Sanpete County Republicans

(Transcribed as a “mirror image” transcription with no spelling or grammatical corrections made to the original text furnished by the Party)

Adopted April 4, 1994

Amended April 2, 1998

As citizens of Sanpete County, State of Utah, we do hereby establish this Constitution of the Sanpete County Republican Party in order to support the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Utah; to support local, state and National Republican Parties in so far as they support the Sanpete County Republican Party Platform; to seek support for and elect capable and effective candidates for elective public office; and to govern the affairs of the Sanpete County Republican Party.

            This Constitution is established under the provisions of and in accordance with the Utah Code Annotated, as amended.  Future changes in the laws governing political parties or court decision that adjudge any provision herein to be invalid shall have the immediate effect of amending this Constitution and shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remaining provisions.  The Party shall comply with the law; and the Central Committee by a majority vote of the quorum present shall adopt revised wording of the Constitution to conform with the law.  This action shall not require ratification by a convention.

            Membership in the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY shall be open to all residents of SANPETE COUNTY who identify themselves with the Republican Party.

A.     The SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY shall be organized into geographic subdivisions identified from smallest to largest as follows:

               1.      VOTING PRECINCTS as established by law.

               2.      ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS, each of which shall consist of a number of voting districts, as set by the Steering Committee from time to time and ratified by the Central Committee.

 3.      The SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY as a whole, with its three governing committees: The Central Committee, The Executive Committee and the Steering Committee.

 B.     The Officers of each Voting Precinct shall be elected by ballot at the Mass Meeting Caucuses and shall consist of at CHAIRPERSON, VICE-CHAIRPERSON & VICE-CHAIRPERSON of the opposite gender, when possible a SECRETARY/TREASURER and the committee members as specified by law or party by-laws, all of whom shall serve until the completion of the Mass Meeting Caucuses held in the EVEN NUMBERED years.

 C.     The Officers of each ADMINISTRATIVE AREA shall consist of a CHAIRPERSON & VICE-CHAIRPERSON.  Each precinct shall nominate one party member, living within their precinct, to be placed on a ballot to be voted on by area county delegates at the nominating convention.  Nominee receiving the most votes will become the CHAIRPERSON and the nominee receiving the second most votes will become the VICE-CHAIRPERSON.  These officers shall serve for two year terms.

 D.     The three elected officers of the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY shall be elected by ballot at the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY ORGANIZING CONVENTION in accordance with law and shall consist of a CHAIRPERSON, VICE-CHAIRPERSON of the opposite gender, and a SECRETARY/TREASURER, whose terms of office begin two weeks after the Organizing Convention.

 E.      The SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY shall be governed by three committees:

1.      The STEERING COMMITTEE shall consist of the three elected County Party Officers.  The Steering Committee shall meet as needed, but not less than bi-monthly.  Additional meetings shall be held at the call of the County Chairperson or at the request of two of its members.  A quorum shall consist of a majority of its members.

2.      The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE shall consist of the STEERING COMMITTEE members and the ADMINISTRATIVE AREA Chairpersons.  The Executive Committee shall meet as needed, but not less than quarterly.  Additional meetings shall be held at the call of the County Chairperson or at the request of four of its members.  A quorum shall consist of a majority of its members.

3.      The CENTRAL COMMITTEE shall consist of the VOTING PRECINCT and ADMINISTRATIVE AREA Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons, STEERING COMMITTEE members, and all Republican WELECTED OFFICIALS residing in Sanpete County.  The CENTRAL COMMITTEE shall meeet as needed, but not less than semi-annually, as set by the STEERING COMMITTEE.  A quorum shall exist when at least one-third of the VOTING PRECINCT officers are present.

F.    Ad-Hoc and Standing Committees may be appointed by any Chairperson or by any governing committee for their respective subdivision and shall be accountable to the appointing authority.

G.   The POWERS of the governing committees are as follows:

1.  The CENTRAL COMMITTEE and its officers shall have charge of the affairs of the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY.  All powers not specifically reserved by law for the Party Conventions or specifically delegated by this constitution are vested in the CENTRAL COMMITTEE.  The CENTRAL COMMITTEE may delegate specific powers to the STEERING COMMITTEE, to the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, or to individuals.  The powers of the CENTRAL COMMITTEE include, but are not limited to, the following:

a.   To specify the number of delegates to the County Party Conventions.

b.  To cause Mass Meeting Caucuses and County Conventions to be held.

c.   To certify the names(s) of another qualified candidate to the County Clerk when any candidacy or elected public office becomes vacant prior to elections and under conditions specified by law.

d.  Adopt by-laws consistent with law and this constitution.

e.   To approve budgets and amendments thereto.

f.   To approve amendments to this constitution for presentation to the County Party Convention.

g.   To establish the procedure for selecting SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY membership in the State Republican Party Central Committee.

h.   To resolve inconsistencies or contradictions in procedures established by law where not resolved by this Constitution.

i.    To adopt a formula which allocates Sanpete County State Delegate entitlement.

