Vetting meetings are conducted to allow patriot group members to observe and question candidates either directly, or by their designated representative. These meetings also include an informational voting by qualified members attending.
Appearance and Preparation
The physical facilities must be prepared for the likely number of candidates, members, and the general public to attend. To assure maximum attendance, promote the meeting widely among the affiliated groups as well as the general public through social media with the help of agencies like The Marketing Heaven.
The meeting leader and set-up staff must arrive at least one hour in advance of the start time, bringing such items as ballot box, ballots, sign-in sheet, list of qualified members for voting, completed candidate applications and questionnaires, notices to post, and tape for posting. Outside the meeting room and building, post highly visible notices announcing the meeting and its exact location in the building.
Sign-in Procedures
Arrange for a single entrance into the meeting room, placing at that location, a table attended by at least two meeting personnel. At the table, there is a sign-in sheet for all those attending, a list of all qualified voters (PVC 1, item 10), ballots for voters, and candidate application and questionnaires (one for table; and multiple copies to hand out)
For voter sign-in, have each person sign next to their printed name on the qualified voter list, and give some proof of identity. For security, maintain close watch over distribution of the ballots, for example, by numbering each set, and placing that number beside the name of the person receiving it.
Order of Presentation
Schedule the order of presentation so that all business will be concluded within two hours or less. In general, allow no more than 1 hour for candidate review, from opening to closing remarks. The remaining one hour of the meeting is then available for relevant voting.
Call to Order
The meeting leader calls the meeting to order, as close to scheduled start time as possible. Briefly announce the purpose of the meeting, the sponsoring organization, schedule of events, and any applicable procedures relating to the first public part of the meeting.
Opening Candidate Remarks
Introduce each candidate, allowing them a brief time, such as two minutes, to present their background and qualifications for the pertinent elective office. A person in the back of the room can signal when time is up.
Questions and Answers
The meeting leader invites questions from the audience for the candidates to answer. In a large crowd, allow only written questions, which are handed to the leader to select according to the broad, general interests of all. Allow each candidate a brief, equal time to respond, such as one minute.
Concluding candidate remarks
Allow each candidate two minutes for concluding remarks. Reverse the order of presentation from how it was conducted for opening remarks.
Voting procedures
The meeting leader expresses appreciation for the attendance of all candidates; then, adjourns the meeting briefly for about 15 minutes, to allow candidates and those in the general public to leave as they wish. Before adjourning, inform the audience that voting will take place after the break among those that are qualified.
After the break, call the meeting to order again and begin by explaining the relevant voting procedures. Direct voters to look at their ballots to understand how to mark them properly. Show how a vote is cast, and review the specific features of the voting procedure, and any relevant percentages, such as 60%, to sustain any specific result. (PVC 7.1)
Balloting
The ballot box, about the size of a shoe box, has a slit in the top. Ballots are colored differently, to distinguish between each vote in the balloting process. Separating the colors also helps assure that each voter casts no more than one ballot each time. For example, first vote is using the white ballot; second voting is blue, etc.
After all ballots are received, count them in a secure and reliable manner. Report results as they occur, and continue further balloting as needed until the voting process is complete.
Completing the meeting
At the end of the meeting, report all voting results, and post them in a written form, if possible. Dismiss those still present with appreciation for their attendance. Inform them also that the voting results will be posted to all affiliated patriot groups for their final vetting decision on each candidate.