Proposal #31: use token system mirroring platform process to show support for recommendations

DRAFT This is a draft proposal which has not yet been voted on by the committee.

Proposed by Rich Tomasso.

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• Problem: Many delegates feel too much time is taken up with updating the Bylaws. Many delegates feel most of these updates are obvious and needed do not require hours of debate when there is a clear supermajority support for the proposals. The end result is frustration with this part of the convention business among a significant percentage of the Convention.
• Solution: Follow the same basic procedure we use for the Platform, except give each delegate the opportunity in advance to show their support for Bylaws recommendations. Signalling to the convention which ones have support and which do not, and move to an immediate vote on those showing a significant level of support.
• Benefits: This would save a significant amount of time for recommendations that have the support of the delegates saving debate time for recommendations for which there are concerns, lack of consensus or a need to debate a point.

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Convention Special Rules of Order of the Libertarian Party

RULE 4: DEBATING AND VOTING -- BYLAWS AND RULES

1. After the adoption of the convention agenda, the convention will vote whether to approve recommendations made by the committee. This will be accomplished as follows:
   1. The Credentials Committee shall issue five signature tokens to each delegate at registration.
   2. Tokens shall only be issued to delegates. Delegates are responsible for transferring possession of unused tokens to their alternates if necessary.
   3. Each delegate may cast each token as an approval for passage of one recommendation by noting on the token the recommendation to be approved and signing the token.
   4. A delegate may cast multiple tokens for approval of the same recommendation.
   5. Delegates will be given until one hour prior to the scheduled start of the bylaws report to mark their tokens and deliver them to the Secretary.
   6. Prior to the scheduled start of the bylaws report, the Secretary shall review the tokens received and tabulate and report the tokens submitted for adoption of each recommendation.
   7. As its first item of bylaws business, the convention shall vote whether to approve each of those recommendations that received a number of tokens for passage equal to 20% or more of the number of credentialed delegates. Such votes shall be cast without amendment or debate.

2. The Chair of the Bylaws and Rules Committee shall report each recommendation of the Committee to the Convention separately and shall have two minutes to explain the intent or purpose of the proposed amendment(s). The Convention Chair shall open each recommendation to discussion without amendment from the floor. Each recommendation shall be considered and adopted separately, with a maximum of eight minutes discussion on any recommendation. After the discussion, the Convention Chair shall bring the recommendation to a vote. If the recommendation fails, the Convention Chair shall open the recommendation to amendment for an additional 10 minutes.

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Key

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