SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER POLITICAL COMMITTEE
STANDING RULES (February 2026)
Section 1. Organization
1.1 Name. The name of this Sierra Club unit is the “SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER POLITICAL COMMITTEE,” hereafter abbreviated as “SLCPC.”
1.2 Establishment. The SLCPC is established by action of the Sierra Club SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER. It is governed by these Standing Rules, consistent with the provisions of the Bylaws and Standing Rules of the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER, and by the Sierra Club, by applicable law, and by the Sierra Club Political Team (SCPT) Compliance Guidelines. SLCPC is integral to the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER and the Sierra Club and is not a separate political or legal entity.
1.3 Purpose. The primary purpose of the SLCPC is to assist the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER in its efforts to preserve and protect the environment and promote social and environmental justice through nonpartisan grassroots political action. The SLCPC endorsements may include federal, state and local government races, and ballot measures.
Section 2. Membership
2.1 Members. All Sierra Club members in good standing are entitled to participate in the activities of the SLCPC, barring any conflicts of interest, as outlined in section 2-616 of the SCPT guidelines and section 4 of these standing rules.
The SLCPC shall consist of up to 13 voting members. Members may be appointed by the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER Executive Committee (ExCom), by the SLCPC Chair, or recruited from the Chapter membership. The SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER ExCom shall determine if and how term lengths or term limits apply to Political Committee membership. The SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER shall strive to select SLCPC members who provide broad geographic and community representation across San Luis Obispo County. Additional non-voting members (e.g., chapter staff, activists with special local expertise, chapter compliance officer) may be added upon the recommendation of the SLCPC Chair and approved by the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER ExCom.
2.2 Member Expectations. SLCPC members must become familiar with and follow the SCPT Compliance Guidelines, SLCPC Standing Rules, and other applicable Sierra Club Standing Rules and policies. Chapter Political Committee members shall also be willing to participate in political committee meetings, be conscientious about reading correspondence and e-mail, disclose any conflicts of interest, as defined in the SCPT Compliance Guidelines 2-610, and be willing to avoid the appearance of candidate favoritism during the pre-endorsement process of examining candidates. Only Club members in good standing may serve on the SLCPC. Regular attendance is important: the SLCPC Chair shall keep attendance records, recognize excused absences, contact SLCPC members with two unexcused absences, and may deny voting privileges to members with three or more unexcused absences in a calendar year.
2.3 Officers. The SLCPC is led by a Chapter Political Chair, appointed by the SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER ExCom. Before any endorsements or other political activities, the committee must have a Chapter Compliance Officer. Per 1-104 of the SCPT Compliance guidelines “the Chapter Compliance Officer is a person who has agreed to advise political activists in the chapter about how to conduct political activities in compliance with state and local election laws. Due to the neutral nature of this role, the Chapter Compliance Officer and the Chapter Political Committee Chair cannot be the same person. The Chapter Compliance Officer can be a non-voting member of the political committee.” The SLCPC shall recommend a Vice Chair and such other officers as the political committee may deem necessary.
2.3 Vacancies. The Chapter ExCom may appoint members to fill vacancies for the SLCPC Chair, the Chapter Compliance Officer, and political committee members.
Section 3. Meetings
3.1. Agendas and Scheduling. The SLCPC Chair is responsible for setting agendas and scheduling meetings. Meetings shall be held monthly during even-numbered election years and every two months during odd-numbered (off-election) years. Meetings may be held in person or online via Zoom, Google Meet, or similar videoconferencing medium. Agendas shall be published at least 24 hours before each scheduled meeting.
3.2 Quorum. A quorum shall be a majority of the voting members. A SLCPC member shall be considered present at a meeting if able to participate fully and simultaneously by means approved by the SLCPC. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed; however, the SLCPC may allow voting by email.
