NOW-NJ PAC Guidelines

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN OF NEW JERSEY

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

NOW-NJ PAC

110 W. State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608

(609) 393-0156

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

I. NOW-NJ PAC MAKE-UP

The following members shall constitute the NOW-NJ PAC:

NOW-NJ President;

NOW-NJ Treasurer;

NOW-NJ Action Vice President; and

Two NOW-NJ members from the Southern part of the State, which shall consist of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Glouster, Mercer, Ocean, and Salem Counties; two NOW-NJ members from the Central part of the State, which shall consist of Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, and Union Counties; two NOW-NJ members from the Northern part of the State, which shall consist of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties; and two at-large members.

These Representatives shall be elected by the NOW-NJ State Board at the first NOW-NJ State Board Meeting following each year’s general election, one half the Representatives elected each alternate year and serving for a term of two years.

A candidate for NOW-NJ PAC office shall have been a member of NOW-NJ for at least one year prior. NOW-NJ membership can be proven by: National Membership Card, National label, or Remittance Roster.

The replacement of a NOW-NJ PAC Representative who has resigned or been removed by the PAC shall be announced one month prior in either a Leadership Mailing or the State Newsletter and elected at the next regularly scheduled State Board Meeting.

Any candidate for NOW-NJ PAC Representative who serves as an elected official on the local or county level; or is employed by a political campaign; or holds an elected position within a political party must make a full disclosure of this and any other potential conflict of interest to the State Board prior to election to the NOW-NJ PAC.

No Representative of the NOW-NJ PAC shall be an elected official on the State or Federal level.

II. NOW-NJ PAC RESPONSIBILITIES

The NOW-NJ PAC, once formed, shall meet immediately following the State Board Meeting electing the PAC.

^o At that first meeting the NOW-NJ PAC shall elect from among the PAC membership a Secretary and establish that year’s PAC Calendar.

^o The NOW-NJ President shall serve as NOW-NJ PAC Chair.

^o The NOW-NJ Action Vice President shall serve as the alternate NOW-NJ PAC Chair.

^o The NOW-NJ Treasurer shall serve as the NOW-NJ PAC Treasurer.

^o The NOW-NJ State Office shall request of the National NOW PAC, at the beginning of each year in which a Federal election is held, their meeting dates, so that the process of submission of endorsement recommendations may be facilitated.

^o The NOW-NJ State Office shall include the schedule for all NOW-NJ PAC meetings and what will be under consideration at each meeting in the general calendar and the Leadership Mailings. If a special PAC meeting is called, a minimum of two weeks notification shall be given to all PAC members, State Board Members and Chapter Presidents of the agenda and meeting date.

^o The NOW-NJ PAC Secretary shall record the Minutes of each meeting, keep an attendance record and maintain the PAC Guidelines and Procedures.

^o ATTENDANCE AT PAC MEETINGS IS MANDATORY. If a PAC member is going to miss a meeting, they must notify the PAC Chair prior to the meeting. If a PAC member has two absences, the PAC member’s name will be brought before the State Board for consideration for removal from the PAC.

^o The Secretary shall send a summary of the events of a meeting to any PAC member or Chapter President upon request.

^o Each PAC member shall act as a liaison between the PAC and the Chapters. Each PAC member shall make every effort to be available to accompany Chapter members on Candidate interviews. Questions involving candidate contributions and endorsements that impact our tax status should be referred to the PAC Chair.

^o Only the NOW-NJ PAC Chair or her/his designated representative may make announcements concerning endorsements or authorize press releases publicizing endorsements and victories.

III. NOW-NJ PAC MEETINGS

Quorum for all NOW-NJ PAC meetings shall consist of at least seven PAC members present.

GENERAL TIME LINE

First Meeting

Immediately follows the State Board Meeting electing PAC Representatives

1. Elect PAC Secretary.

2. Establish PAC meeting calendar.

Second Meeting

Follows State Board Meeting approving PAC Questionnaire

1. Evaluate strategy used the previous year.

2. Formulate strategy for this election cycle. Assess our resources and candidate viability in order to target areas where we can exert the most influence.

3. Formulate fund raising goals.

4. Discuss our involvement in any Primary Elections.

Third Meeting

Immediately follows the State Board Meeting recommending primary candidates for endorsement.

1. Review candidates recommended by the State Board for endorsement in the primary election.

2. Vote on recommended candidates.

Fourth Meeting

Immediately follows the State Board Meeting recommending general election candidates for endorsement

1. Review Primary results.

2. Review candidates recommended by the State Board for endorsement in the general election.

3. Vote on recommended candidates

Any NOW-NJ PAC member who also holds an elected office or works as a paid employee on a political campaign shall be barred from any NOW-NJ PAC vote affecting that office and shall refrain from the lobbying of other NOW-NJ PAC members on any vote affecting that office.

CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE SHALL BE EXCLUDED FROM ANY MEETING AT WHICH THEIR CANDIDACY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION OR VOTING.

Meeting dates shall be scheduled to best correspond with the State of New Jersey’s election schedule. In the case of a Federal election, scheduling of the National PAC meetings shall also be taken into consideration.

