RULES
OF THE
LAURENS COUNTY
REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
Rules of the LCRP
1.1 All electors who are in accord with the principles of the
Republican Party, believe in its declaration of policy and are in sympathy with
its aims and purposes may participate as members of the Laurens County
Republican Party (hereinafter "CRP") in its conventions or mass
meetings. All chairmen and members of committees, delegates to conventions and
voters in mass meetings, provided for in these Rules, shall be members of the
CRP and must be electors of the respective units, which they represent as
chairmen, members, delegates, or voters in mass meetings, except as provided in
Rule 2.5.1.
1.2 To participate in a precinct or county convention, any
challenged voter and/or delegate must sign a statement swearing (or affirming)
belief in the principles of the REPUBLICAN PARTY.
2.1 There shall be a committee in the County officially known as
the “Laurens County Republican Committee” hereinafter the “County Committee.”
The County Committee exercises county-wide jurisdiction and control over party
affairs, as defined by and required O.C.G.A. § 21-2-113, which powers may
in part be delegated as provided in the County Rules to a subcommittee of the
County Committee called the “County Executive Committee”. As soon as an officer
qualifies to run for an elected public office, that officer shall be deemed to
have resigned from the County Committee.
2.2 The County Committee shall consist of the following members
who shall be voting members unless otherwise specified:
A.
The County Executive Board consisting of:
·
The County Chairman
·
The First Vice Chairman
·
The Second Vice Chairman
·
Secretary
·
Treasurer
·
Any Member of the District or State Committee residing in the county
·
Voting Members appointed by the County Chairman
1. Finance Chairman
2. General Counsel
·
Non-Voting Members appointed by the County Chairman
1. Parliamentarian
B. The Precinct Chairmen elected by the Precinct Mass Meetings
C. Auxiliary Officials
·
The Immediate Past Chairman of the County Committee
·
The Chairman of the Local Chapter of the Georgia Republican Women
D.
Elected Officials
·
Any Republican Elected Official
residing in the County
E.
Such other members as may be determined by the County Convention, with
not less than one member from each Precinct in said County in which there was a
Mass Meeting, or a combined Mass Meeting as provided in State Rule 5.12 of the
Georgia Republican Party (GRP).
2.3 DUTIES
OF THE COUNTY COMMITTEES, CONTESTS AND APPEALS
The County Committee shall call and make
arrangements for the County Convention and the Precinct Mass Meetings or County
primary and fix the basis of representation by Delegates to the County
Convention and the time and place for holding the County Convention consistent
with the Rules and the State Call. It shall cooperate with the State Committee
and its District Committee in conducting all elections within its boundaries.
Each County Committee shall decide all controversies and contests arising
within its jurisdiction, with the right to appeal to the District Committee
within whose boundaries the dispute has arisen. If an appeal is made, it must
be taken to the District Committee if the county is located entirely within a
district and if not to the State Committee within thirty (30) days after the
decision appealed from, by petitions signed by at least twenty-five (25)
qualified Republican voters of the political unit affected.
2.4
ELECTION
OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMITTEE
The officers and members of the County Committee
shall be elected by the respective County Conventions or by primary election,
if such primary be held in accordance with these Rules. They shall begin office
at the adjournment of the County Convention and shall hold office for two years
and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, unless sooner
removed in accordance with these Rules. Any County Committee shall have the
right to increase or alter membership as the County Committee rules consistent
with these Rules. As soon as an officer qualifies to run for an elected public
office, he shall be deemed to have resigned.
2.5
DUTIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS
2.5.1
COUNTY CHAIRMAN
The County Chairman shall be
the chief executive officer of the County Committee. The County Chairman shall
preside at all meetings of the County Committee and the County Executive
Committee. In the absence of a Mass Meeting Chairman the County Chairman shall
appoint a conveyor of the Mass Meeting, who shall preside until a temporary
chairman is elected. The conveyor shall not necessarily be an elector of the
area in which the Mass Meeting was held. The County Chairman shall preside at
each County Convention, until replaced by a temporary Convention Chairman, and
shall appoint such Sergeants-at-Arms as may be necessary to maintain order. The
County Chairman shall appoint interim County Convention Committees and their
respective Chairmen subject to the approval of the County Executive Committee.
These interim committees shall consist of:
Nominating Committee
Rules Committee
Resolutions Committee
Platform Committee
Credentials Committee
The Chairman shall exercise all
duties, responsibilities, and powers not inconsistent with these rules as may
be delegated to him by the County Convention, the County Committee, or the
County Executive Committee.
