Campaigns

Political Endorsement Policy

The Social Environmental Alliance (SEA) may choose to endorse candidates for public office at federal, provincial, regional and municipal levels of government (including school boards).

Member Larry H. has written a comprehensive starting point for the membership to deliberate upon. You can download and review this document from on our Loomio Group or the SEA website under Political Endorsement Policy.

Download Word Doc Download Social_Environmental_Alliance_Policy_on_political_endorsement_March_8_2018.docx

The doc is numbered and separated into 2 sections, Policy and Methodology, so to discuss a specific point identify the section and item number. For example, "I would like a more explicit definition of 'wish' on item number 6 in the Policy section". Once a discussion has happened we can initiate a Loomio Proposal vote on changes and come to a consensus.

Join our deliberation group on Loomio -> https://www.loomio.org/g/ARyxEsBZ/social-environmental-alliance

We recommend visiting the https://www.loomio.school/ for a more in depth look into how this web application works and explore how you might think we could use it in other SEA processes.

Read the Unofficial Policy we are deliberating on adoption below

Social Environmental Alliance policy on endorsement of candidates to public office

The Social Environmental Alliance (SEA) may choose to endorse candidates for public office at federal, provincial, regional and municipal levels of government (including school boards). Endorsement may be extended to both members of SEA and non-members. Endorsement of non-members must be based on the candidate’s agreement with and political action consistent with the principles that form part of the constitution of SEA.

Endorsement of candidates does not come with any expectation of assistance in the form of material, resources, or finances from SEA to the endorsed candidate. However, SEA may choose to provide material, resources, or finances to candidates it endorses, based on SEA’s capacity and desire to give this assistance.

Policy with regard to SEA endorsement of candidates

1. SEA endorsement may go to members of SEA or non-members.

2. There is no limitation in the number of endorsements SEA may make in any election campaign.

3. SEA will endorse candidates only in the Lower Vancouver Island area. In the case of municipal elections, SEA may endorse candidates seeking election to positions as mayor and/or councilors in any of the municipalities in the Capital Regional District (CRD) as well as those seeking positions as CRD directors and members of Lower Vancouver Island school boards.

4. SEA may endorse candidates who show respect for, express agreement with, or whose public action shows agreement with the SEA Statement of Principles. A candidate may receive SEA endorsement without necessarily having acted on every point in the Statement of Principles.

5. In considering whether to endorse a candidate, SEA should also take into account the community standing and public actions of the candidate. That is, even if the candidate has not acted consistently with every one of the principles, a history of acting consistently with them may be sufficient for SEA to issue an endorsement.

6. SEA will endorse only those candidates who wish to receive SEA’s endorsement.

7. SEA’s decision about endorsing any candidate should also take into account the practical aspects of electoral politics, such as (but not limited to) the electability of a candidate and the potential for vote-splitting in the election.

8. After endorsing a candidate, SEA may revoke that endorsement – even during the election – if it deems that the candidate has acted contrary to the SEA Statement of Principles or has acted in a way that brings SEA into disrepute.

9. Expenses incurred by SEA, whether in kind or in monetary form, will be absorbed by SEA. Candidates who receive such assistance must comply with all election laws and regulations with regard to SEA assistance.

Methodology

1. During an election, SEA will establish a candidate screening committee with responsibility for assessing the qualifications of SEA and non-SEA candidates. The committee will assess each candidate wishing to have SEA endorsement using the criteria and following the policy set out above. This assessment may include inquiries into the background, practices and principles of candidates seeking endorsement, but it must be bound by the fundamental right to privacy of the candidates. The committee may conduct interviews of the candidates seeking endorsement. Candidates must be informed about the criteria for endorsement and that basic background checks – still respecting the fundamental right to privacy of the candidates – will be made in advance of an endorsement.

2. Once the candidate screening committee draws up a list of candidates who want and merit SEA endorsement, the list will be forwarded to a general meeting of SEA, which, by a 60% majority vote on each one of the proposed nominees, will determine which candidate will be given SEA endorsement. The candidate screening committee may also propose to the general membership what level of practical and financial assistance to provide to each candidate SEA chooses to endorse.

3. Successful and unsuccessful candidates seeking SEA endorsement will be promptly informed about the SEA decision. SEA is under no obligation to justify or explain its decisions.

4. Through open media and SEA’s internal communications systems the public will be informed about SEA’s endorsement.

5. Candidates endorsed by SEA will have the right to make that endorsement known to the public, but will not have any right to use or reproduce the SEA logo in any campaign literature or appeals.

6. SEA endorsement for one election does not imply a similar decision for future elections. All candidates must, on subsequent elections, again seek SEA endorsement and agree to SEA’s screening process then in place.