Committee Makeup
The PEC charter limits the number of committee members.  However, the committee has not yet reached the charter limits of membership.  Since the committee is restricted in size, we have enforced a working rule that, with the exception of the co-chairs, no state will have more than one voting member.  The PEC also has invited the active participation of several advisors who, while they have no vote, do have a voice in PEC proceedings.  These advisors are generally members of the 2000 PEC or individuals with specific relevant expertise.

The current committee membership is as follows:
Jane Hunter, Co-Chair, NJ
John Strawn, Co-Chair, CA
Marie DeJong, NC
Paul Dumouchelle, OH
Jane Elioseff, TX
Greg Gerritt, RI
Jenny Heiser, MN
Susan King, CA
Mike Livingston, MD
Marc Loveless, IL
Carol Miller, NM
Gil Obler, MA
David Presberry, WI
Jason Ravin, DC
Starlene Rankin, Lavender Greens
John Rensenbrink, ME
Juscha Robinson, MI (CCC)
Adam Waxman, PA

The current roster of committee advisors is as follows:
Annie Goeke, MD (International Comm.)
Ben Manski, WI (SC)
Ross Mirkarimi, CA
Dean Myerson, DC, USGP staff
Steve Welzer, NJ
 

Activities

Meetings
Between December 2001 and the 2002 Green Party of the United States convention, the PEC met monthly by conference call on the first Monday of each month.  Following the convention, the PEC has been meeting twice a month, on the first and third Mondays of each month, by conference call at 10 p.m. ET.  The first Monday call takes place on the CCC bridge; the third Monday call uses the Turtle Island service.

State Questionnaire
The PEC distributed a questionnaire to the state parties concerning potential candidates for the 2004 elections as well as a number of questions about the campaign itself and the 2004 convention.  The questionnaire was distributed in hardcopy and floppy disk at the 2002 convention and was also published to the COO list and made available on the web.  24 states and one caucus submitted replies.

All the questionnaire data has been loaded to a MS Access(TM) database. This database allows various analysis queries to be performed that indicate preferences and priorities as well as raw information.

The PEC reviewed all potential candidates submitted by the states. There were 61 individuals submitted initially with a few additional coming in after the questionnaires from the states. Distribution of names ranged from Ralph Nader (submitted by all questionnaires) and Cynthia McKinney (submitted by all but one questionnaire) to 7 names coming from 2 states and 43 coming from only 1 state.

By consensus, the PEC removed several of the submitted names, generally prominent Democrats or known Green bashers who are not sympathetic too or interested in the Greens.  Significant weight was given to support or opposition from the individual's home state.

Analysis of state responses for strategic guidance continues.

Contacting Potential Candidates
The PEC has completed a letter template for letters that will be sent to all remaining potential candidates by mid-January.  The PEC has also identified current contact information for those individuals.  In addition, text personalizing the letter for each candidate has been written and will be included in the letter.

The PEC will follow up this initial letter immediately with telephone contacts by members of the PEC.  This contact is intended to schedule a lengthier interview and to get a first reaction and answer any immediate questions.  The PEC intends these initial contacts to take place before the end of January 2003.

The committee co-chairs have been assigned as contacts for the "heavy hitters"-Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney.

Additions to Charter and Coordination Functions

Resource for Potential Candidates
The PEC has determined that they should be capable of acting as an information resource to potential candidates on such things as electoral law in individual states and at the federal level, Green resources in states and at the national level, etc.  This will require coordination with the CCC and the state parties.

Convention Planning
The PEC requests that the SC call for the formation of 2004 Convention Planning Committee. The PEC will provide input to that process and will actively coordinate with that group.