Convention Delegate Training Dave Pascoe MNGOP Deputy Chair *No narration for this presentation, please see notes.

Contact Info Dave Pascoe: 612-564-5836 or dpp@mngop.com Please call or email with any questions!

How to be a good delegate: Remember that you are in charge of the pace, the rules, the agenda, the temporary convention officers, and everything else. If you know that the delegation is what is in charge of the convention, you can manage everything that goes on. Being successful at this means making friends and building coalitions long before the day of the convention.

Robert’s Rules Quick Tips Point of Order: Pointing out a problem with procedure Request for Information (often “point of information”): a question about what is happening or what is being discussed. Question of Privilege or Personal Privilege (often “point of personal privilege): have a speaker stop mumbling, have the facilities turn the heat up, etc. Point of order is for something that has to do with convention rules, the agenda, Robert’s Rules, the district constitution/bylaws, and other official guidelines. Don’t use a request for information to slyly continue debate! Request for information should be a legitimate question on what’s happening, what a rule means, what a speaker said, etc. Question of Privilege is for things like: “it’s too cold” or “please turn the speakers up.”

Robert’s Rules guidebooks “Robert’s Rules in Plain English” available on Amazon (for kindle as well). Great resource, less than $5!

4. Reading of the Official Convention Call 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Invocation 4. Reading of the Official Convention Call Usually dispensed with 5. Election of the Temporary Chair of the Convention Can be anyone 6. Election of the Temporary Secretary of the Convention 7. Appointment of Parliamentarian/Time-Keeper, chief teller, and tellers 8. Appointment of Credentials, Resolutions, Nominations, & Rules Committees 7 and 8 usually aren’t challenged but could be. We’ll just go through some basic agenda items. Items 1, 2, and 3 are self-explanatory. Item 4 is just a formality, so voting in favor of this item just saves time (unless there’s a valid reason to have someone read verbatim from the convention call). Items 5 and 6 are often presented as foregone conclusions, but really they are positions that can be voted on by the convention. If you don’t like who is supposed to be chair or secretary, nominations can be taken against them. Items 7 and 8 generally aren’t controversial but if the convention delegation feels strongly enough, a change can be made. It would have to be brought up and made into a rule.

9. Preliminary Report of the Credentials Committee Can ask for specific breakdown by precinct if necessary. 10. Filling of Delegation Vacancies (Seating of the Alternates as Delegates) Based on rules of the convention or district constitution 11. Rules Committee Report/Adoption of the rules 12. Adoption of the Agenda Was this presented? 13. Updated Credentials Report May have a “motion to make the temporary organization permanent.” Item 9 is the first time you know how the delegation is filling out. Usually this information is given by precinct with the delegates/alternates allotted and the delegates/alternates present. Item 10 allows precinct chairs or BPOU chairs (depending on the mechanism) to seat the alternates. There may be rules concerning this or it may be laid out in the district’s constitution. If there are rules to this, sometimes that portion of the rules will be approved first so the mechanism for alternate seating is debated. Item 11 is the adoption of the rules. When you’re a delegate, you should expect to see rules posted for a convention at least a few days before the convention and you can review your constitution to see if there’s any other specific required timeline. When debating rules, you can pull out individual rules to discuss in case the rules committee chair suggests that the rules be adopted as a whole. You would simply go up to the microphone and say: I’d like to amend the motion to approve all of the rules at once by removing rule (insert rule number here) for separate discussion. At that point if you get a second the amendment would be voted on. If you win, then you’ll be able to discuss the rule you want. Item 12 is the adoption of the agenda, which doesn’t always happen in conventions. The agenda is an official part of the convention’s structure and should be approved by the body. Item 13 will update a convention credentials report (as more people likely have signed in to be delegates). Sometimes there’s a motion to “make the temporary organization permanent.” This is perfunctory and there’s no harm in voting for it.

15. Election of State Central Committee Delegates and Alternates. 14. Report of the Nominations Committee for State Central Committee Delegates/Alternates 15. Election of State Central Committee Delegates and Alternates. 16. Report of the Nominations Committee for Executive Committee positions. This may not be split into a second item. 17. Executive Committee Elections Order may be specified in rules or agenda 18. Announcement/Introduction of guests Usually an agenda gives the chair the discretion to call guests as needed 19. Other Business This may not be explicitly stated 20. Adjournment Items 14 and 15 (and later Items 16 and 17) show the process for elections. Remember that when a nominations committee gives a report, they’re giving a recommendation. Sometimes I’ve seen it where the nominations committee puts forward a “slate” of candidates and says basically “lets vote on these as a whole by acclimation.” If this happens during one of your conventions and you want to vote on other people, you can bring this up and make the appropriate rule changes if necessary. You can also point out to the delegation what is happening, as not everyone will be aware. Items 18, 19, and 20 are fairly basic but if you have any questions please let me know.

Rules How is use of secret ballot determined? How is quorum established and can it be called into question? Are alternates ranked? How are ties decided? Is there a separate election for alternates? Sometimes the chair has discretion on secret ballot in the rules. Usually quorums can’t be called into question during a convention, but that’s because most convention rules include that provision. If you think it’s appropriate to challenge quorum, you’ll have to make sure the rules allow it. Ranking alternates is important! This should be clearly laid out in the rules.

Rules What is the threshold for amending the rules or agenda? Usually two thirds. Is there a threshold to request division? Is a majority vote defined? Are the default rules Robert’s Rules of Order? Sometimes there’s a threshold to request division (say, 5 people from at least 2 different BPOUs). This allows for a more smooth convention where one troublemaker doesn’t have the power to slow the proceedings down. If division is important, it’s reasonable to have a threshold for calling it. Rules can define what constitutes a majority vote (i.e. majority of the people voting at that time or a majority of the delegates and seated alternates). Default is majority of people voting at one time. Robert’s Rules should be the default. Make sure that’s in the rules.

Dave Pascoe 612-564-5836 or dpp@mngop.com Questions? Dave Pascoe 612-564-5836 or dpp@mngop.com