LAB ELECTIONS DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT by Adrienne LaubyThe KPFA Local Advisory Board, LAB, has taken another step toward democratization. The board, which is currently self-appointed, accepted an election proposal at their meeting on April 5. This proposal will be the basis for public discussion and comments over the next three weeks.
The election process is being coordinated by David Greene, who also works with the Northern California Citizens for Proportional Representation.
He will compile comments and submit them for review. A final agreement and election dates may be set this May.
The complete proposal is available in full on the Folio Yellow Sheet. Seven points of current controversy are:
1. Special Appointed Members. Some LAB members should be appointed by the LAB, rather than elected, in order to provide special skills (legal, financial, media, etc.).
2. Special Appointed Members. Specifically state LAB's option of appointing non-voting, ex-oficio members who may provide skill base (legal, financial, media, etc.)
3. Recall of Problematic Individuals. The electorate needs to be able to recall individual Board members as well as recall the entire Board. What happens if an individual becomes a problem on the board? Giving the Board sole authority to remove its own members without the agreement of the electorate is asking for trouble. It removes a level of accountability and a necessary check against cliques or power plays. Individual Board members are vulnerable to pressure and less independent in action and expression if they are accountable to the Board rather than the electorate. Perhaps the Board could suspend one of their own, subject to a recall by the members.
4. Campaign Fairness. There is no restriction on the ability of campaign committees to spend money on candidates, no restriction on independent campaign organizations, no campaign spending limits, no restriction on advertising, no restriction on non-station or forum campaigning, and no restriction on the use of Internet based campaigning. We should set a limit on the total amount of money or in-kind donations to candidates. An Internet limit could be established by setting up a Website that is the sole Internet campaign location for all candidates. All other Internet campaigning could be banned or open on an equal basis to all candidates and campaign organizations. We need to limit last-minute hit pieces. We also need a provision for the immediate removal of stealth candidates from the Board. Their removal would be subject to subsequent review.
5. Coordination and Rules of Campaign. Section A Election Coord. (EC) should specifically not be "part of" KPFA (beyond being a listener sponsor). The board should consider someone from an outside organization, like NCCPR, to handle ballot mailing, collection, and counting - perhaps for a fee.
Section C: add Central Valley regional event.
Section D: Candidate questionnaire to be "used in an on-air forum, posted on KPFA's website (or whatever site is supporting the election), and mailed with the ballots." Delete "at the discretion of the EC" Also, on-air forum to host all of listener sponsor candidates (not staff); forum to be recorded and rebroadcast twice at different periods, for a total of three airings.
6. Diversity. Consider removing caps on the number of women & people of color, so that set-aside works only to make sure the traditionally underrepresented people get at least 6 of the 14 community/listener seats, but are not limited to 8. The goal is not equal representation of, for example, men and women or whites and minorities.
7. Conflict-of-Interest. This currently says to exclude "Union Rep" probably, but was likely meant to exclude station's four Union stewards and one Union Representative. It should state so explicitly. Your feedback is encouraged and should be sent to David Greene by email dmgreene@igc.org or phone (510-841-6761) or to the KPFA Local Advisory Board mailbox at KPFA (1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94704).
California Citizens for Proportional Representation have a website at http://fairvotencal.org/).
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