DRAFT Green Party of Los Angeles County, County Council Meeting Agenda, Friday, March 20, 2026

Teleconference information shared via County Council email list
Check in/socializing: 4:45 pm to 5pm
Business meeting: 5pm to 7pm

Facilitators: Timeka Drew, Ajay Rai
Minutes: Mike Feinstein
Time Keeper:  Doug Barnett
Vibes Watcher: Ava Kermani

Agenda

1. Welcome and Introductions - All attendees (five minutes)
Very brief introductions, including role with the GPLAC County Council and/or otherwise with Green Party, or as outside observer.

2. Reviewing our process (three minutes)
Presenter: Facilitators
• Relevant Bylaw: Section 11-2 Participation
11-2.1 All GPLAC members may participate in the 'Consensus-seeking Process'. Participation is based upon the premise that people participant in order build the Green Party and advance the Ten Key Values. Disagreement over issues and ideas should be honored as an expected part this process, and is not to be considered a disruption or impediment. Participants are encouraged to state their views, inform one another, and discuss issues in depth, in a manner that enables energy to be focused on productive work.
11-2.2 Only County Council members can hold 'unresolved concerns' and participate in any vote, should one become necessary.
11-2.3 County Council members shall receive priority in discussions, to ensure that they have time to a) seek clarifications, b) express their concerns and affirmations, and c) take a vote, if necessary. At the discretion of the facilitation team, non-Council members may also participate in these discussions.
11-2.4 A County Council member, when recognized by the facilitation team, may yield the floor to a non-County Council member rather than speaking themselves, and in do doing, forego his/her turn on the item.

3. Decision: Opportunity to amend agenda and/or add emergency items (five minutes)
Presenter: Facilitators
• Relevant By-Law 7.5.2.3
The agenda may be amended by a 3/5 vote of County Councilmember present. Emergency and/or late items may be added to the agenda by a 2/3 vote of County Councilmembers (in the interest of time, suggested amendments and their rationale should be offered on-line before the meeting)

Proposal (Feinstein): Items marked *below were published after the two week deadline and thereby need to be added to the agenda by a 2/3 vote

4. Discussion: Treasurer's Report* (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenter: Doug Barnett, Outgoing GPLAC Treasurer; Ajay Rai, GPLAC Co-Coordinator

Background:  The GPLAC submitted its most required campaign finance filing.

5.  Decision: Approval of March 7, 2025 meeting minutes*
Sponsor/Present: Mike Feinstein

Background:  The draft minutes were posted to the gplac-cc email list on March 7 after the meeting that day concluded.  There were no amendments suggested

Proposal: Approve March 7, 2025 minutes
https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/agenda/2025-03-07

6. Decision: Status of GPLAC website and email lists*  
Sponsor/Presenters: Ajay Rai

Background: Rai will report on status of GPLAC website and email lists 

Proposal (Rai): Proposal about assuming costs of Green Geeks hosting, pending discussion.

7. Decision: GPLAC Nationbuilder website and Accurate Append expenses* 

Sponsor/Present: Mike Feinstein

Background: At the March 7, 2025 County Council meeting, the following proposal was approved, committing the GPLAC to reimbursing the expenses for the GPLAC Nationbuilder account being paid for by Mike Feinstein https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/agenda/2025-03-07/nationb...

Proposal: That the GPLAC make an installment payment to Feinstein, at an amount to be determined by the County Council, while also taking into account other GPLAC expenses

8. Proposal:  Update on LA Charter Reform Process* 

Sponsor/Presenter: Mike Feinstein

Background: Since the Federation Tapes scandal in October 2022, the GPLAC has called for an LA Charter Reform Process leading to adoption of an enlarged LA City Council elected from multi-seat districts by proportional ranked choice voting (http://losangeles.cagreens.org/issues/gplac-concerns-limited-scope-los-a...), and if not that, then an enlarged LA City Council elected from single-seat districts by ranked-choice voting, and has designated Mike Feinstein to represent the GPLAC in this process.  In February 2026, the LA Charter Reform Committee recommended an increase from 15 to 25 seats, and that they be elected by ranked-choice voting.  Feinstein was quoted in some of the media coverage of this vote.  Feinstein will report on next steps.

9. Decision: Endorse Butch Ware for Governor* 
Sponsor/Presenters: Mike Feinstein

Background:  At its March 7, 2025 meeting, the GPLAC approved the following process to endorse for Governor https://losangeles.cagreens.org/county-council/agenda/2025-03-07/endorse... The Ware campaign responded with answers to the GPLAC questionnaire, but later than requested. This questionnaire was shared with the County Council. In part as a result of this delay, the GPLAC outreach to registered Greens in LA County did not occur.  Now there are only a few months left before the June 2026 election in which Ware is running.

