Leadership Campaign Rules

January 2011 Contents Part I–Leadership Rules Committee 3 A. Leadership Rules Committee 3 B. Amending the Rules 3 C. Violation of the Rules 3 D. Appeal of the Rules 3 Part II–Candidate Nomination Rules 4 E. Registered Candidates for the Leadership Contest 4 F. Campaign Period 5 G. Spending Limits and Contributions to Leadership Candidates 5 H. Election Expenses (In accordance with the BC Election Act) 6 I. Non-election Expenses 6 J. Financial Agent 6 K. Candidate Entitlements 6 L. Publicly Elected Officials 7 M. Use of Constituency Association or Club Association Funds 7 N. Membership Lists 7 Part III–Conduct of the Election 8 Appendix A 9 Part I–Leadership Rules Committee A. Leadership Rules Committee 1. The Officers of the New Democratic Party of BC will appoint a Leadership Rules Committee (LRC). The LRC will set rules and regulations for the BCNDP leadership contest. The LRC will report to Provincial Executive. The Committee will use the BC Election Act as a guideline for areas not outlined in this document or in the BCNDP Constitution. No member of the LRC may partici- pate in or be associated with the Campaign of any Leadership Candidate. 2. If necessary, staff support for the LRC will be provided by the BCNDP Provincial Office. 3. The LRC or designate will meet at an early date with the campaign manager or designated rep- resentative of each registered candidate to discuss logistical and other details for the leadership campaign. 4. Each candidate will designate a single individual to be the candidate’s primary contact with the LRC. In the absence of such a designation, the financial agent for the candidate will be deemed to be such a contact. 5. Jan O’Brien, BCNDP Provincial Secretary, shall be appointed as BCNDP Leadership Electoral Of- ficer for the 2011 Leadership Election, and as such shall oversee the operation of the leadership election process including relations with the voting systems contractor and such other activities as required and directed by the LRC. B. Amending the Rules The Leadership Rules may be revised by the LRC during the leadership campaign to facilitate a fair and efficient election process and accommodate unexpected matters as they arise. Any rule changes will be communicated to leadership candidates in a timely manner including by e-mail. C. Violation of the Rules Violation of the Leadership Rules may result in sanctions against or disqualification of the offending leadership candidate, as recommended by the LRC to the Provincial Executive. D. Appeal of the Rules Leadership rules and their application can be appealed in the following order. First appeal is to the Leadership Electoral Officer, second appeal is to the LRC and final appeal is to the Provincial Execu- tive.

BC New Democratic Party Page 3 Part II–Candidate Nomination Rules As approved by Provincial Executive on January 17, 2011, in accordance with Article 12.04 of the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of . E. Registered Candidates for the Leadership Contest 1. Any member of the Party in good standing by no later than January 17, 2011 is eligible to be nominated for leader. In order to be a candidate in the leadership election, the Provincial Office must receive paper membership applications no later than 17:00 PST on January 17, 2011. On- line membership applications must be received by the Provincial Office by 23:59 PST on January 17, 2011. 2. A proposed candidate must complete the confidential ‘Candidate Personal Disclosure State- ment’ regularly required by any person seeking provincial public office on behalf of the BCNDP. 3. A proposed candidate must appoint a financial agent, as prescribed in the BC Election Act and must notify the Leadership Electoral Officer of the name, address, email address and telephone number of the agent at the time of registration. The financial agent must be a member in good standing of the BCNDP, and have been so for at least ninety (90) days prior to his or her appoint- ment. 4. A proposed candidate must be nominated by at least 250 members of the BCNDP who are in good standing no later than January 17, 2011. The group of 250 members shall include a mini- mum of ten (10) members from each of at least six (6) of the eight (8) regions identified by the BCNDP (See Appendix A). In order to be a member in good standing to nominate a candidate in the leadership election, the Provincial Office must receive paper membership applications no later than 17:00 PST on January 17, 2011. On-line membership applications must be received by the Provincial Office by 23:59 PST on January 17, 2011. 5. There will be a registration fee of $15,000 from each proposed candidate due at time of filing. This sum will be exempt from campaign spending limits. If the Provincial Executive fails to approve the registration of a candidate $10,000 will be refunded. 6. A leadership candidate shall comply with all of the rules and regulations prescribed by the LRC and the BC Election Act. 7. In order to be considered a candidate for leadership of the BCNDP, an individual must submit completed registration forms to the Leadership Electoral Officer no later than 17:00 PST on Feb- ruary 28, 2011. The registration forms include a Letter of Intent, a list of 250 nominator signatures, a biography, public contact information, a confidentiality agreement, a Declaration of Candidate Responsibility, and a confidential Candidate Personal Disclosure Statement. 8. Upon the recommendation of the LRC, final approval of registered candidacy rests with the Pro- vincial Executive. 9. Immediately after the Provincial Executive has approved the candidacy, a registered candidate

