. Proposals published in
the resolution book and reported out of convention committees.
2. Proposals not published
in the resolution book, but reported out of convention committees.
3. Proposals killed in committee
but reintroduced from the floor.
4. Proposals not presented
in committee.
5. The Platform Committee
shall place a priority in its deliberations on the platform proposal
approved
by the NC and printed in the convention booklet as well as other
platform
planks submitted to the convention booklet.
19.
Except as provided in the agenda, discussion from the floor shall be
limited to
two minutes by each speaker, but the Convention may limit or extend
time by
majority vote. No delegate shall be recognized a second time until all
delegates desiring to speak have had the opportunity to do so. Pro and
con
speakers shall alternate if possible.
20.
The motion “Previous Question” shall be out of order at the end of
one’s own
speech.
21.
Except where otherwise provided, voting shall be by a show of
delegates’ voting
cards, except that when demanded by 1/3 of the delegates present and
voting,
the vote shall be by roll call. The Chair may call for a voice vote if
no
delegate objects.
22.
Only those members in good standing who meet the qualifications set
forth on
the constitution and who are present at the convention, and who state
their
acceptance of a nomination for that office, or members not present who
have
submitted their acceptance of a nomination in writing shall be eligible
for
nomination as a national officer or national committee members or
alternate.
23.
NC elections shall be held so that NC members and alternates are
elected in the
same vote. The election for female NC/Alternates shall precede the male
NC/Alternate
election.
24.
National Committee members and alternates, and national officers, shall
be
elected by Single Transferable Vote, also known as the Hare system.
25. No motions are in order
while tellers are counting votes.
26.
Except where in conflict with these rules, the proceedings of the
Convention
shall be governed by the Constitution of the Socialist Party USA and
Robert’s
Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
27.
These rules (not including the Constitution of the Socialist Party USA)
may be suspended
by a majority votes during the first session of the convention. After
that
time, they may be suspended by a 2/3 vote of the delegates present and
voting.
Notes: Delegates are often
confused about Points of Information, Points of Personal Privilege, and
Points
of Order.