[Lnc-business] [Lnc-asc] Operational Affiliates

Fri Aug 21 22:05:24 EDT 2015

A task at hand is to finalize our list of questions for the coming annual ASC report.  

Wes Benedict’s request for information is attached:  I’ve included two of this three questions so far in attached file “2015 Poll”.  There was discussion about LNC already having records on whether we sent funds to that state:  the new question on income is stated to exclude LNC donations.

Regarding the proposed score card of affiliate strength … consider this:  which of these proposed criteria should somehow go to the affiliate in the form of a question?

Here’s my 2 cents:  if we can easily get the answer without having to ask the question … we probably should not ask the question.  For starters, items b, c and latter part of d should probably be completed by LNC based upon our own observations.  We can dig up our own answers to question e without having to ask most affiliates:  perhaps that can be a conditional question … asked only when we can’t find the data on their website. 

Operational affiliates in 48 states (out of 51 “states”). Defined as…

a.     Runs at least 2 candidates for non-partisan or partisan office every 2 year election cycle

b.     Has a REAL web site (not a Meetup Group or Blog) that is updated with news or meeting info at least once per month

c.     Has a Chair or Contact Person who responds to most inquires within 2 business days

d.    Place candidates on the ballot and attempt to maintain ballot access.

e.    The affiliate will provide the latest copy of their bylaws and constitution to the national office or post the same on their state website.

In red, I think item a, and first half of item d should be summarized into one question:  “How many candidates were on the ballot in the last 2 years – 2014 and 2015 – either partisan or nonpartisan?”

Item d is really two items:  the “place candidates on the ballot” would probably be better grouped with item a.

On item d, rather than ask the affiliate about their ballot access efforts, I’m thinking that should be info we can obtain from Richard Winger or Bill Redpath.

On item e, we should first find out if LNC stores such records, bylaws & constitution, anywhere.  Do we?  Let’s get the answer to that before we finalize a question.  Before asking this question, we should do the work to look at their websites … if we can find the latest Bylaws without asking the question … then, we don’t need to ask.

Prospective question:  “Where can we get a copy of your state affiliate bylaws?”

Thoughts anyone on the proposed 2015 Poll questions?

Guy McLendon

Cell 832-372-8131

Res 337-626-1012

From: lnc-asc [mailto:lnc-asc-bounces at hq.lp.org] On Behalf Of Nicholas Sarwark
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2015 12:00 AM
To: Norm Olsen
Cc: lnc-asc at hq.lp.org
Subject: Re: [Lnc-asc] Operational Affiliates

Norm,

Thank you for doing the work on this.  

I'd be happy with any one or more of these metrics.  It might be worth asking the affiliates which criteria they would like to be judged on and go with whatever gets consensus or at least a plurality.  In a perfect world, I'd like to know the answers for all three metrics, regardless of which is used to report up to the goal.

-Nick

On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 2:27 PM, Norm Olsen <region1rep at donedad.com> wrote:

At the July LNC meeting, we were charged with devising three possible definitions for “Operational Affiliate” as pertains to the goals set for this LNC.  Here are some proposals for your consideration.  Note that care must be taken to avoid evaluations based on criteria that are not valid in all 50+1 states (e.g. voter registrations).

First, from the minutes of the November, 2010 LNC meeting in New Orleans (PDF page 16, printed page 15):

Operational affiliates in 48 states (out of 51 “states”). Defined as…

a.     Runs at least 2 candidates for non-partisan or partisan office every 2 year election cycle

b.     Has a REAL web site (not a Meetup Group or Blog) that is updated with news or meeting info at least once per month

c.     Has a Chair or Contact Person who responds to most inquires within 2 business days

d.    Place candidates on the ballot and attempt to maintain ballot access.

e.    The affiliate will provide the latest copy of their bylaws and constitution to the national office or post the same on their state website.

Second, from a proposal I made about 2 years ago for grading affiliates, adjusted to be similar to Guy’s metric used in last year’s ASC Affiliate survey report:

Affiliates are graded based on annual cash flow per 10,000 registered voters in the state and the following table:

Grade

Annual Cash Flow / 10,000 Reg Voter

Description

A

≥   $500.00

Self Sustaining

B

>=  $100.00 < $500.00

Growing

C

>= $50.00 < $100.00

Stable

D

>= $5.00 < $50.00

Struggling

F

< $5.00

Dormant

An affiliate could be considered operational if they are at the ‘D’ level.

The definition of annual cash flow to be all cash receipts in the affiliate’s last fiscal year the disposition of which is under the direct control of the affiliate’s governing board.  Thus, for example, should the affiliate collect contributions for national membership, that cash is no included in the definition of cash flow for the purpose of this grading system.  Registered voters to include active and inactive to be uniform over all states (as some do not distinguish between the two).

This grading system was designed in such a manner as it would work for all affiliates at all levels: national, state, county, municipal, etc. regardless of voter law variations.   The numbers are, of course, rather arbitrary and subject to modification.  If you’re wondering: There are approximately 142,000,000 registered voters in the US and the LNC cash flow is roughly $1,200,000.  Thus, using the arbitrary numbers assigned above, the national organization would be rated “C / Stable“.

Affiliate’s are sometimes reluctant to release cash flow information, although one would think this to be public information, at least for its membership.  However, this remains a drawback for this approach.

Third, I would propose something along the line given above, but use total votes received in a partisan elections in the last election cycle.  Last election cycle gets tricky, but is still probably doable.  The total vote would be the sum of all voters cast for a candidate on the ballot with Libertarian following their name.  A table similar to the above could be used for grading purposes.  An affiliate could be deemed “operational” if the total number of votes is, say, greater than some arbitrary number; how about 500.  This sort of implies that an affiliate is “operational” if they have/obtain ballot access and put at least one candidate on the ballot.

OK, these are three proposals; simply proposals.  A place to start.  Perhaps others have ideas which they can share before the next meeting.  Note that the next meeting could/should be a busy one.  We need to get the 2015 survey started and other item I would still like to get resolved are an understanding about the relationship between the LSLA and the LNC.  Alternatively, what can affiliates expect from the LNC and what can the LNC expect from the affiliates.

Norm

--

Norman T Olsen

Regional Representative, Region 1

Libertarian National Committee

7931 South Broadway, PMB 102

Littleton, CO  80122-2710

303-263-4995

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