Page 4 Constituency Association Forms Guide will be eligible for any services provided by the Provincial Party. F. Campaign Period 1. For the purposes of reporting expenses, the period of time commencing 00:01 PST January 1, 2011, and ending upon election of the leader on April 17, 2011, shall be deemed the ‘campaign period’. 2. Fundraising for campaign expenditures can be undertaken by any candidate at any time between January 1, 2011 and May 17, 2011. All monies received at any time and intended for use by a campaign are subject to the revenue sharing terms outlined in the Leadership Rules. G. Spending Limits and Contributions to Leadership Candidates 1. There will be a total spending limit of $175,000 per leadership candidate. 2. The definition of a contribution is as prescribed in the BC Election Act. A contribution is an amount of money or the value of any property or services provided without compensation by way of donation, advance, deposit, or discount. 3. Candidates may not accept a combined total contribution (monetary, goods, and/or services) in excess of $2,500 from any one individual, union, union local, business or organization. The cost of releasing employees from their regular work to participate in a leadership campaign is exempt from this limitation but is subject to the spending limitation. 4. All election expenses and non-election expenses must be reported. All donations must be sourced. The financial agent shall record the names, addresses and donations of all contributors. A leadership campaign may receive a total maximum of $500 from anonymous donations, such as a ‘pass the hat’ at an event provided that this amount does not exceed $50 per person. 5. All monetary contributions to leadership candidates shall be shared equally with the BCNDP on a 50/50 basis. This includes monetary contributions received before a candidate is registered and monetary contributions received by candidates who declare but do not register. 6. Leadership candidates shall forward to the Leadership Electoral Officer a copy of all deposit and bank statement information, and a cheque for the BCNDP portion of contributions received to date, on January 31, February 14, February 28, March 14, March 28, April 11, April 25, and June 16, 2011. 7. Leadership candidates shall contribute to the BCNDP 100% of all funds raised over $350,000, and 100% of any funds raised but not spent at the end of the campaign. 8. All contributions must meet all regular BCNDP criteria for donations prior to deposit. 9. At any time upon the request of the Leadership Electoral Officer, leadership candidates shall make available a list of campaign contributors and the value of each contribution received from each contributor.

BC New Democratic Party Page 5 10. Each candidate shall provide the BC NDP with a report of all contributors and the value of all contributions totalling $250 or more received from each contributor received prior to the first day of advanced voting and a second report prior to April 17, 2011. The BCNDP shall publish the reports on its website. 11. No later than June 16, 2011, each candidate will provide to the Leadership Electoral Officer a complete accounting of his/her campaign expenses and contributions in the same format as re- quired for such disclosure to Elections BC. H. Election Expenses (In accordance with the BC Election Act) 1. Election expenses are the value of property or services used by or on behalf of candidates to pro- mote or oppose, directly or indirectly, their candidacy. Services shall include staff services. 2. Election expenses shall be deemed to include the value of any goods that have been used in whole or in part during the leadership campaign period. 3. In the event any expenses are incurred on a leadership campaign prior to registration they shall be deemed to be an election expense and included within the spending limit. I. Non-election Expenses The following shall be exempt from campaign spending limits: • care for a child or other family member for whom the candidate is normally responsible • costs of travel by candidates for the Leadership All-Candidate Tour • expenses incurred as a result of a physical disability. A candidate’s personal election expenses must be reported for Elections BC purposes. J. Financial Agent 1. The candidate’s financial agent shall be responsible for keeping a record of all contributions and expenses as prescribed by the BC Election Act. 2. The candidate’s financial agent shall be responsible for reporting contributions and expenses to the LRC. 3. The candidate’s financial agent shall be responsible for ensuring that the rules set out in this document are followed. K. Candidate Entitlements Registered Candidates shall be entitled to the following items: 1. The BCNDP Provincial Office shall provide to registered candidates a list of all constituency presi- dents, council delegates, provincial executive members, affiliated organizations, BC NDP honorary life members, and federal councillors resident in BC.

