AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL
2014 CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM AND ENDORSEMENT
Candidate Forum Guidelines
· Only candidates who have officially filed a ballot by the deadline in the City Clerk's office may participate. ANC will obtain a list of candidates from the City Clerk's office the day after the filing deadline.
· An invitation and pre-forum questionnaire will be sent out a week before filing deadline, to each candidate who has filed for a place on the ballot. They will be sent to late filers on August 19, the day after the filing deadline.
· Candidates must provide an answer to every question to be eligible to participate in the ANC forums and be eligible to receive an ANC endorsement. Candidates must provide their responses by the prescribed deadline (Labor Day weekend), so they may be shared with the membership at least two weeks before the forum. Responses are converted to table format for publication on the ANC Web site and distribution to ANC members.
· Candidates who are eligible will be sent an invitation with the detailed schedule for their district forum and the forum rules.
· Candidates must arrive at their scheduled time for briefing and instructions or they will not be allowed to participate.
· Candidates may provide literature at the designated tables or if requested by an individual (but may not pass out any literature or campaign materials to the forum audience).
· Each candidate will have the opportunity to make an opening statement (1 minute) and a closing statement (1 minute).
· Each candidate will have the same amount of time to speak (30-90 seconds/question); not every candidate will necessarily be asked the same question. The ANC Forum Subcommittee will prepare the candidate questions. Questions will not be taken from the audience.
· There will be a moderator for the forum.
· A timekeeper will aid the moderator by timing the Speakers.
· The time available for each Council District will depend on the total number of candidates and may be adjusted at the forum.
· The ANC endorsement meeting is an Executive Session to include only representatives and members of ANC member organizations. Candidates, their staff and family members including co-habitants, the press, as well as others (not from ANC member organizations) will be asked to leave the meeting room.
· ANC will publish the endorsement results, but we expect confidentiality from the participants of the Executive Session.
· Personnel: “Candidate-briefers,” timekeepers (for the forum and the endorsement meeting), moderators and/or chair for the forum and the endorsement meeting, vote counters for endorsement meeting, possibly a judge.
ENDORSEMENT MEETING PROTOCOL
The endorsement voting will take place after the forum. Members are free to leave at any time during the forum or endorsement meeting, but they will be unable to provide input if they are not in attendance. ANC will hold proceedings for all candidates for each district. We will not break up into district caucuses; all eligible voting members will be allowed to vote on all endorsements.
A chair/moderator shall be chosen and shall not be someone directly involved in any candidacy (includes candidacy, paid capacity, relative).
· Endorsement Voting Rounds
o First Round Vote (Initial Vote) - we will take an initial vote (without discussion) for each place to see if the body already has an endorsement choice (at least 60%). "No endorsement" will be included in the First Round. An initial vote will be taken for all districts before moving on to the Second Round.
o Second Round Vote (districts with no 60% endorsement)
§ There will be a discussion period of up to 10 minutes.
§ The top 2 candidates from the First Round and "No Endorsement" may be discussed
§ Another vote (for Candidate A, for Candidate B, and for No Endorsement) will be taken. If none of those choices receives 60%, the district immediately proceeds to the third round.
o Third Round Vote, if needed (still no endorsement)
§ There will be a final discussion period of up to 5 minutes
§ The top candidate and "No Endorsement" will be discussed; a dual-endorsement may also be considered, if a motion to that effect is made and seconded.
§ A final vote will be taken; if still stalemated, no endorsement by default.
· Discussion Rules
§ Non-voting members may participate in discussions, but the chair shall ask first for speakers who hold voting cards.
§ In the Second Round, each person speaking may have up to 60 seconds. In the Third Round, speakers will be limited to 30 seconds.
§ The chair shall ask for speakers to alternate candidates if possible; for instance, the chair would call for a speaker in favor of Candidate A, then a speaker in favor of Candidate B, and then a speaker in favor of No Endorsement.
· Voting Rules
o A vote shall be held for each Place (council seat) including the option of "No Endorsement".
o An endorsement requires a 60% majority of those present and voting, so abstentions are not counted.
o Voting shall be by hand ballot- using ANC voting cards.
o ANC voting eligibility rules apply. No proxy voting is allowed; voting cards are distributed only to delegates identified in advance. (A letter of proxy may be submitted in advance of the meeting to the President stating who will be replacing the voting representative of a member organization in good standing- see Voting, D.3, ANC Bylaws)
http://original.ancweb.org/ANC%20-%20Bylaws%20amended%20November202012.pdf
· Candidate Use of Endorsements
o May use in campaign literature, speeches, and other appropriate campaign-related ways.
o The ANC president shall make the endorsements public but not any other aspects of the endorsement deliberations.