2.5.2 FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN
The First Vice-Chairman
shall act in the absence of the County Chairman and shall perform other duties
assigned by the County Chairman, the County Committee, or the County Executive
Committee.
2.5.2
SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN
The Second Vice-Chairman shall have the primary
responsibility for recruitment of candidates for public office, and the
recruitment of all interested and qualified individuals in the County
Republican Party.
2.5.3 SECRETARY
The Secretary shall keep minutes of the County
Committee and County Executive Committee meetings and shall be the custodian of
those minutes. The Secretary shall also serve as secretary to all County
Conventions until temporary organization of the Convention is completed. The
Secretary shall give all notices required for meetings under these Rules and
shall furnish copies of all minutes required. The Secretary shall, under the
direction of the County Committee, which shall meet for that purpose
immediately before each County Convention, prepare the temporary roll of
Delegates and Alternates of the said County Convention, placing thereon the
names of all who are certified to the Secretary by the respective Precinct
Chairmen. Said roll shall govern the proceedings of the County Convention until
changed by the County Convention itself. The Secretary shall keep a roster of
the names and addresses of all County Officers and County Committee members and
shall perform such other duties prescribed by the County Committee.
2.5.4 TREASURER
The Treasurer shall have the custody and
responsibility of the funds of the CRP, shall deposit said funds in a bank or
banks selected by the Executive Committee, which funds may be drawn as
prescribed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall annually
secure an audit and same shall be presented to the County Committee at the
first meeting following the audit's completion. The Treasurer shall present at
each County and Executive Committee meeting a budget status and financial
report summarizing income, expense, assets and liabilities of the CRP.
2.5.5 FINANCE
CHAIRMAN
The Finance Chairman, if appointed, shall be
responsible for raising the funds of the CRP and for obtaining adequate
financing for the CRP. The expenditure of said funds shall be the
responsibility of the County Committee.
2.6
PRECINCT
COMMITTEEMEN
Unless Precinct Committeemen have been elected at
Mass Meetings, the County Committee may elect Precinct Committeemen. Each
Precinct Committee shall elect its own Chairman and other officers as it deems
necessary.
2.7
MEETINGS
OF THE COUNTY AND PRECINCT COMMITTEES
Meetings of the County and Precinct Committees shall
be held upon written notice mailed at least ten (10) days in advance, on the
call of the Chairman or on the call of one-third (1/3) of the members. Each
committee shall meet at least twice each year.
2.8
QUORUM
OF COUNTY, AND PRECINCT COMMITTEES
A majority of the voting members of each County and
Precinct Committee, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business, unless otherwise provided by their respective
rules.
2.9
PROXIES
FOR COUNTY AND PRECINCT COMMITTEES
Members of the County and Precinct Committees may be
represented by proxy; provided however, that a proxy may be given only to a
member of a respective committee. No member may vote more than five (5)
proxies. The County and Precinct Chairman may direct their proxy to another officer
of their respective committee.
2.10 REMOVAL FROM OFFICE OF
COUNTY, AND PRECINCT OFFICERS AND
COMMITTEEMEN BY THEIR OWN COMMITTEE
Any officer or member of a County or Precinct
Committee may be removed from office for cause by a vote of a two-thirds (2/3)
majority of a quorum present at any duly called meeting of the County or
Precinct Committee; provided however, such individual must be given written
notice of said meeting mailed at least thirty-two (32) days in advance thereof,
setting forth the grounds for removal, and be given an opportunity to be heard
in person or by his representative. "Cause" as used herein shall
include continued failure to perform his duties or conduct detrimental to the
best interests of the Party, all as may be determined by the vote of the County
or Precinct Committee. Any member appointed by the County Chairman may be
removed by the County Chairman. As soon as an officer qualifies to run for an
elected public office, that officer shall be deemed to have resigned.
2.11 REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
DEFAULTING COUNTY CHAIRMEN OR COMMITTEEMEN BY THE STATE COMMITTEE
Whenever the State Committee determines that any
County Committeemen or Chairman is subject to removal for cause as defined in
State Rule 2.10 of the GRP and remedial action has not been taken as provided
in State Rules 3.14 and 3.16 of the GRP, then within thirty (30) days after
written notice has been mailed to such County Committee, the State Committee
shall remove such old Committeeman or Chairman and shall appoint a new
Committeeman or Chairman. The Committeeman or Chairman thus appointed shall
perform the duties of the office until his successor is duly elected at a
County Convention.
2.12 VACANCIES IN OFFICES OF
COUNTY, AND PRECINCT COMMITTEES
Vacancies created by death, resignation, removal
from office, or other cause of any
County or Precinct Chairman, officers or Committee members shall be
filled by a majority vote of a quorum present of the voting members of the
respective committee.