Additional meetings shall be held as they are deemed necessary by the NOW-NJ PAC.

IV. CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

LITMUS ISSUES & CANDIDATE INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE

At least every two years, the Legislative Task Force shall review the State Board litmus tests for relevancy to the upcoming election. If the Legislative Task Force finds that any changes should be made to the current litmus issues, the recommended changes shall be brought before the State Board for its approval at the first State Board meeting of the year, or any other time as the current election cycle dictates, but always at a regularly scheduled State Board meeting prior to the candidate filing date for the races in question. The State Board shall send out notification of meetings at which the litmus issues are under discussion in its regular leadership mailings with at least two weeks notice. In the case that the State of New Jersey election cycle forces a change of the usual State Board meeting at which litmus change recommendation are made, the notification shall be made no less than four weeks prior.

Following the determination of the years litmus issues, the Legislative Task Force with the approval of the NOW-NJ PAC shall meet to develop the years candidate interview questionnaire. All PAC members are urged to attend this meeting. The recommended candidate interview questionnaire shall be presented at the next occurring State Board meeting for approval of the Board.

Following approval of the questionnaire, the Legislative Task Force shall prepare background material for each question. The Legislative Task Force shall make every effort to exploit the expertise of each individual Task Force in the compiling of this background information and each other Task Force Chair shall also make every effort to provide any helpful information in a timely manner.

The Legislative Task Force in conjunction with the NOW-NJ PAC shall also develop an Interviewing Techniques and Guidelines Sheet and Workshop to be available to the Chapters.

CANDIDATE INTERVIEW SELECTIONS

At the beginning of each election cycle, the NOW-NJ State Office shall send to all candidates who have filed their candidacy with the State of New Jersey a short questionnaire of our most basic litmus issues in order to determine which candidates should be interviewed for endorsement or recommendation for National PAC consideration. A candidate may also be listed for an interview upon the recommendation of a member, PAC member, Task Force or Chapter. From this information the State Office shall compile a list of candidates to be interviewed and include this information in the regular Leadership Mailing. The NOW-NJ PAC Chair shall coordinate candidate interviews with Chapter Leadership and the NOW-NJ PAC.

PAC INTERVIEWS

As soon as possible after the compilation of the list of candidates to be interviewed, the State Office shall forward to the Chapter Leadership and PAC members the approved NOW-NJ PAC Questionnaire. Included with the Questionnaire shall be a copy of the Interview Techniques and Guidelines and a copy of the sample Interview Summary Form, which shall be prepared by the NOW-NJ PAC. (Any Chapter wishing a formal presentation of an Interviewing Techniques and Guidelines Workshop shall contact the State Office, NOW-NJ PAC member, or Legislative Task Force Chair for scheduling at a Chapter meeting or State Conference.)

Candidate interviews shall be scheduled by the persons doing the interviewing in conjunction with the State Office. The scheduling shall take into account the availability of the regional and/or at large PAC Representative and anyone else wishing to be present for that interview and make every effort to include that person. Every effort shall be made to have at least two interviewers present at each candidate interview.

Ÿ All candidate interviews shall be done in person, unless a phone interview has been approved by the PAC.

Ÿ All candidate interviews should follow the PAC Questionnaire as closely as possible to avoid the necessity of follow-up questioning.

Ÿ All persons doing the interviewing shall take copious notes of the candidate answers.

Ÿ Each interviewer shall supply a legibly written interview summary providing the information, as set forth on sample Interview Summary Form, to the PAC Secretary or State Office at least one week prior to presentation at the State Board meeting for use by the PAC in its considerations.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD

All Chapters, Task Forces, and/or members wishing to present a candidate for recommendation shall do so in formal presentation at the regularly scheduled State Board meeting at which recommendations are scheduled.

Candidate recommendations shall then be voted upon by the State Board. In order for the State Board to make a recommendation of a candidate for endorsement by the PAC, a 3/5 majority vote of the State Board members present and voting is needed.

Endorsements are to be awarded to those candidates who are clearly feminist in outlook, and upon whom we can place our greatest trust. No endorsement shall be made unless:

1. 3/5 of the State Board members present and voting at a State Board meeting have recommended the endorsement; and

2. The candidate is pro-choice, pro-ERA, pro-lesbian and gay rights and meets all other minimum standards as set forth by the State Board.

3. No endorsements shall be made in cases of races at the state legislative, county and municipal levels without making a good faith effort to reconcile the views of NOW-NJ Chapters involved in that district.

NOW-NJ PAC ENDORSEMENTS

Upon receiving the names of candidates recommended by the State Board, the members of the NOW-NJ PAC shall review all information available on those candidates to insure that the candidate is pro-choice, pro-ERA, pro-lesbian and gay rights and meets all other litmus criteria for that election year in order to ensure the candidate is clearly feminist.

In order to receive a NOW-NJ PAC endorsement the candidate must receive 2/3 vote of the PAC members present and voting.

