ENDORSEMENT PROCEDURES

I.         Continuing Support Endorsements

A.        The Executive Director, in conjunction with the Lobby Team, shall review the performance of previously endorsed candidates seeking re-election to determine whether they qualify for a continuing support endorsement from NSEA.

B.        A recommendation from the Lobby Team for continuing support endorsement shall be submitted to the appropriate local TIP for concurrence.  If the local concurs and the NSEA TIP Board of Directors approves, the candidate shall be given a continuing support endorsement. 

C.        The Executive Director or his designee shall meet with any continuing support endorsed candidate to conduct a "strategy session" during which the candidate's campaign needs shall be assessed and his/her commitment to NSEA legislative items shall be revisited. 

D.        A candidate who receives a continuing support endorsement shall not be required to fill out a questionnaire unless the local TIP has not concurred in the endorsement.  If there is no concurrence on a continuing support endorsement recommendation, the candidate may be asked to fill out a questionnaire.  It is also possible that all other candidates could be given a questionnaire and be interviewed. 

E.        A continuing support endorsement must be renewed following each session of the legislature.  A candidate who fails to receive continuing support after once having it can seek endorsement by going through the questionnaire/interview process. 

F.         The continuing support endorsement may be granted to a previously endorsed candidate who chooses to run for an office different from that which he/she currently holds. 

II.      Open Seat Endorsements 

A. In the event of an open race, and in the event NSEA is recruiting or working with candidates for such open seat races, the NSEA GR Committee may develop a list of these candidates to be considered for endorsement by the NSEA Board at their first meeting of the election year. Should additional candidates be identified for other open seats, their names may be added to the list until March 1st of the election year.
The endorsement process for candidates on the NSEA GR Committee list will begin as soon as the recommendations are received by the affected local affiliates. Candidates on this list must go through the full endorsement process including filling out the appropriate candidate questionnaire and being interviewed by the appropriate interview committee. The NSEA Board will have final approval of these endorsements.
If candidates on the NSEA GR Committee list do not receive the early endorsement, they may go through the open seat endorsement process at a later date.
B. If there is an open race, before an endorsement can be made, all candidates must be sent a questionnaire unless a continuing support candidate chooses to run for that seat.  A candidate may be eliminated from the endorsement process based on his/her responses on the questionnaire as determined by the local TIP in consultation with the Executive Director and/or his/her designee.  All remaining candidates will be interviewed by the appropriate TIP interview team.

C.  The local TIP interview teams will submit their recommendations for endorsement to the NSEA-TIP Board of Directors for final approval.

III.      Endorsement of Incumbents Not Previously Endorsed 

A.        Incumbent legislators who have not previously been endorsed by NSEA and wish to seek endorsement must fill out the candidate questionnaire and be interviewed by the appropriate TIP interview team. 

IV.       Timing of Endorsements 

A.        Flexibility on timing of endorsements shall be maintained to allow for both early and late endorsements as circumstances may dictate in both primary and general elections. 

V.        Frequency of Endorsements 

A.        TIP Interview Teams should be aware of the option of giving NO endorsement.  It may not be necessary to endorse in every race. 

VI.        Interview Process 

A.        TIP Interview Teams shall use the Legislative Review, written and/or oral data provided by the NSEA Lobby Team and/or Government Relations Committee on incumbents' performance, interviews with candidates and any other data which they may have available in consideration of recommending an endorsement.

QUESTIONNAIRE

I.          The Government Relations Committee in conjunction with the Executive Director shall develop a uniform interview questionnaire and rating systems for candidates to be approved by the NSEA-TIP Board.  The issues in the questionnaire shall reflect the NSEA legislative needs as defined by the adopted Legislative Program. 

II.          A candidate's completed questionnaire may be used at the discretion of the local TIP Interview Team in consultation with the Executive Director and/or his designee to eliminate that candidate from the endorsement process.

INTERVIEW TEAMS

I.        The NSEA-TIP Board of Directors shall make endorsements in all races in which NSEA-TIP has an interest. 

II.       The NSEA-TIP Board of Directors shall transmit all endorsements in federal races to NEA-PAC with a request for concurrence.

III.      For each of the following offices the interview team shall be composed of: 

A.        Governor and Lt. Governor -- NSEA-TIP Board and the Government Relations Committee. 

B.        U.S. Senator/U.S. House of Representatives -- NSEA-TIP Board, the NEA Director(s), and the NSEA GR Committee. 

C.        Secretary of State and Attorney General, Supreme Court Justices, Regional District Judges -- NSEA Government Relations Committee and the NSEA President or president's designee. 

D.        Legislative Races -- Local TIP Interview Teams.

 

IV.        Local Tip Interview Teams shall conduct candidate interviews in a timely manner to allow for an endorsement to be made in the primary and/or the general election. 

V.        In appointing members to local interview teams for open seats, local presidents must

have appointees disclose commitment to any candidate who may be interviewed for current elections. 

VI.        Where legislative districts overlap local association boundaries, a single interview team committee representing all affected locals shall be facilitated by NSEA in conjunction with the affected locals to conduct one set of candidate interviews and make recommendations. 

VII.       Where legislative districts reside primarily within the 15 rural counties, the UniServ Council of Nevada will form interview teams to conduct candidate interviews.  Recommendations from the UCN Interview Team will go to the NSEA-TIP Board of Directors for concurrence. 

VIII.      Upon completion of a recommended endorsement by a local TIP interview team/Coordinating Council, that recommendation shall be forwarded immediately to the NSEA-TIP Board of Directors with a request for concurrence.

IX. In the event that there is no concurrence on a recommendation for endorsement, representatives of both the local TIP and NSEA-TIP should attempt to resolve the difference.  If the difference is not resolved and concurrence on the endorsement is not reached, there will be no NSEA-TIP or local TIP endorsement in that race.