2.13 THE
COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The County Committee may elect an Executive
Committee thereof, which shall have all the power of the full committee between
meetings thereof; provided, however, that the Executive Committee is composed
only of the County Executive Board and Seven (7) other members of the County Committee. A majority shall constitute a quorum.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for
executing the policy established by the full County Committee. In the event no
Executive Committee is named, the County Committee must exercise the powers
thereof.
3.1
THE
CALL
Upon receipt of the official State Call, the County
Chairman shall convene a meeting of the County Executive Committee to issue a
Call for all Mass Meetings in the County, for the purpose of electing (in
odd-numbered years only) Precinct officers, Committeemen, and (in both
odd-numbered and Presidential Election years) Delegates and Alternates to the
County Conventions. The County Conventions in odd-numbered years shall elect
officers and organize the Party in the County for the next two years and in
both odd-numbered and Presidential Election years shall elect Delegates and
Alternates, as set forth in the Call, to the Congressional District and State
Conventions.
3.2
PUBLICATION
OF NOTICE OF MASS MEETINGS
A. The County Chairman shall cause to be printed in a newspaper
of general circulation in each County the notice of the time and place of each
Mass Meeting not less than ten (10) days before the date of said Mass Meeting
and by such other notice as may be directed by the County Committee. It is
suggested that the time and place of the County and Congressional District
Conventions be included in this notice. The County Chairman shall send to the
Secretary of the State Committee at the State Party Headquarters a copy of the
publication, including the date of publication, within three (3) days of
publication.
B. The only required published notice shall be for Mass
Meetings. In the notice published by Counties fewer than 80,000 where the Mass
Meetings and County Convention are held under State Rule 5.12 of the GRP, the
notice shall specify that the Mass Meetings and County Convention will be held
at separate times on the same date at the same place.
3.3 ONLY ELECTORS WHO ARE
DELEGATES AND SEATED ALTERNATES MAY VOTE
Only qualified, registered, resident electors of a
given Precinct, State Rule 5.11 District, or County may be elected as a
Delegate or Alternate, or hold office in the respective Mass Meeting or Convention.
3.4
USE
OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Mass Meetings shall be held in buildings appropriate
for public use, where practical and, except in the case of a State Rule 5.11
District, within the geographic limits of the political subdivision for which
the Mass Meeting is conducted. The County Conventions shall be held in
buildings appropriate for public use, where practical, in the respective
Counties.
3.5
CONVENTIONS
OPEN TO PUBLIC
The Mass Meetings and Conventions shall be open to
the public as spectators.
3.6
REPORTS
AND FILING OF CREDENTIALS
A. Mass
Meetings:
Immediately after adjournment of the Mass Meeting,
the Chairman of the Mass Meeting shall file a list (including residence
addresses and telephone numbers) of Delegates and Alternates elected to the
respective County Convention, certified by the Chairman and Secretary of the
Mass Meeting with the Secretary of the State Committee at GRP headquarters,
together with evidence of compliance with the requirements of published notice,
and with the Chairman of the County in which the Mass Meeting was held along
with (in odd-numbered years) a certified list of the officers and committeemen
of the organization(s) duly elected at said Mass Meeting. One set of the lists
will be retained by the Mass Meeting Secretary. The County Chairman shall
immediately send a copy of the list of Delegates and Alternates to the County
Convention to the Secretary of the State Committee at GRP headquarters. The
copy of the list must be addressed and postmarked or delivered to the appropriate
authority within 5 days of the adjournment of the respective convention.
B. County
Conventions:
Immediately after the adjournment of the County
Convention, the Convention Chairman shall file a list (including residence
addresses and telephone numbers) of the Delegates and Alternates elected to the
Congressional District and State Conventions, certified by the Chairman and
Secretary of the County Convention, with the Secretary of the State Committee
at GRP headquarters, accompanied by (in odd-numbered years) a certified list of
the officers and Executive Committee of the County organization duly elected by
the County Convention along with evidence that the call and notice were
published as required in the Rules, and with the Chairman of each Congressional
District in which the County is located, accompanied by (in odd-numbered years)
a certified list of the officers and Executive Committee of the County
organization duly elected at the Convention. A copy of the lists will be
retained by the Secretary of the County Committee. The copy of the list must be
addressed and postmarked or delivered to the appropriate authority within 5
days of the adjournment of the respective convention.