EXCEPTIONS, EMERGENCIES AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

A. CANDIDATE INTERVIEW NOT YET COMPLETED

If due to extraordinary circumstances a candidate (usually an incumbent or other known entity such as a NOW member running for office) interview has not been completed prior to the scheduled State Board meeting at which recommendations are scheduled, the Chapter, Task Force or member may plead their case before the State Board, present all known information on the candidate and request a vote for a provisional recommendation to the PAC with the understanding that the interview will be completed as soon as possible; however, no candidate shall be considered by the NOW-NJ PAC without first being interviewed.

If a provisional recommendation is not possible (usually due to lack of information about the candidate), the person presenting the candidate for recommendation shall contact the State President after the interview is completed and request a phone poll. The State President shall conduct a phone poll of the entire State Board, not simply the Executive Board, and if the candidate garners the needed 3/5 vote of the State Board present the recommendation to the NOW-NJ PAC. THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE AND SHOULD BE USED ONLY UNDER THE MOST COMPELLING OF CIRCUMSTANCES. A written report of the results and rational for its use shall be presented at the next State Board meeting.

B. PAC ENDORSEMENT OF CANDIDATES WITH PROVISIONAL

RECOMMENDATION OR PHONE POLL RECOMMENDATION

Upon recommendation of a candidate for endorsement and without a meeting being scheduled, the PAC Chair may take a phone poll of all NOW-NJ PAC members. Again the candidate must receive 2/3 vote in order to be endorsed by the NOW-NJ PAC.

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

The same process as stated above shall be used in the case of Federal level elections, but no candidate shall be endorsed by the NOW-NJ PAC.

The questionnaire developed for use in a Federal election shall incorporate the litmus criteria of National NOW PAC as well as NOW-NJ litmus issues.

All candidate names receiving the 2/3 vote of the NOW-NJ PAC shall be forwarded to National NOW-PAC for their consideration.

V. GENERAL

Ÿ These Procedures and Guidelines may be amended as necessary via the following procedure:

1. Two weeks notification of all Chapter Presidents, Task Force Chairs, and PAC members of a Resolution being brought before the State Board to recommend a change, amendment or clarification of these Procedures and Guidelines.

2. A vote of 3/5 State Board members present and voting at the State Board meeting at which the Resolution is scheduled.

3. A vote of 3/5 the NOW-NJ PAC members present and voting at the PAC meeting at which acceptance of the State Board recommendation is scheduled. This meeting may be scheduled to immediately follow the State Board Meeting, if notified concurrently with the Resolution or anytime thereafter upon two weeks notification to all PAC members, Chapter Presidents and Task Force Chairs.

Ÿ A NOW-NJ PAC member may be removed from the PAC for a major violation of these Procedures and Guidelines via the following procedure:

1. Any PAC member may bring before the PAC the name of any other member who has in some major way violated the Procedures and Guidelines set forth above for consideration of their removal.

2. The PAC shall then schedule a meeting under which the removal shall be reviewed and voted upon and issue no less than three weeks notification of the meeting to all PAC members.

3. Upon bringing the name before the PAC, the PAC Secretary shall prepare a memo for all PAC members containing the alleged violation. The PAC Secretary shall also prepare a letter on behalf of the PAC notifying the individual of the meeting, the alleged violation and the actions contemplated by the PAC.

4. At the scheduled meeting, the PAC member in question shall be given ample time to set forth any extraordinary circumstances which should be taken into consideration and answer any questions put forth. Upon completion of debate, a vote shall be taken.

5. If 3/5 of the PAC members present and voting elect to remove, a Resolution shall be prepared to present to the State Board at a regularly scheduled State Board meeting..

6. The State Office shall issue no less than two weeks notice to all Chapter Presidents, Task Force Chairs and PAC members of the Resolution being brought before the Board.

7. The Resolution to remove shall be fully debated and the PAC member in question allowed to present her/his case at the scheduled State Board meeting and a vote taken.

8. A vote of 3/5 the State Board members present and voting shall be necessary to pass the Resolution to Remove.

Ÿ Major violations of these Procedures and Guidelines shall include the following:

1. A PAC member found to be actively working or advocating for positions antithetical to NOW;

2. A PAC member engaging in any practice which would threaten the tax status of NOW-NJ, Inc.; NOW-NJ PAC; NOW-NJ Foundation; National NOW, Inc.; National NOW LDEF; and/or National NOW PAC;

3. A PAC member failing to disclose any conflict of interest, be it inherent, real, perceived or potential, to the PAC.

Ÿ Removal of a NOW-NJ PAC member for absenteeism shall be via the following procedure:

1. After a second absence by a PAC member, the PAC Secretary shall forward a letter to the member who is in violation advising that her/his name shall be brought before the State Board at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting for removal from the NOW-NJ PAC.

2. The State Office shall issue no less than two weeks notice to all Chapter Presidents, Task Force Chairs and PAC members of the Resolution being brought before the Board.

3. The Resolution to remove shall be fully debated and the PAC member in question allowed to present her/his case at the scheduled State Board meeting and a vote taken.

4. A vote of 3/5 the State Board members present and voting shall be necessary to pass the Resolution to Remove.

Ÿ A copy of these Procedures and Guidelines shall be in the State Office, with the NOW-NJ State Board Secretary’s records and with the NOW-NJ PAC Chair’s records.

Approved 05/99

Revised 12/10/00