LWVMNEF Election 2010
Candidate Forum Selection Criteria

League of Women Voters Minnesota Education Fund (LWVMNEF) intends to sponsor nonpartisan candidate debates for the Minnesota State Constitutional Offices in the fall of 2010.

The debates are designed to meet four goals:

1. to educate the public about the issues in the campaigns,
2. to provide an opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss those issues face-to-face,
3. to stimulate public interest and participation in the elections, and
4. to provide an opportunity for the candidates to engage their constituents.

We believe that these purposes are best served by including those candidates with significant statewide voter support and interest.  After careful consideration, LWVMNEF has adopted criteria it believes are nonpartisan, capable of objective application and understandable to candidates and the public.

To be invited to participate in the preprimary 2010 debates for Minnesota Constitutional Offices a candidate must:

1. Have the endorsement of a major political party. (Primaries include major political parties as defined in Minnesota Statute 200.02, subdivision 7.0)

   OR

2. Meet the legal qualifications to hold office, including filing for office, so that his/her name will be printed on the ballot,

   AND

   Demonstrate substantial voter interest and support

   1. Through a legally registered campaign committee that has filed appropriate financial reports showing a significant funding base and a campaign organization conducting an active, statewide effort to promote his/her nomination,

      OR

   2. By receiving support of at least five (5) percent of those polled in an independent, credible, statewide professional poll.  Such a poll must be taken after filing closes and its results must be available on or before August 5, 2010.  The poll cannot be one commissioned by a party or a candidate.

Adopted by the LWVMNEF Board on September 10, 2009

League of Women Voters Minnesota Education Fund (LWVMNEF) intends to sponsor nonpartisan candidate debates for the Minnesota State Constitutional Officers in the fall of 2010.

The debates are designed to meet four goals:

1. to educate the public about the issues in the campaigns,
2. to provide an opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss those issues face-to-face,
3. to stimulate public interest and participation in the elections and
4. to provide an opportunity for the candidates to engage their constituents.

We believe that these purposes are best served by including those candidates with significant statewide voter support and interest.  After careful consideration, LWVMNEF has adopted criteria it believes are nonpartisan, capable of objective application and understandable to candidates and the public.

To be invited to participate in LWVMNEF's 2010 debates for MN State Constitutional Office a candidate must:

1. Win the nomination of his/her party in the primary election.  (Primaries include major political parties as defined in Minnesota Statute 200.02, subdivision 7.0)

OR

2. Receive support of at least five (5) percent of those polled in an independent, credible, state-wide professional poll.  Such a poll must be taken after the primary election and its results must be available on or before September 30, 2010.  The poll cannot be one commissioned by a party or a candidate.

Adopted by the LWVMNEF Board on September 10, 2009.

The League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund (LWVMNEF) intends to sponsor nonpartisan candidate debates for the office of United States House of Representatives in the fall of 2010.

The debates are designed to meet four goals:

1. to educate the public about the issues in the campaigns,
2. to provide an opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss those issues face-to-face,
3. to stimulate public interest and participation in the elections and
4. to provide an opportunity for the candidates to engage their constituents.

We believe that these purposes are best served by including those candidates with significant district-wide voter support and interest.  After careful consideration, the League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund has adopted criteria it believes are nonpartisan, capable of objective application and understandable to candidates and the public.

To be invited to participate in LWVMNEF's preprimary 2010 debates for the United States House of Representatives a candidate must:

1. Have the endorsement of a major political party (Primaries include major political parties as defined in Minnesota Statute 200.02, subdivision 7.0)

OR

2. Meet the legal qualifications to hold office, including filing for office, so that his/her name will be printed on the ballot.

AND

Demonstrate substantial voter interest and support

1. Through a legally registered campaign committee that has filed appropriate financial reports showing a significant funding base and a campaign organization conducting an active, district-wide effort to promote his/her nomination.

OR

2. By receiving support of at least five (5) percent of those polled in an independent, credible, district-wide professional poll Such a poll must be taken after the primary election and its results must be available at least 30 days before the election. The poll cannot be one commissioned by a party or a candidate.

Adopted by the LWVMNEF Board March, 2010.

The League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund (LWVMNEF) intends to sponsor nonpartisan candidate debates for the office of United States House of Representatives in the fall of 2010.

The debates are designed to meet four goals:

1. to educate the public about the issues in the campaigns,
2. to provide an opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss those issues face-to-face,
3. to stimulate public interest and participation in the elections and
4. to provide an opportunity for the candidates to engage their constituents.

We believe that these purposes are best served by including those candidates with significant statewide voter support and interest.  After careful consideration, the League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund has adopted criteria it believes are nonpartisan, capable of objective application and understandable to candidates and the public.

To be invited to participate in LWVMNEF's 2010 debates for United States House of Representatives a candidate must:

1. Win the nomination of his/her party in the primary election.  (Primaries include major political parties as defined in Minnesota Statute 200.02, subdivision 7.0)

OR

2. Receive support of at least five (5) percent of those polled in an independent, credible, district-wide professional poll.  Such a poll must be taken after the primary election and its results must be available at least 30 days before the election.  The poll cannot be one commissioned by a party or a candidate.

Adopted by the LWVMNEF Board March, 2010.

The League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund (LWVMNEF) may sponsor nonpartisan candidate debates for the MN statewide judicial offices in the fall of 2010.

The debates are designed to meet four goals:

1. to educate the public about the issues in the campaigns,
2. to provide an opportunity for voters to hear candidates discuss those issues face-to-face,
3. to stimulate public interest and participation in the elections and
4. to provide an opportunity for the candidates to engage their constituents.

We believe that these purposes are best served by including those candidates with significant statewide voter support and interest.  After careful consideration, the League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund has adopted criteria it believes are nonpartisan, capable of objective application and understandable to candidates and the public.

To be invited to participate in LWVMNEF's 2010 debates for MN statewide judicial office a candidate must:

Meet the legal qualifications to hold office so that his/her name will be printed on the ballot and demonstrate substantial voter interest and support

1. through a legally registered campaign committee that has filed appropriate financial reports showing a significant funding base and a campaign organization conducting an active, statewide effort to promote his/her nomination, or
2. by receiving support of at least five (5) percent of those polled in an independent, credible, statewide professional poll of eligible voters.  Such a poll must be taken after the primary election and its results must be available at least 30 days before the election.  The poll cannot be one commissioned by a party, candidate or bar association.

Adopted by LWVMNEF Board March, 2010.