3.3 Minutes. Minutes may be kept, circulated, amended, if needed, and approved at subsequent meetings.
3.4 Private Sessions. Per Sierra Club Bylaw 5, paragraph 5.14, all meetings of the Political Committee shall be open to attendance by any member of the Club in good standing, but nothing herein shall prevent the Chapter Political Committee from convening in private session for the consideration of any matter; provided, however, the vote or final action shall be taken in open session.
Section 4. Conflicts of Interest
4.1 Standing Rule 2.2.5. The fundamental Sierra Club policy on conflicts of interest is contained in Standing Rule 2.2.5. This rule defines a conflict of interest as existing “when any volunteer or staff member, or said person’s immediate family, or any party, group or organization to which said person has allegiance, has a direct or indirect financial or other material interest in a proposed contract, transaction, or arrangement with the Club, or in a policy or position of the Club.” Note that a conflict can originate in the role of a spouse or other close relative, and that a “material interest” need not necessarily be financial.
4.2 Disclosure and Limitation on Participation. Before endorsement processes begin, and per section 2-600 of the SCPT Guidelines, all SLCPC members must disclose any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. When it is determined that a conflict exists regarding a particular race, the conflicted individual may not participate in any aspect of the formal endorsement process, including but not limited to candidate interviews, deliberations, and voting (except where a waiver is possible and appropriate).
4.3 Additional Political Conflicts Of Interest. Questions relating to conflicts of interest arise in many situations concerning the Sierra Club political program. See section 2-500 of the SCPT Guidelines for more detailed definitions.
- Political party employees
- Leaders of local political party clubs
- Federal, state, and local candidates and officeholders
- Employees of candidates
- Uncompensated campaign leaders (this does not apply to regular volunteers on campaigns)
- Lobbyists and legislative staff
- Uncompensated political party office holders (this does not apply to regular political party volunteers)
- Employees and leaders of other advocacy organizations that have already endorsed a candidate
- Current contributors to candidate campaigns
Section 5. Endorsements
5.1 Internal Approval Procedures For Political Action. All candidate endorsement decisions must be approved by a two-thirds vote of two Sierra Club entities, as specified by the SCPT Compliance Guidelines beginning at section 2-600. A two-thirds vote means that two-thirds of those voting on the action provided that the number supporting the action is more than 50% of the total number of voting members for each entity.
5.2 Municipal, County, and Other Local Election Endorsements. Approval is required by two endorsement entities: the Chapter Political Committee and the Chapter Executive Committee. Endorsements are not complete unless or until they are approved by the Southern California Candidate Review Committee.
5.3 Legislative Election Endorsements. Approval is required by two endorsement entities: the Chapter Political Committee and the Chapter Executive Committee. For legislative election endorsements, SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER shall consult with adjacent California chapters whenever its legislative districts extend beyond San Luis Obispo County. Endorsements are not complete unless and until they are approved by the Southern California Candidate Review Committee.
5.4 Federal Election Endorsements. Congressional districts often cover territory included in several California chapters. In these cases, all chapters involved shall consult and collaborate in Congressional endorsements. Approval is required by two endorsement entities: the Chapter Executive Committee and the National Sierra Club Political Team (SCPT).
5.5 Expedited Endorsement Procedure for Incumbents. Incumbents who have sound environmental records are likely candidates for endorsement. To promote the goal of maximizing Sierra Club's political effectiveness by endorsing early in the election cycle, the SLCPC may streamline the endorsement process, consistent with Standing Rules and Bylaws of Sierra Club California and with SCPT Guidelines.
5.6 Procedures for Endorsement. Written issue questionnaires will be sent to all non-incumbent candidates who file for an office in which their potential endorsement is contemplated, and for whom contact information is available, with time sufficient for return and evaluation of questionnaire responses. Questionnaires may be prepared by SLCPC members with assistance from staff and members with local issue expertise. Recommendations for endorsement by the SLCPC will be based on questionnaire responses, voting records, past participation of a candidate in environmental and/or social and environmental justice issues, concerns for the political situation in a particular race, and personal interviews usually deemed necessary by the committee. Consideration should also be given where relevant to “the Sierra Club’s environmental justice, racial equity, democracy, and inclusion issues and mission” as outlined in the SCPT Compliance Guidelines. In some cases, especially for incumbents for whom established voting records are known, the committee may determine that questionnaires are not required for certain races.
