2024 Maryland Green Party Elections:
Voting & Tabulating Information
A. VOTING PERIOD
1A. The voting period runs from April 23, 2024 at Noon until May 4, 2024 at Noon.
B. ELIGIBILITY & VERIFICATION
(BYLAWS 5.3-5.3.3)
1B. In order for votes to be counted, voters must be registered voters in the state of Maryland affiliated as “Others-Green” or "Unaffiliated."
2B. Individuals who are unable to register to vote due to legal status may sign an internal MGP document that expresses their intention to be counted as MGP decision-making members. This includes persons who are not U.S. citizens, persons who are incarcerated, and persons under 18 years of age. Members must be at least 16 years old.
3B. The name, date of birth, and zip code provided by voters will be used to verify registration status. Voter information must be provided to match what they have on file with the State Board of Elections. Votes electronically submitted using the form are time stamped, with a receipt of vote selections sent to the voter. Results will be announced at the Assembly.
C. BALLOTS
REQUEST YOUR BALLOT - After filling out the ballot request form, your ballot should arrive in your inbox from OpaVote within 48 hours. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder!
1C. Voting will take place ahead of the Assembly. Secure electronic systems must be used.
Electronic: Ballots will be available April 12-May 3 (11:59 a.m.). Ballots must be requested by submitting our Ballot Request form, available on our website as of April 12. When making your request, please provide your full name, your zipcode, phone number, and your date of birth, which we need to verify your party affiliation with the State Board of Elections. Ballots submitted without a request will be rejected.
D. VOTING METHODS
(BYLAWS 5.2)
1D. The selection of MGP officers, GPUS delegates, and GPUS Alternates and Presidential Nominating Committee Delegates shall be as specified below. Guiding Green principles and values are for voting methods that promote the fullest possible representation and inclusivity, such as multi-member seats, proportionality, and single transferable vote (STV), and for voting methods that avoid factionalism and domination.
Single-Member Seats. Ranked choice elections will be calculated using instant runoff voting (IRV) for single-seat elections with a Droop quota (ballots/(seats+1))+1. A candidate must pass the Droop quota in order to be elected.
Multi-Member Seats. Ranked choice elections will be calculated using Scottish Method single transferable vote (STV) using the Droop quota as a static threshold for multiple-seat elections. All candidates must pass the static threshold in order to be elected.
2D. If a seat remains unfilled after the election, nominations shall immediately re-open for that position and remain open for 30 days. None of the candidates previously listed on the ballot shall be eligible to be nominated. A new election shall take place, following all the rules outlined in Article 5 of the MGP bylaws.
E. BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
1E. Submissions: No bylaws proposals were submitted. Amendments may also be ratified by a 2/3 majority of voting members and take effect immediately upon adjournment at the Assembly at which they are adopted, unless the amendment specifically provides otherwise. Alternatively and excluding Articles 2, 5, and 14 of the bylaws, the Coordinating Council may decide with 3/4 support to temporarily amend the bylaws. All temporary amendments must be approved by the Assembly to be made permanent.
2E. Approval: Proposals must have 2/3 support from voting members to be approved.
3E. If voters approve Bylaw amendments containing provisions so inconsistent that only one can be given effect, only the amendment that receives the highest number of favorable votes must take effect and amend the bylaws.
F. TABULATION, RESULTS, AND DISPUTES
1F. Tabulation will be done by Opavote.
2F. At minimum, a preliminary announcement of election results will be made by 7:00 PM 05/04/2024.
3F. Any dispute of the results must be filed by 7:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday 05/08/2024. Dispute resolution will be handled by the Meetings and Assemblies Committee and the Bylaws Review and Rules Committee within 7 days.
G. AUTHORITY & NOTIFICATION
(BYLAWS 5.2)
In accordance with Bylaws 5.2.7, an ad-hoc internal elections committee is responsible for recommending to the coordinating committee these procedures. The Coordinating Council must approve these election procedures at least 60 days in advance of any assembly, and these procedures must be posted prominently at least 50 days before any election.
The procedures the committee has authority over include times, dates, software method of requesting the ballot, ballot wording, and ballot design.
Anyone seeking an office should be recused from the committee.