Federal Elections 2008

Fact Sheet on Issues before the General Assembly

Bill Summaries

Why We're Involved in Politics

Be a Cyberlobbyist

How We Pick Candidates

2006 Recommended
    Candidates

Legislators by School District

DSEA Legislative Priorities

Lobbying Tips

Request a DSEA Grant for Local School Board Elections

JFC

Find Your Polling Place

Glossary of Terms

Political Links

Recommendation of Political Candidates

DSEA Questionnaire for General Assembly Incumbents
DSEA Questionnaire for General Assembly Challengers
DSEA Questionnaire for State Attorney General Candidates
DSEA Questionnaire for State Treasurer Candidates
DSEA Questionnaire for State Auditor Candidates

PREFACE

The DSEA 2006 Candidate Recommendation Process which follows was adopted by the DSEA Executive Board and the Representative Assembly on April 1, 2006.

The DSEA Candidate Recommendation Process normally will be presented to the DSEA Executive Board for final action no earlier than its March meeting in the even-numbered year of each two-year election cycle, if proposed changes are recommended by the DSEA President. DSEA action regarding recommendations for federal elected office (President, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Representative) are governed by a separate policy document that comports with the requirements of the NEA and the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education.

The purpose of the DSEA Candidate Recommendation Process is to enable our union to determine which candidates for state elected office are deserving of recommendation to our members for their consideration as they fulfill their civic duty at the ballot box. It is also the intent of DSEA to utilize information that is generated through the DSEA's Legislative Performance Accountability System (LPAS) as a major source of information for incumbent office holders in the DSEA Candidate Recommendation Process.
The DSEA Candidate Recommendation Process intends to assist our members gain a deeper understanding about how the decisions made by elected state officeholders directly affect the conditions faced by our members in their respective public schools or work sites. Understanding this "connect" will, we believe, motivate our members to support friends of public education and build the necessary relationships that will, in turn, motivate elected officials to make decisions supportive of DSEA legislative goals.

DEFINITIONS
State Elected Officeholders:
(1) Statewide elected offices including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Auditor; and
(2) Members of the General Assembly. Challenger:
A person who has been declared by the state Department of Elections as a candidate for a state elected office (i.e., either for a statewide elected office or for the General Assembly) and who is not a current incumbent in that position. Incumbent:
A person who has been declared by the state Department of Elections as a candidate for a state elected office (i.e., either for a statewide elected office or for the General Assembly) and who is a current incumbent in that position. Friendly Incumbent:
An incumbent candidate for the same position in the General Assembly that she/he currently holds and who has been determined through the DSEA Legislative Performance Accountability System (LPAS) to have met the requirements therein for the status of "Friendly Incumbent." Special Exemption:
A process that may be invoked by the DSEA President where she/he determines that a particular incumbent Member of the General Assembly should be proposed to the DSEA Executive Board for recommendation under Section II (6) of this policy.

Form A Questionnaire:
The long-form questionnaire that will be provided to Challengers and non-previously recommended Incumbent candidates for state elected office.

Form B Questionnaire:
The short-form questionnaire that will be provided to previously-recommended Incumbent, including Friendly Incumbent or Special Exemption to the same state elected office. Affected Local Associations:
Local associations whose school districts fall within the district lines of a particular Member of the General Assembly.

Recommendation Process
I. Friendly Incumbent Recommendation Process - General Assembly
1. As a result of the score and subsequent rating determined through the DSEA LPAS process, Friendly Incumbents are eligible for a DSEA recommendation through an expedited process.
2. Friendly Incumbents will be sent a cover letter inquiring of her/his interest in receiving an election recommendation by DSEA. Included with the letter will be a Form B Questionnaire that must be completed and returned to DSEA within the prescribed time period if the Friendly Incumbent wishes to receive the DSEA recommendation.
3. Notification will be provided to all relevant DSEA local association presidents of the Friendly Incumbent's desire to receive the DSEA recommendation either via letter or electronic mail, as determined by the DSEA President in consideration of the existing time constraints.
4. Friendly Incumbent recommendations will be presented for action to the DSEA Executive Board at its earliest practicable meeting in an election year. The DSEA President may call a special meeting of the DSEA Executive Board or utilize electronic mail to expedite recommendation decisions regarding Friendly Incumbents.
5. DSEA will notify via written letter all Friendly Incumbents who receive the DSEA recommendation and copies of these letters will be sent to all affected local association presidents and PAL Chairs.
II. Regular Recommendation Process - General Assembly
The recommendation process is applicable to the following:
Incumbent candidates for General Assembly who have not achieved Friendly Incumbent status;
Challenger candidates against non-Friendly incumbents; and
Candidates in open seat races.

