MSEA has a very fair, open, and thorough screening process for recommending candidates to its members and the general public:
All candidates for office receive an invitation to participate in the process.
Candidates must complete a questionnaire and participate in an interview to be eligible for recommendation. Statewide candidates interview with the MSEA president, and this information is distributed to our local presidents, who share it with their local boards and representative assemblies. Local candidates interview with their local association.
Candidates interested in receiving our endorsement often contact MSEA and local presidents directly to discuss their education platforms; they also attend local association representative assemblies, where they can meet with members.
For statewide candidates, the MSEA Endorsement Council—consisting of the MSEA Board of Directors, local presidents, chairs of the MSEA Legislative and Fund committees, and an additional representative from each local association—gathers to deliberate and make recommendations that go to the MSEA Representative Assembly (RA). For a candidate to receive the MSEA endorsement, the candidate must receive a minimum of 58% of the vote.
The RA, after hearing a brief live address from each candidate, votes on endorsements by secret written ballot. Candidates must receive at least 58% of the support from the RA in order to receive the MSEA endorsement.
Local associations forward their recommendations on local candidates to the MSEA Fund for Children and Public Education. After debate and discussion, the Fund recommends candidates to the MSEA Board of Directors for final approval.
Federal candidate endorsements must also be approved by the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education.
