Minutes from GPTX State Executive Committee Meeting
Somerville, TX
July 21, 2007

Attending: Doug, Lisa, Phil, Don, Art, Christine, Sheri, Diane, Adam, Joel, Alfred, Bill, David W

NC Delegate Discussion - what to do about 7 delegates with 3 votes on NC - left
it up to the NC delegates from TX, might need a bylaws change next year
Proposal: We keep current delegates. We will not reduce # of alternates. TX NC delegates will figure out votes. Adopted by consensus.

Discussion of ballot access plan - Text that was handed out was adopted by consensus with minor revisions. (Dec 15 hard deadline for $50K, request of GPUS in Nov)

Revised plan will be posted separately.

Need innovative thinking on ballot access. 1) lottery for cash for signing. 2) big event with big artists for signing 3) pool of cash for top petitioners.

Reber talked to Kai Schwandes of North Carolina GP at ANM. He thinks 1) we should have pre-signup database for ballot access so we can target them. Possibly be able to sign petition online, but there are problems -- sig. has to notarized. But if SoS (Secretary of State) will rule in favor of online technique, we can go forward.

Holloway added that ballot access signatures could also be done by a workflow that gets kicked off via signer signing petition, then "witness" can approve signature -- could include prescreen for primary screen-out, check for double-signers, etc.

Touring concert w/ big name artists could help raise money.

Cynthia McKinney might visit Texas to help fundraising.

Notes:
For contributors under $50 / year, no name gathering is needed, but attempt should be made.
Need to keep records as to how fundraising and signature gathering are going.
Collecting $100 from 1000 might be easier than $10 from 10k.
Could have a candidate sheet laminated for petitioning.

David Wager volunteered to be Statewide Fundraising Coordinator, Adam Jochelson volunteered to help with that from Dallas. Most important point is milestone of $50K pledged by Dec 15 in order for us to be serious to go ahead with ballot access petitioning. Adam is going to check on cost of a group that guarantees success in getting enough signatures.

As part of the ballot access plan, SEC agreed to contact the GPUS by Nov 15 with a status report of how much we have raised towards our financial goal, and a request for GPUS to contribute so that we reach our goal.

We need a point contact for legal clarifications with TX SoS. One action item is to check to see if political parties in Texas can get valid online petition signatures if the GPTX web administrator is the one to have his signature notarized as signature collector.

Exact dates for petition drive - Mar 12 - May 25 (May 27, if extended to cover Memorial Day weekend)

Send an email to ballot-subscribe@txgreens.org to join the statewide ballot access group.

Also, need to get list of possible donors in Texas from the NC. (Liz Arnone, Co-chair of GPUS FinCom)

Discussion of having a GPTX Green Card - no final decision.
Potential 2008 GPTX candidates - Charles Waterbuy would like to run as a Green again only if we have a good prospect to achieve ballot status in 2008, ie have raised a significant amount of money. A double-bronze star master-sgt has shown interest in running for US House, District 10. Ray Hill (well-known Houston activist) has shown interest in running for Culberson’s seat. Joel West said he plans to file for Texas House.
None Of the Above voting choice at the GPTX 2008 state convention will ensure that all statewide candidates are "really" Green.

Austin Impeach Now Forum – Doug Reber has a DVD of forum and did a TV interview. The event cost $4500; GPTX has $1000 in bills which will be paid.

Financial report - GPTX has about $9K in bank. Close to $3k on ballot access dollars. We got about $200 at Reading ANM.
Holloway suggested that we require approval for txgreens.org account requests to reduce DOS (denial of service) attacks

Outreach - Joel West volunteered to try to get up to date contact information from all TX “affiliated, but inactive” counties by mining the GPTX database. Doug is to supply Joel with this database in MS Excel format.

Art and Christine will put together welcoming information for new counties and new Green members.
Some is available at the Harris Co web site and might need to be updated. Art volunteered to find sample county bylaws link.

Vetting for GPUS Committees - SEC vetted all by consensus:
Joel West for Finance, BRPP and Apportionment Committees,
Art Browning – Media Committee
David Wager – Finance Committee
Alfred Molison – PCSC Committee

Joel noted Texas is allowed three spots per GPUS committee, and committee
members do not have to be current GPTX delegates or alternates. Joel noted
stacking our delegates in committees will offset somewhat our reduced NC
voting strength. In particular Joel noted Texas needs its full strength of three
votes in the BRRP and ASC committees to head off attempts to revise
2008 Prez delegate selection along lines similar to the way prop 295 re-
allocated NC delegates. Having three delegates in Finance may help re-direct
more of the projected $400K in GPUS income towards ballot access. Christine
noted Texas needs representation on the GPUS Ballot Access Committee.

GPTX Secretary
Christine volunteered to run for GPTX Secretary and won. (1 vote to NOTA)

There was discussion about the database and coordination of state and county databases.

Upcoming Events:

SomerFest is at Lake Somerville on Oct 27 - Sheri needs help!

The annual march against the death penalty is also Oct 27th (in Houston).

Doug – agreed to send a copy of the State Strategies/Goals/Vision pages and a copy of the approved budget to SEC members.

STRATEGY DISCUSSION

Discussed healthcare, IRV, public funding of elections / corporate personhood

Reber requested that each SEC member take on an active role in coordinating a project.

Volunteers:

Holloway: willing to take part time position in new year to make java-based web/db application that will serve as county db web application as well as a "statewide" database.
West: willing to travel around state to generate/check county contacts.
HCGP: Houston considering hosting '08 state convention.
Jochelson: can do some db work. what is purpose of db? where is it? who administrates?, etc.
Browning: will serve as Media coordinator if nominated by Media Committee
Molison and Woods: will work on Future Focus

Proposals:

Proposal: state party will produce issue papers on public financing of elections, corp. person, war/recruiting, death penalty. adopted by consensus

Proposal: have coaching materials, etc., for local candidates. Encourage 4 serious campaigns for winnable local seats. adopted by consensus

Proposal: clearinghouse of information on healthcare. sample language, stats, and more. adopted by consensus.

Proposal: Formalize county reports, formalize contacts.

Notes:
IRV: Suggested to try IRV in Austin – However, IRV has been ruled as preferential voting by state and thus unconsitutional. Legislative action required.
Corporate personhood: Poclad.com trying to repeal corporate personhood
Healthcare. State convention to endorse some bill. Universal single payer group of co sponsors trying to get it through the senate. Universal state underwriting. CHIP - Perry wants to reduce and Bush vetoed CHIP improvement bill.

These minutes are the combined effort of Christine Morshedi, Joel West, Doug Reber and Bill Holloway.

Please send suggested corrections to Christine Morshedi.
August 26, 2007

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