During an election year, DSEA will maintain a list of the candidates who have filed accepted petitions of candidacy for state elected office based on information provided by the State Division of Elections.
As candidates for General Assembly are confirmed by the state Division of Elections, DSEA will send a letter of inquiry to each of them to ascertain their desire to participate in the DSEA recommendation process.
1. Special Activation for Primary Elections:
The DSEA President reserves the right to expedite the conduct of the recommendation process in those cases where the outcome of a primary election likely will determine the eventual election of a Member of the General Assembly.
2. Requirements to Participate:
In order to participate in the DSEA recommendation process, a candidate must:
(1) agree to complete the Form A Questionnaire and return it to DSEA by the proscribed completion date; and
(2) participate in an interview with a DSEA Interview Team.
3. Scheduling of Interviews:
DSEA will work with interested candidates to schedule interviews at mutually-convenient times but reserves the right to determine all final interview dates, times, and locations.
4. The DSEA Interview Team:
(a) DSEA will work diligently and in good faith with local association presidents or their designee to enlist the participation of each affected local association on each Interview Team. In addition, a member of the DSEA Leadership Team will serve as a voting member of each Interview Team. DSEA also reserves the right to determine the composition of the Interview Team. Immediately prior to the interview, the Interview Team will select one of its members to serve as chairperson.
(b) DSEA will provide all necessary training for members of an Interview Team to assure their effective participation in the DSEA recommendation process. An integral part of this training will be the presentation of information regarding the issues that will be discussed during the interview and, of equal importance, the political considerations inherent to the race at hand, including the principles of viability as described in 7(b)(ii) below.
5. Recommendation by Interview Team:
(a) Members of the Interview Team, upon the conclusion of a candidate interview for a specific General Assembly seat, will decide one of two courses of action. This decision will be reached by consensus, whenever possible, and by vote, if required, to make a recommendation. The two possible types of recommendations are:
(1) To Recommend a Candidate; or (2) No Action.
(b) The chairperson of the Interview Team will be responsible for the completion of all necessary forms for the recordation of the Interview Team's decision and the prompt forwarding of these forms to DSEA. These forms shall include the Recommendation Form, which shall include the signatures of the Interview Team members.
6. Special Exemption:
The Special Exemption process will be utilized only in special situations where the DSEA President, in consultation with the DSEA Executive Director and the DSEA Director of Legislation and Political Organizing, may determine that the incumbent Member of the General Assembly is vital to the success of the DSEA legislative program and has a strong record of support for public education that warrant initiation of this process.
The DSEA President or her/his designee will obtain a completed Form B Questionnaire from the candidate and submit it to the DSEA Executive Board with a recommendation for action.
The DSEA President will also communicate either in writing or via electronic mail letter to all affected local association presidents of her/his intent to use this Special Exemption in order to provide adequate time for their comment.
7. Action by the DSEA Executive Board:
(a) The DSEA Executive Board shall receive copies of the Interview Team's or President's Special Exemption recommendation and accompanying forms prior to the scheduled meeting at which it will be asked to take action.
The Executive Board's decision shall be governed by a simple majority vote of those members present and voting.
(b) The DSEA Executive Board also shall receive, as part of the Recommendation Form provided by the Interview Team, a recommendation from the DSEA Leadership Team, made in consultation with the DSEA Executive Director and the DSEA Director of Legislation and Political Organizing, regarding the recommendation of the Interview Team.
1.The Recommendation Form also will contain a targeting recommendation according to the following prioritization:
"Endangered Friendly Incumbent - a DSEA strong supporter facing a difficult race;
" Competitive Open Seat - an open seat where a highly-competitive race is expected between two or more candidates and where one of whom is determined viable and supportive of DSEA and its issues;
" Antagonistic Incumbent - a viable challenger candidate in a competitive district where the incumbent has not been supportive of DSEA and its issues; " Safe Friendly Incumbent - a seat where a DSEA supporter faces no serious electoral threat;
" Non-Competitive Open Seat - an open seat where neither candidate is determined supportive of DSEA and its issues or where a recommended candidate is not deemed viable; and " Non-Competitive Challenger - a race where a recommended candidate is not deemed viable.
2. Principles of viability are defined as: "The partisan competitiveness of the district as determined by political behavior indicators (e.g., party registration, performance and persuasion indices, election results, demographics);
"Past political performance, if any, of a given candidate;
"Incumbency of one or more of the candidates;
"Strength of a candidate's campaign plan and organization and her/his ability to implement the campaign plan;
"Ability to fund the campaign plan; and
"The potential consequence, both positive and negative, of DSEA involvement in the race

