Grosse Pointe Democratic Club Endorsement Policy
Grosse Pointe Democratic Club Endorsement Policy
Approved Revision of Grosse Pointe Democratic Club Endorsement Policy
Enacted on February 23, 2010
1.) The endorsement process shall be set by the board, will be posted on the club’s website, and may be published in other media whenever practical as determined by the board.
2.) It is the candidate’s responsibility to seek the club's endorsement and to acquire any and all information related to the club's endorsement process. Before an endorsement decision is made, any candidate seeking political office may address the board and/or membership and distribute literature (candidates will attend meetings to introduce themselves, and become known). After the endorsement has been made, only endorsed candidates during their election cycle will be permitted to speak at meetings, distribute literature, and publicize their campaigns through the club's resources. Non-endorsed candidates may be introduced at meetings, but with a qualifier that the candidate has not been endorsed.
3.) All endorsement requests must be in writing. A request can be delivered to the Club president, either personally, by email, to the club's P.O. Box or other designated address. The board, for any Democratic Party nominee after the primary election, may opt to endorse any candidate without a request letter by 2/3 of a quorum of the board present.
4.) The endorsement request deadline shall be at least 60 days prior to the election or convention for which endorsement is requested. The club shall make endorsement decisions at least 45 days before the election date.
5.) A letter requesting a primary election endorsement shall also constitute a request for an endorsement for the general election for the same year and office.
6.) Endorsement request(s) shall be forwarded to the club secretary, who shall record the request(s) and notify the board of the request(s) by email. The secretary or president shall forward the written request(s) to the Endorsement Committee chair. Endorsement requests shall be reviewed by the Endorsement Committee. The Endorsement Committee shall decide how to review the requests, and will solicit further information on the candidates if necessary. A majority vote of the committee present shall decide its recommendation to the board.
7.) The Endorsement Committee recommendation shall be announced to the board at either a regular or special meeting, with a report given as to its basis.
8.) The board, by a majority vote present, shall vote on whether to endorse a candidate.
9.) The board by 3/4 vote of a quorum of the board present may rescind an endorsement for good cause.
10.) When a candidate is endorsed, the club shall send written notice to the candidate, the club may post on the website, announce at general meetings, publicize in the newsletter, provide our mailing list for candidate use during that election cycle only, assist with events and campaigning and any other aid that the board deems reasonable and appropriate (not an exhaustive list). The club will issue a statement of endorsement if requested, and the club officers may be the spokespersons for any public endorsement announcements or inquiries. An endorsed candidate must accept club publication of the endorsement in order to be endorsed.
11.) This policy has been established by the Board of Directors for an efficient endorsement process, and will be used as standard club practice. The Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum at any meeting can deviate, interpret, modify or change this policy when the Board of Directors determines it to be necessary.