2012 Convention FAQ
Q – When and where are the County and State conventions?
A - The County Convention is at UNM’s Continuing Education Center on University at Indian School on February 25th. The State Convention is on March 10th at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Q – How do I get to be a delegate?
A - If you’re not an automatic delegate you need to be elected at the ward elections to be held, at various locations (per the Call) on February 18th.
Q – Who are the “automatic delegates”?
A - Members of the State Central Committee and Ward Chairs are automatic delegates. In addition to the SCC members each ward is allocated a certain number of delegates. Ward chairs who aren’t SCC members are automatic, but count against their ward’s allocation. Ward chairs who are SCC members do not count against their allocation.
Q – I’m not on SCC. Do I have to attend the February 18th ward meetings to be elected?
A - No. You don’t have to be present to be nominated and elected. However, only those present will be allowed to vote, so being present is the best way to see to it that you get at least one vote – your own.
Q – Do we use Appendix A for voting in the ward elections?
A - No. By rule, counties that are not “pass-through” counties use Appendix A, but Bernalillo County is a “pass-through” county, so we’re required to use a secret ballot, with one vote for each person present, at the ward elections.
Q – What do you mean by “pass-through”?
A - At the County Convention for a “pass-through” county the entire delegation to the County Convention is certified by the body as the county’s delegation to the State Convention.
Q – It sounds like the certification of the county’s delegates is simply a procedural formality. Does this mean that if I’m a delegate and don’t attend the County Convention I’m still a delegate to the State Convention?
A - Yes, you’ll still be a delegate to the State Convention, but remember that we need to have a quorum at the County Convention to conduct any official business. If we don’t have a quorum we can’t do anything officially, including the certification of delegates to the State Convention. If we don’t have a quorum nobody will be certified to be a state delegate and we’ll be completely unrepresented at the State Convention. Plus we do have other business on the Agenda for the County Convention.
Q – If I’m not elected as a delegate can I still attend the County Convention?
A - Yes. All of our meetings, including the convention, are always open for anyone to attend. Plus, if you’re elected as an alternate you may have the opportunity to vote at the convention as a substitute for an elected delegate who doesn’t attend.
Q – How do I become an alternate?
A - Any candidate for delegate who receives at least one vote, but is not elected to be a delegate, is automatically elected to be an alternate. However, you must have at least one vote.
Q – If my ward doesn’t fill it’s allocation at the February 18th ward elections, how do I get appointed to fill one of the empty delegate slots?
A - You don’t! There are no appointed delegates. Neither the candidates, ward chairs, County Chair, State Chair or anyone else has the authority to appoint delegates. If the ward’s allocation isn’t filled those positions will remain vacant.
Q – If my ward doesn’t have sufficient turnout to fill its allocation, but there are enough additional people nominated in absentia to fill the allocation can we fill the allocation “by acclamation”?
A - NO! The voting process is “one person – one vote”. To be elected as either a delegate or an alternate a nominee needs to receive at least one vote, and only electors who are present are allowed to vote. So, mathematically it’s impossible (for instance) for the eight people present to cast ten votes and thus elect 10 delegates.
Q – If I’m the only person from my precinct to show up at my ward election doesn’t this guarantee me a position as a delegate?
A - No. delegates to a convention are elected at the ward level. Precincts have nothing to do with this process.
We hope this FAQ provides you with all the information you need. However, as more questions come up we will add to it and post the new questions and answers on the web site.