GPLAC Rules and Procedures state:

ARTICLE 7: ENDORSED CANDIDATES

Any endorsed candidate shall be expected to campaign in a manner that

- accurately represents the decisions of the Green Party of Los Angeles County, the Green Party of California and the Green Party of the United States, including endorsement of other candidates;

- generally supports the principles and policies of the Green Party of California platform and any additional issue and policy positions taken by the Green Party of Los Angeles; and where there is a disagreement between the positions of the endorsed candidate and those of the Green Party of California and/or the Green Party of Los Angeles County, be willing to state how this is so and why;

- does not misrepresent the candidate's own record nor that of others and makes a good faith effort to be factually correct;

- does not use prejudicial, biased, or offensive language, images or graphics with respect to race, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, spirituality, sexuality, or age;

- is in compliance with all applicable laws regarding being a candidate for public ofice

Proposal: That the GPLAC endorse Butch Ware for Governor, post this on the GPLAC website and email to registered Greens in LA County 

10. Decision: Endorse Michael Feinstein for Secretary of State*  
Sponsor/Presenters: Ajay rai

Background:  Feinstein's platform is here http://www.feinstein4sos.org/issues and his campaign statement that will appear in the California Official Voter Guide is here:

California is a beautiful, richly diverse blend of people, ideas and perspectives. We’re best when all are heard and represented. Everyone deserves a seat at the table of our democracy.

A vote for former Santa Monica mayor Michael Feinstein is a vote for a Democracy Bill of Rights: 

(1) Ranked Choice Voting. Empower voters with more voice over more candidates, positive campaigning, and coalition-building. 

(2) Multi-Party Democracy. Instead of our existing ‘lesser-of-evils’, winner-take-all system — enact proportional representation elections — where like-minded voters receive representation in proportion to their numbers, and all voters can help elect candidates who truly represent their views. Multiple perspectives win representation from the same district. We gain from the wisdom of our diversity.

(3) Campaign Finance Reform. Stop the corrupting influence of Big Money, ensure full disclosure. Reduce the cost of running for office, and ensure all voters have information needed to make informed decisions. Provide free candidate statements in official voter guides, and use our public airwaves to inform voters about all electoral choices. Provide candidates with a broad, grassroots base of clean money support. Match small donor contributions with public funds. Empower residents with democracy vouchers to fund candidates. Our democracy is worth it.

(4) Election Integrity. All votes must be counted—and all votes must count. Promote transparency, accuracy and trustworthiness with publicly-owned, open-source voting equipment, paper ballots, and meaningful audits. 

(5) Ensure Voting Rights for all. Universal voter registration. Expand language access. Make it easier to vote by declaring election days state holidays.

Proposal: That the GPLAC endorse Mike Feinstein Secretary of State, post this on the GPLAC website and email to registered Greens in LA County 

11. Decision: Endorse Dan Kapelovitz for District Judge #81*   (ten minutes)
Sponsor/Presenters: Mike Feinstein

Background:  The GPLAC has previously endorsed Dan Kapelovitz for Governor and LA County District Attorney

Proposal: That the GPLAC endorse Dan Kapelovitz for District Judge #81, post this on the GPLAC website and email to registered Greens in LA County 

12. Decision: Status of GPLAC* 
Sponsors/Presenters: Drew Feinstein, Rai, 

Background: That the GPLAC discuss recent actions regarding the status of the GPLAC.

Proposal: That the GPLAC designate the GPLAC officers to communicate in person and with the GPCA regarding the GPLAC's position on this matter.

13. Decision: Set next GPLAC meeting dates* (ten minutes)
Sponsors/Presenters: Feinstein, Rai

Proposal: That the GPLAC set a meeting date for the next virtual business meeting at a time and date to be determined in late April or early May

14. Discussion: GPLAC Bylaws Proposal amendment* (ten minutes)

Sponsors/Presenters: Mike Feinstein, Ajay Rai

Background: GPLAC Bylaws state that there be a minimum of 30 days notice for any amendment to the GPLAC bylaws.  On April 20, 2024 the County Council approved the following bylaws  bylaws change, which sunsetted as of December 31, 2024. In March 2025, the GPLAC considered a similar amendment, but never voted upon it.  This was that text, to serve as notice for a similar amendment in 2026, which could be further amended through discussion, and then available for a vote at the next County Council meeting.

CURRENT LANGUAGE

Section 9-3 Nomination Signature Petition for Appointment to Fill Vacancies

9-3.1 Any person seeking to be appointed to fill a County Council vacancy must be registered Green within the District they wish to represent, and must gather as many signatures of registered Greens in the district on a nomination petition as defined in 8.4, as would be normally required by the County Registrar to appear on the ballot in that district. After which they must receive a majority vote of the County Council to be appointed.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE

Section 9-3 Nomination Signature Petition for Appointment to Fill Vacancies

9-3.1 Any person seeking to be appointed to fill a County Council vacancy must be registered Green within the District they wish to represent, and must gather as many signatures of registered Greens in the district on a nomination petition as defined in 8.4, as would be normally required by the County Registrar to appear on the ballot in that district. After which they must receive a majority vote of the County Council to be appointed.

(The following sentence shall be in the bylaws through December 2026 and then shall be removed) Additionally on a one time basis, for the period of April 2026 through December 2026, an applicant who has attended at last one County Council meeting in the last six months, may ask in writing three weeks before a County Council meeting to be appointed. After which they must receive a 2/3 vote of the County Council to be appointed.