Section 6: Post-Endorsement Activity and PAC Funds
6.1 Fundraising and Chapter Political Committee Accounting. SANTA LUCIA CHAPTER does not maintain an account for political activity in general or the use of its Political Committee in particular. All funds raised for campaign activities on behalf of state or local candidates must be deposited into the California Sierra Club Political Action Committee (PAC) account promptly after receipt. The California Sierra Club PAC shall maintain records of all such fundraising activity from the chapter. All funds intended for candidate-specific uses in either state or local races must be in this account before they are needed.
6.2 Segregated Fund Accounts. The national SCPT maintains a separate segregated account for federal campaigns. Said checking account is the only account that may be used for expenditures that must be reported in compliance with federal and California campaign law.
6.3 Expenditures of Funds. The Chapter Political Committee shall not conduct activities to raise PAC funds for its use except as described above. Proceeds from general chapter PAC fundraising held by the California Sierra Club PAC may be distributed to any endorsed state or local candidate authorized by the Political Committee, for communications with the public about the Club’s endorsement and support for a candidate, or for Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts for endorsed candidates. Funds may also be used to cover chapter staff time for political work related to election advocacy.
6.4 Communications. The Chapter Political Committee Chair shall serve as the designated spokesperson for the Chapter on political matters, including but not limited to endorsements, ballot measures, candidate communications, and political advocacy. The Chapter ExCom Chair and SLCPC members shall be notified of any public political statement issued on behalf of the Chapter, and such statements shall be documented and retained in accordance with Chapter record-keeping practices.
No Chapter Political Committee member, Chapter staff, volunteer, or other Chapter representative may make public statements on political matters, communicate with candidates on behalf of the Chapter, approve candidate participation in Chapter or group activities, or otherwise represent the Chapter in political matters without the prior authorization of the Chapter Political Committee Chair.
All political communications and actions must comply with Sierra Club national, Sierra Club California, and Chapter Bylaws, Standing Rules, and SCPT Compliance Guidelines. When there is uncertainty regarding policy, compliance, or alignment with state or national positions, the Chapter Political Committee Chair shall consult with appropriate Sierra Club state and/or national leadership prior to public action.
Section 7. Interpretation and Amendment of Standing Rules
7.1 Interpretation of Standing Rules. All questions about the construction or meaning of these Standing Rules are to be referred to the Chapter Political Chair, Chapter staff, the Chapter ExCom, and if necessary, the national SCPT for final decision.
7.2 Amendment. Subject to Chapter ExCom approval by a majority vote, the Chapter Political Committee may amend these Standing Rules by a majority vote at a regular or called meeting, subject to Chapter ExCom approval. Amendments must be in conformance with SCPT Compliance Guidelines.
Section 8. Other Provisions
8.1 Political Committee Reports. The Chapter Political Chair shall present reports periodically to the Chapter Executive Committee. On an annual basis, the Chapter Political Chair shall present a summary of the previous year's activities and an outline of the current year's goals.
8.2 Subcommittees. The Chapter Political Committee may establish working subcommittees to conduct its business. A voting member should chair each such subcommittee.
8.3 Communication with the Sierra Club Political Team. It is the responsibility of the Chapter Political Committee, under the direction of the Chair, to communicate with the SCPT, reply to inquiries from the SCPT, and coordinate activities regarding endorsements in federal races and any other races as may be required by the SCPT Compliance Guidelines. It is recommended that each political committee chair have a current copy of the national political committee guidelines.
8.4 Club Guidelines. Political activity, including use of membership lists, Club newsletters, Club list-serves, Chapter political webpages, and email lists, shall be in accordance with federal and state electoral law, and with the SCPT Compliance Guidelines.