3.7 ACCESS
TO LISTS
Any elector offering as a candidate for the position
as an officer, Delegate or Alternate in the GRP shall be entitled to access on
an equitable basis to the lists of the Delegates and Alternates who are
certified to vote in the elections for these positions.
3.8 APPOINTMENT
OF A TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN OF MASS MEETINGS
Each County Chairman shall appoint a temporary
Chairman of the Mass Meeting, in the absence of a permanent Chairman of the
political subdivision used to conduct the Mass Meeting.
3.9 NO
CONVENTION BUSINESS WHILE COMMITTEES ARE IN SESSION
No official business shall be transacted at any
Convention while any of its Committees are in session.
4.1 RULES OF ORDER
Except to the extent modified by these Rules, Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised
(Copyright 2000) shall be followed in all meetings and conventions.
4.2 PERMANENT RULES
COMMITTEE
The County Chairman may, with the approval of the
County Executive Committee, appoint a permanent Rules Committee. If appointed,
the permanent Rules Committee shall prepare recommended rules and order of
business for the conduct of each County Convention in advance thereof, which
rules and order of business shall be submitted to the rules committee of each
County Convention for its consideration and report to the County Convention in
session. The permanent Rules Committee shall make a report concerning the Rules
at Each meeting of the County Committee and County Executive Committee.
4.3 AMENDMENTS
TO THE RULES
These Rules may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of
those present at a legally constituted meeting of the County Committee,
provided that the notice by which the meeting is called shall have contained in
writing the full text of the proposed amendment or that the text of such an
amendment shall have been proposed at a previous County Committee meeting and
shall have been recorded in full in the minutes of said meeting, and providing
that such amendment is not in contravention with the rules of the Georgia
Republican Party or the rules of the Republican National Committee, and further
providing that such amendment shall not be inconsistent with the laws of the
United States, the laws of the State of Georgia, or any applicable local
laws. Any revision of any proposed
amendment that occurs as a result of the process of deliberation shall not
require additional publication for the purposes of continued consideration
insofar as the revision does not substantially alter the intent or the effect
of the amendment. Amendments to an
amendment or attachments ("riders") to an amendment that are not
material to the subject matter of the originally proposed amendment or which
substantially alter the intent or the effect of the originally proposed
amendment shall not be permitted as a part of the amendment.
4.4 RULES FOR COUNTY
COMMITTEE
At each County Convention, rules shall be adopted
for the County, not inconsistent with the Rules of the GRP. In accordance with
the Georgia Election Code, a certified copy of the County Rules must be filed
with the county election superintendent. The County Chairman shall file a copy of the County Rules with each
District Chairman of the appropriate District and with the Secretary of the
State Committee. Any amendments to such rules shall be similarly filed. All
such filing shall be within thirty (30) days after the adoption of the Rules or
Amendments as the case may be.
5. CANDIDATES
FOR ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICE
5.1 OATH
OF AFFIRMATION OF CANDIDATES
Any candidate for elective office running as a
Republican Party candidate shall submit to the County Executive Committee of
the Party the following oath affirming his or her allegiance to the party by
signing the following oath:
I DO SWEAR OR AFFIRM MY ALLEGIANCE TO THE GEORGIA
REPUBLICAN PARTY. Signature of Candidate: ____________________
Date: __________________
6. MISCELLANEOUS RULES
6.1 FORM
OF PROXY
All proxies shall be in writing, shall be signed by
the maker, and shall be substantially in the following form:
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, THAT I
____________________ OF _________________
do hereby constitute and appoint _____________________ my true and lawful
attorney to vote at a meeting of the ______________________ Committee to be
held on _________ day of ______________, 20___, or at any adjourned meeting
thereof, and for me in my name, place and stead to vote upon any question that
properly may come before such meeting, with all the power that I should possess
if personally present, hereby revoking all previous proxies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed my seal this _____ day of _______________________, 20_____ at _______
o’clock __A/P.M.
6.2 REMOVAL
FROM PARTY OFFICE
If a member of the County Committee or a Precinct
Committee shall publicly advocate the election of another candidate for an
office for which the Republican Party has nominated a candidate, that advocacy
shall be cause for which that member may be removed from party office.
6.3 EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THESE RULES
These Rules and any amendments thereto, shall become
effective immediately upon their adoption.
Submitted by the Rules Committee, Laurens County
Republican Convention held at Dublin, GA this 8th day of March,
2003.
Howard
C. Woodard
Howard C. Woodard, Ed.D
Chairman of Rules Committee
Adopted in Convention on this 8th Day of
March, 2003
Buddy
Adams
Carson Lester
Chairman of County Convention Secretary of County Convention