Page 6 Constituency Association Forms Guide 2. The BCNDP Provincial Office shall provide to registered candidates an electronic membership list for all BCNDP members in good standing at the time the candidate’s registration is complete, upon the Candidate and the Financial Agent signing a release outlining the use of the list. 3. Each candidate is responsible for their own web site and other social media sites. The BCNDP Provincial Office will provide a visible link on the BC NDP web site to each candidate’s web site. Each candidate shall provide to the Leadership Electoral Officer contact information on the host for each candidate’s web site. A web site home page, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel and other social media shall be registered with the Leadership Electoral Officer. A dec- laration stating that the candidate’s web site and other social media outlets are the candidate’s views and do not necessarily represent the views of the BC NDP and/or the BCNDP caucus must be in a reasonably visible location. All costs associated with social media are considered expens- es and must be reported. 4. The BCNDP Provincial Office will create one issue of the Democrat to be circulated before the first day of advance voting providing coverage of the leadership race. Space will be evenly divided among the candidates. Each candidate will be given a maximum word count of text to be submit- ted along with a photo and a headline. 5. The BCNDP Provincial Office will organize a Leadership All-Candidates Tour for registered can- didates. It will take place throughout the Province. At least one Leadership Candidate Tour event will take place in the Lower Mainland, and at least one will take place in each of Northern British Columbia, Southern Vancouver Island, Northern Vancouver Island, Central Interior – Okanagan and the Kootenays. 6. The BCNDP Provincial Office shall be responsible for the cost of meeting rooms and equipment for the Leadership Candidate Tour. The BCNDP Provincial Office shall be responsible for advertis- ing the Tour to members. Rules governing the Leadership Candidate Tour will be developed and provided to each candidate. 7. Candidates shall be responsible for their personal accommodation and travel expenses while on the Leadership Candidate Tour. These costs will be exempt from campaign spending limits. L. Publicly Elected Officials Publicly elected officials are prohibited from using services and privileges provided to them and their staff, as a result of their elected position, to promote any leadership candidate and/or campaign. M. Use of Constituency Association or Club Association Funds The use of BCNDP provincial constituency association, federal riding association or club association funds for the promotion of a leadership candidate or to assist in paying personal expenses of a lead- ership candidate is prohibited. N. Membership Lists BCNDP membership lists will be encoded with a unique identifying security feature prior to release to

BC New Democratic Party Page 7 campaigns. Unauthorized use of a membership list by a campaign may result in the disqualification of the cam- paign’s candidate, as recommended by the LRC to the Provincial Executive. Part III–Conduct of the Election Rules related to the conduct of the election will be developed at a later date, and approved by the Provincial Executive and Provincial Council in accordance with Article 12.01 of the Constitution of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia.

Page 8 Constituency Association Forms Guide Appendix A Kootenays Columbia River-Revelstoke Regions of British Columbia as defined by the Kootenay East BCNDP Kootenay West Nelson-Creston Burnaby-Fraser Valley Abbotsford-Mission Central Interior-Okanagan Boundary-Similkameen Cariboo-Chilcotin Burnaby-Deer Lake Fraser-Nicola Burnaby-Edmonds Kamloops-North Thompson Burnaby-Lougheed Kamloops-South Thompson Kelowna-Lake Country Chilliwack Kelowna-Mission Chilliwack-Hope Penticton Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Shuswap Coquitlam-Maillardville Vernon-Monashee Fort Langley-Aldergrove Westside-Kelowna Langley Maple Ridge-Mission Northern BC Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows New Westminster Nechako Lakes Port Coquitlam North Coast Port Moody-Coquitlam Richmond-Surrey-Delta Prince George-Mackenzie Prince George-Valemount Skeena Richmond-Steveston Stikine Richmond Centre Vancouver-North Shore Surrey-Cloverdale North Vancouver-Lonsdale Surrey-Fleetwood North Vancouver-Seymour Surrey-Green Timbers West Vancouver-Capilano Surrey-Newton West Vancouver-Sea to Sky Surrey-Panorama Vancouver-Fairview Surrey-Tynehead Vancouver-False Creek Surrey-Whalley Vancouver-Fraserview Surrey-White Rock Vancouver-Hastings Vancouver-Kensington Vancouver-Kingsway Vancouver-Langara Vancouver-Mount Pleasant Vancouver-Point Grey

BC New Democratic Party Page 9 Vancouver-Quilchena Vancouver-West End Vancouver Island South Esquimalt-Royal Roads Juan de Fuca Oak Bay-Gordon Head Saanich North and the Islands Victoria-Beacon Hill Victoria-Swan Lake Vancouver Island North Alberni-Pacific Rim Comox Valley Cowichan Valley Nanaimo Nanaimo-North Cowichan North Island Parksville-Qualicum Powell River-Sunshine Coast

Page 10 Constituency Association Forms Guide

(c) Copyright 2011 B.C. New Democratic Party When you are finished with this document, please recycle it or share it with another activist. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 604-430-8600.