Sierra Club River Prairie Group Political Endorsement Guidelines

The following general guidelines will be used by the Sierra Club River Prairie Group to endorse candidates for election: If you have any questions about the process, please contact RPG Political Chair Linda Sullivan.

1. The RPG has limited volunteer resources to complete all the required steps that are necessary to recommend a political endorsement to the Illinois Chapter and the National Sierra Club. For this reasons, only candidates who officially file by the deadline for the Illinois Primary will be considered for a possible endorsement. All candidates who file for a countywide office by the Illinois Primary date will be sent an official RPG Endorsement Candidate Questionnaire. The Illinois Chapter will send questionnaires for those candidates who officially file for state wide and federal offices before the deadline for the Illinois Primary. All questionnaires that are returned by the River Prairie Group endorsement deadline date will be reviewed and considered. To obtain the deadline date for filing the Candidate Questionnaire, please contact RPG Political Chair Linda Sullivan. Candidates filing after the deadline for the Illinois Primary will not be considered for a possible endorsement due to the limited volunteer resources of the RPG.

2. In addition to the considerations in number 1, the following factors will be used in selecting candidates for a possible Sierra Club endorsement:

A. The National Sierra Club policies strongly encourage the endorsement of candidates with a viable campaign.

B. The candidates must demonstrate that they have adequate financial resources to conduct a campaign in DuPage County.

C. Voting records of candidates who have previously held public offices will be reviewed and analyzed. Particular attention to any public voting record on environmental issues will be reviewed.

D. The previous backgrounds of candidates will be reviewed. Particular attention will be given to those candidates who have participated in environmental organizations, environmental programs, and other related environmental activities. Those candidates who have not held public office in the past should have a background of participation in some significant environmental activities.

E. Candidates who demonstrate a willingness to work with the Sierra Club in promoting good environmental policies while serving in public office will be given serious consideration.

F. Candidates who have completed the RPG Endorsement Candidate Questionnaire for countywide office/Illinois Chapter Questionnaire for statewide office and federal office and answered those questions in a manner that reflects the goals of the Sierra Club will be given consideration.