Our selection process

Our selection process

This page describes the basics of the selection process we follow in the party.

What does the constitution say?

The branch constitution says:

7.1 The Branch shall comply with the Scottish Green Party constitutional requirements for the selection of candidates for election. Where the constitution gives powers to branch parties in this respect, these shall be carried out by the Branch unless the Branch Committee agrees to run these in conjunction with other party branches due to regional overlaps, or delegate responsibility to a national or regional committee for this purpose.

7.2 Candidates will be selected and announced for all constituencies and wards at least one year in advance of any scheduled election. Except where a candidate can no longer stand, in which case a new candidate will be selected as soon as practicable. Other than in the case of a by-election, or where a candidate can no longer stand, all candidates for a given election cycle will be selected at the same time as part of a single process.

The party's selection procedure says:

Our aim is that our candidates and elected public officials will be truly representative of all sections of society. To that end the purpose of this selection policy is to provide equality and fairness for all our members and not to discriminate on grounds of gender, gender reassignment, marital status (including civil partnerships), race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age. The Selections Procedure will comply with this aim and these purposes

The constitution goes into greater detail about how selection should happen in the party. It covers:

1. How branches should select for Westminster, Holyrood and Local Authority (by-)elections
2. How gender balancing rules should be applied for those elections
3. Requirements for candidates to be eligible for election, including vetting (see below)
4. Restrictions on the campaigning that candidates can do as part of their campaign to be selected

Candidates should read the selection procedure in full here.

Vetting

• The Scottish Green Party operates a vetting process for all members who wish to stand as candidates to represent the party. Vetting takes the form of asking candidates to take part in a two-way, private and confidential discussion with the candidate and a panel of two party members, one of who must have stood for election for the party. Sometimes there is also a note taker.

• Vetting is a chance for the party to check you are a fit candidate, and for open discussion to ensure candidates have realistic expectations and a good understanding of what is expected of them by the party during an election and as elected member. It is normally a very positive process and a chance for both sides to ask any questions or raise any issues they are concerned about.

• Being a fit person is not about a candidate’s ability or preferences, but about circumstances that might bring the party into disrepute, or that may disqualify the candidate. In rare cases, the candidate may choose not to put themselves forward, or the panel may decide not to give its approval.

• A short formal report is produced and signed off by both the candidate and the 3 member panel, and filed with the party central office. This is a confidential process. Before a selection process gets underway, the Returning Officer will check that each candidate has been positively vetted, and will arrange vetting for all candidates who need it.

The full vetting procedure can be read here.