Recommendation: Replace Article 4, Section 2A of 11/02 Houston draft
(Article 5, Section 1 of 1/17/03 "clean" draft) with attached Article 5, Section 1.

Rationale: The purpose of these recommended changes is to provide a clear framework for ensuring unbiased elections of delegates to station boards, to provide a clear mechanism for selecting qualified neutral election coordinators, and to define an election coordinator's role, which includes chairing a local election committee of volunteer staff and listeners.

Election coordination is a major responsibility, and payment for this service and the other costs of elections should be a line item in the annual station budgets and/or in the Foundation's budget. Organizations expert in elections and voting methods, such as the Center for Voting and Democracy, should be used as sources for election coordinators qualified to supervise elections and versed in proportional representation voting methods.

Initiation of the election process should be the responsibility of the PNB through its Governance Committee, a committee that should represent each signal area. The Committee should work with appropriate management to prepare a line-item budget for the following year's elections. Second, the Committee should arrange for timely identification of election coordinators prior to the current year's elections. To locate qualified independent, neutral coordinators, the Committee should seek the recommendations of organizations such as the above-mentioned Center for Voting and Democracy and of former election coordinators with whom Pacifica has worked.

Larry Romsted
Eve Moser
Jan. 20, 2003

ARTICLE FIVE - ELECTION OF DELEGATES

SECTION 1. ELECTION PROCESS

A. Initiation of election cycle

Each election cycle will be initiated by the Governance Committee of the PNB, in a committee to include one Director from each signal area and member-volunteers. The committee will prepare a budget for the following year's elections, to be listed as line items in the budget of the Foundation or in the budgets of the individual stations. Estimates of election expenses will include the services of independent election coordinators and printing and mailing of election information and ballots.

Three or four months before the election period begins, the committee will identify qualified election coordinators from past elections or from recommendations by the Center for Voting and Democracy or other such organization recognized for expertise in elections and voting methods. Election coordinators may not be currently employed by or currently hold or seek office in the Pacifica Foundation.

B. Election coordinators and election committees

Each election of station board delegates will be overseen by an independent election coordinator, who will form and chair a local election committee of interested volunteer staff and listeners. The election committee will prepare and carry out the election, including publicizing the election, composing and distributing nominating petitions, composing and mailing information and ballots, etc. The election coordinator will guide the work of the election committee and will work with station management to assure appropriate broadcast time throughout the election period. The election coordinator will monitor compliance with the fair campaign provisions listed in these bylaws. The election coordinator will certify voter and candidate eligibility, oversee the counting of ballots, certify the election results in a published report, and publish a review of the election process, enumerating problems and recommendations.

Larry Romsted
Eve Moser
1/20/03

11/02 iPNB "Houston" draft:
ARTICLE 4 - ELECTION OF
DELEGATES (LOCAL STATION BOARD MEMBERS)

SECTION 2: Nomination of Delegates, Eligibility
A. Nominations Procedures Nominations for the office of local station Delegate shall open on (date) of each year and close on (date). Nomination papers shall be delivered to an independent and neutral elections coordinator, who shall not hold any elective Foundation office and who shall not be an employee of the Foundation, who shall be chosen by each Local Station Board, by majority vote, to oversee and certify the fairness of the elections and conformity with these Bylaws. Nomination papers shall consist of the required number of signatures on a form to be provided by the election coordinator, a statement of whether the candidate is running for election as a Listener-Sponsor Member or a Staff Member, and a statement up to 500 words in length by the candidate which shall be mailed to the voting members. The names of up to ten (10) nominators may be listed at the end of a candidate's statement. The candidate shall also indicate his/her gender, and racial or ethnic heritage, i.e., European, African, Latin American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, or declines to state.

1/17/03 Kevin Finck "clean" draft:
ARTICLE FIVE - ELECTION OF DELEGATES
SECTION 1. ELECTION COMMITTEE

In preparation for an election of Delegates, each LSB shall appoint, by a majority vote of said LSB, a LSB Elections Committee to oversee and certify the fairness of the elections and its conformity with these Bylaws. Each LSB Elections Committee shall consist of three individuals whom the LSB considers neutral and who shall not be a Director or Delegate or an employee of the Foundation's national staff or of a Foundation radio station. As part of the LSB Elections Committee duties, it shall prepare a nomination petition form for use by all potential nominees, review each potential candidate's nomination papers for eligibility and completeness; oversee the preparation and distribution of the election ballot, close the election, oversee the counting of ballots and report the results in writing to the Members affiliated with said Foundation radio station.