In the event that the DSEA Leadership Team believes that the Interview Team's recommendation will be counter to the best interests of the members of DSEA, the Leadership Team will consult with the Interview Team and may decide to bring forward a motion to the DSEA Executive Board to change the recommendation of the Interview Team.
The Leadership Team alternative recommendation shall be to:
(1) Recommend a candidate other than the one recommended by the Interview Team in the specific race; or
(2) No Action in the specific race.

Action by the DSEA Executive Board to change the recommendation of an Interview Team shall require a 2/3rds majority vote of those members present and voting.
Action by the DSEA Executive Board on a recommendation from the DSEA President regarding a Special Exemption shall require a simple majority vote of those members present and voting. 8. Adoption of Candidate Recommendation Forms:
The DSEA President, after consultation with the DSEA Executive Director and the DSEA Director of Legislation and Political Organizing, will recommend to the DSEA Executive Board for its approval the requisite forms. Action by the DSEA Executive Board shall require a simple majority vote of those members present and voting.
The requisite forms will include:
Form A Questionnaire; Form B Questionnaire; Core Interview Questions; Candidate Biographical Sketch; and Candidate Recommendation Form. III.

Statewide Candidate Recommendation Process
(1) The following statewide elected offices are subject to the Statewide Candidate Recommendation Process ---
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Auditor, Insurance Commissioner
(2) Action by the DSEA Board of Directors:
Recommendation of candidates for any of the statewide offices specified in (1) above shall be the responsibility of the DSEA Executive Board.

(A) The DSEA President shall appoint a nine-person nominating committee at the beginning of each two-year state election cycle to serve as the DSEA Statewide Candidate Nominating Committee (hereinafter, the "Nominating Committee").
(i) The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of: the DSEA President, who shall serve as the chair; the DSEA Vice-President; four local association presidents; and three members of the DSEA Executive Board.
(ii) The DSEA Executive Director and Director of Legislation and Political Organizing will serve as ex-officio members of the Nominating Committee.

(B) The DSEA President, after consultation with the Executive Director and Director of Legislation and Political Organizing, shall commence the process for statewide candidate recommendation by communicating with candidates for office that are on the ballot for that state election cycle.
(i) Candidates for office normally shall mean the candidates of the two major political parties but may be expanded at the discretion of the DSEA President to include other candidates (e.g., third party, independent).
(ii) The DSEA President shall work to arrange a mutually-acceptable date, time, and location for the candidate interviews with the Nominating Committee. The DSEA also shall provide copies of the DSEA candidate questionnaire to the statewide candidates for completion prior to the interview.
(iii) After the completion of the statewide candidate interviews by the Nominating Committee, the committee shall determine one of two courses of action:
(1) to nominate a candidate; or
(2) to take no action. Action by Nominating Committee shall require a simple majority vote of those members present and voting.
(iv) The Nominating Committee recommendation shall be forwarded to the DSEA Executive Board for consideration at its next meeting. The DSEA President may choose to convene the DSEA Executive Board at her/his discretion via telephone conference for expedited consideration of the nomination. Action by the DSEA Executive Board shall require a simple majority vote of those members present and voting. The Executive board shall determine one of two courses of action:
(1) to recommend a candidate; or
(2) to take no action.
A two-thirds (2/3rds) vote of the DSEA Executive Board is required to overturn the recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
(3) Adoption of Candidate Questionnaires
The DSEA President, after consultation with the DSEA Executive Director and the DSEA Director of Legislation and Political Organizing, shall recommend to the DSEA Executive Board for its approval the Candidate Questionnaires. Action by the DSEA Executive Board shall require a simple majority vote of those members present and voting. The DSEA President may choose to convene the DSEA Executive Board at her/his discretion via telephone conference for expedited consideration of the questionnaire(s).