480629716_f8a62cbc77_bThere’s just one full day left of voting in the Green Party’s ‘prioritisation ballot‘ for the upcoming Spring Conference in March.

The ballot determines which motions will make it onto the floor to be discussed and voted on in Liverpool – meaning this is the first chance for thousands of new members to get involved in the Greens’ internal democracy. It closes on the 24th at midnight.

Members can view the first agenda and vote on the policies here.

This conference could see motions on migration policy, gender rights, co-ops, and allowing joint candidacies with parties like the NHS Action Party and Mebyon Kernow.

Just a few percent of members usually vote in the ballot. However, this year looks set to be the most important conference for years, with membership having passed the 47,000 mark just a couple of days ago. A few votes can swing the whole agenda.

Doug Rouxell from the Greens’ Standing Orders Committee told Bright Green: “It is important for everyone to be aware that this conference has had 36 C motions [on party policy] and 15 D Motions [organisational motions] submitted, which is the highest number…on the agenda in a very long time for the party (the number of C motions has ranged from 6 to 22 in the last 15 years or so, and this is 50% more than that).

“Over the last few conferences, of the 20 or so C motions which have appeared on the agenda at each conference, not all have been heard, with the average number being somewhere between 8 and 12 ­ meaning that somewhere up to 75% of the motions on the agenda will not get heard.

“This pressure on motions means that the prioritisation ballot an essential part of the process of getting a motion heard at conference. If a motion is not high on the final agenda, it is unlikely to get heard.

“In light of this, it is imperative that as many people vote in the prioritisation ballot, so please pass this on, encourage everyone you can to vote, to read the motions and support the ones they feel need discussing.”