I. Settle In

Welcome by Shane R

II. Report Backs

Recap of EBDSA’s Electoral Program by Andrew R

National Convention Report Back: What the results mean for us in EBDSA by Annika B. 

YDSA (Cyn H)

• Resolution 32 didn't pass, possible reasons
• 12% of the subject even they made up of 1% of DSA
• Only 2 staff members to work with
• Perception that YDSA is siloed off

Housing (Matt T)

• Res 21 passed
• By Housing Justice committee
• Reaffirms to fighting the housing oppressing practices
• ORganizing tenants in Rural and Suburban areas
• Interpreters 
• Res 20 didn’t pass
• By Tenant organizing DSA members
• Housing as a building organizers practices
• Legal resources for tenants
• Poli Ed

• Approach did not appear compatible with res 21
• Relatively new
• Budget concerns

Electoral (Renee)

• Been on the electoral committee since 2017
• Res 8 - passed?
• Making a party apparatus unlike what is seen in US politics
• Act as a party while tactfully working within the establishment party 

Growing DSA (Matt S)

• Res 30 - passed
• By chapter co chairs across the country
• A a cost sharing program to hire staff and open offices 
• Sees the potential in utilizing it for the eventual CaliDSA

Racial Justice (Hasan A)

• Every racial justice resolution passed
• Res1 - a position resolution to support immigrants
• Res 2 - the support for reparations
• Res 3 - broaden the support to abolition
• Res 4 - Voting rights supports
• Res 14 - Observing election and engage with parties outside of the country - very contentious 
• Amendment 10 - passed - omit the class reductionist portion, training, addressing association with establishment non profits
• Right to stay at home amendment failed
• Every class independence resolution failed

Internationalism (Keith B)

• Res 14 - Passed
• by Collective Power Network 
• Establish relationships with parties in Latin America
• Can still be critical of associates

Labor (Ashley P)

• Res 5 - passed
• By SMC, CPN, BnR 
• Democratizing labor unions
• Reform caucus 
• Organizing American south workers

• Amendment 20 [?] by SM
• failed

GND (Ted F)

• All the GND resolutions passed
• Resolution GND for schools
• A GND slate
• By GND committee with Jammal Bowman

More info here

III. Resolution Debates

Resolution for EBDSA Electoral Endorsement Process

WHEREAS East Bay DSA has adopted class struggle elections as part of its chapter platform and is committed to building an electoral program;

WHEREAS electoral organizing was chosen as a chapter priority at the 2021 chapter convention;

WHEREAS the class struggle elections platform calls for a robust Electoral Committee and a more rigorous endorsement process 

Therefore BE IT RESOLVED that the following process be used to endorse candidates and ballot measures: 

1. Membership in the Electoral Committee will be open to any dues-paying member of East Bay DSA, but the committee can create smaller subcommittees to fulfill its responsibilities in this endorsement process.
2. The Electoral Committee will have the responsibility to research targeted districts and incumbents, and to conduct informal candidate recruitment and informational interviews with respective candidates.
3. The Electoral Committee, in conjunction with other committees, will draft a candidate questionnaire. If multiple kinds of races are being considered (municipal, county, state, etc.), multiple questionnaires may be prepared. Questionnaires will be provided to any interested candidates.
4. The Electoral Committee will review the questionnaires and invite selected candidates to a candidate forum. The Electoral Committee will have the responsibility to produce candidate and district reports on any candidate invited to a forum, which will be circulated to all members who have opted into Electoral Committee emails in advance of a forum.
5. The Electoral Committee will hold a forum, which any member of East Bay DSA can attend. Candidates who appear will have the opportunity to make a short statement, after which a few minutes of questions from the audience will be taken. Once all candidates are done presenting, all candidates, campaign staff, and journalists will be asked to leave and a discussion will be held. At the end of the forum, or at the end of the last forum if multiple forums are held in the same month, a vote will be taken; any East Bay DSA member present who has attended a prior Electoral Committee meeting will be eligible to vote. 
6. Candidates receiving a majority of votes cast will be recommended for endorsement by the Electoral Committee. Once the vote has been held, the Electoral Committee will make a formal report to the Steering Committee, including all the questionnaires completed by any candidate, all candidate and district reports, and all Electoral Committee recommendation vote results. 
7. The Steering Committee will then agendize all candidates recommended by the Electoral Committee, and may by a majority vote decide to agendize any additional candidates who completed a questionnaire. The endorsements will then be voted on at the next voting General Meeting, and must be approved by a 60% majority of members voting at the General Meeting.
8. When a ballot measure is considered for endorsement, a district report and ballot measure report should be created and submitted to the Electoral Committee for consideration. 

Motivated by Jess B.

• Address issues with dealing with self-identified progressives going against centrist corporate democrats, and issues with endorsing too many candidates. 
• Handles deliberation of candidates in the Electoral committee

Q&A Highlights:

• Mathew L - Clause 5; elaborate on why they couldn’t just vote at the end of respective forums
• The idea is get as many people as possible
• Mathew L - Ballot measures are processed the same as a candidate?
• [Rene P] - for outside measurement to DSA 
• Lew L - assessing candidates and measures sent to us that contradict DSA’s agenda?
• Doesn’t address it
• Susan C - considering the limited resources how would the support work 
• A process for serious endorsing
• Grant E - How will the unendorsement be handled?
• This is for initial endorsement, not forever endorsements
• Joe B - Does not speak to the content of endorsement criteria? We only endorse if we commit to a candidate?
• Rene P - the open socialist criteria still applies; does’t address the no paper endorsements
• Dorothy G - no details on the endorsement process for home grown candidates
• Hopes to be able to accept and reject candidates
• JConr BR - endorse candidates from other chapter regions?
• Rene P: Does not address, but does not advocate for it, as it affect chapter autonomy 

Debate (30 min, 2 min per speaker)

• PRO - Nathan S - would like to see more candidates like Jovanka Beckles for Transit, and see the 
• Point of Order - Mathew L - We didn’t agendize or vote on the agenda
• Shane: that’s not a point of order, but the point is taken

Amendment for resolution - Matthew L. 

NOT SECONDED - Amendment FAILS

CALLED TO QUESTION BY GRAHAM; SECONDED

• PASSED 68 yes/ 8 no / 26 abstain

RESOLUTION VOTE - PASSED 74 yes /6 no / 22 absain

IV. UPDATES - BRANCHES

Branches WG Update - facilitated by Annika

Isaac: Explained the timeline leading to the development of the Branches working group, explained the nature and motivation for branch inquiries: Would like to make regional leaders and get paper members involved. Deliberating on the branch making process and its involvement with the Chapter. 

Meet second thursday of the month

V. Committee and Member Announcements

Susan C - campaigning against Recall Gavin election

Mathhew - thanks the delegate and alternates 

Eric V - M4A 4th Wed of each month

Kat O - Comms meeting 9/13 - 6pm

Lew L - Classroom Justice - last thursday of every month - figuring out latest project for school

Lindsey M - Aug 31 - Elections meeting

Stan W - Prison rights Solano county court joint Friday and 9 - demand for release

VI. Meeting adjourned