2.  The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE shall be primarily a screening committee for both the STEERING COMMITTEE and CENTRAL COMMITTEE.  The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, however, is delegated the following specific powers:

a.  To advise and assist the STEERING COMMITTEE in planning, scheduling, organizing and directing party activities, conventions and meetings.

b.  To review and recommend resolutions and motions for presentation to the CENTRAL COMMITTEE.

c.  To investigate charges or alleged malfeasance, misfeasances or nonfeasance in office by any Party Officer; to conduct hearings and make finding thereof, to remove officers based on its findings unless an appeal is made to the CENTRAL COMMITTEE; and to make reports of findings and recommendations to the CENTRAL COMMITTEE when as appeal is made.

d.  To approve interim appointment of officers, as needed.

3.  The STEERING COMMITTEE shall be responsible to conduct the daily operations of the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY and shall make decisions and take actions consistent with these responsibilities and in accordance with law, this Constitution and by-laws.  The STEERING COMMITTEE is delegated specific executive powers as follows:

a.  To plan, organize, direct and evaluate the affairs of the SANPETE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY, including the meetings of the three governing committees and Party Conventions.

b.  To prepare budget proposals and changes thereto, and to make payments for authorized expenditures from Party funds.  Such payments shall be made only by check, shall require the co-signatures of the SECRETARY TREASURER and another member of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

c.  To cause the by-laws and the Party Platform to be drafted and proposed to the appropriate committees and conventions.

d.  To recruit qualified candidates for elective office.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS AND DELEGATES

B. Officers shall provide, without discrimination or restriction, equal access to Party information and services within the officer’s responsibility to all Republican candidates for whom the officer’s constituents may vote.

C. The Sanpete County Republican Party Steering Committee shall direct the daily affairs of the Sanpete County Republican Party.  Additionally the Chairperson shall be the sole spokesperson for the Sanpete County Republican Party.

D. The Administrative Area Chairperson shall direct party affairs within their respective areas.  In addition to powers and responsibilities described in other articles, the Administrative Area Chairperson shall:

1. Supervise assigned Voting Precinct Chairperson to assure success of party programs.

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2. Provide communication between governing committees and Voting Precinct Officers.

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3. Preside over Administrative Area caucuses.

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4. Recommend and report location of Mass Meeting Caucuses.

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 E. The Voting Precinct Chairperson shall direct Party affairs within their respective districts.  In addition to posers and responsibilities described in other articles, the Voting Precinct Chairperson shall:

1. Preside at their Mass Meeting Caucuses.

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2. Direct fund-raising in the Precinct.

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3. Attend Central Committee Meetings and insure representation thereat.

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F. The Vice-Chairperson(s) shall preside and direct in the absence of their Chairperson, shall act as Parliamentarian for meetings at which the Chairperson presides, and shall attend Central Committee Meetings.

G. The Secretary/Treasurers shall provide notice of meeting to members, prepare agendas for and record minutes at which their Chairperson presides and shall maintain historical documents.

H. The Secretary/Treasurers shall receive, account for and turn in collected monies to the appropriate organization as directed and shall submit a financial report at each meeting of the body which elected them.

I. The County Secretary Treasurer shall maintain the checking and saving accounts of the Sanpete County Republican Party along with all relevant records pertaining thereto.

J. Delegates to the State and County Party Conventions shall attend both the nominating convention and organizing convention to which they were elected or appointed.  The procedure for selecting these delegates shall be determined by the Central Committee.

K. An officer or delegate who has moved out of the geographic subdivision to which they were elected or appointed shall be considered to have resigned, de facto, and shall not continue in that office nor in any ex officio positions associated with that office.

L. When a chairmanship becomes vacant the Vice-Chairperson shall succeed to the chairmanship without further approval, unless the Vice-Chairperson declines.

1. All other vacancies at any level shall be filled by appointment from the governing body at such level.

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 A. Mass Meeting Caucuses, Conventions, Central Committee Meetings, and all other meetings shall be set in accordance with State Law, this Constitution, the Sanpete County Republican Party By-Laws or at the call of the Steering Committee and in conjunction with the schedules of the State Republican Party.

B. The Sanpete County Republican Party Nominating Convention shall convene at a time and place set by the Steering Committee.  It shall be held in the even numbered years.  Convention business shall include but is not limited to the following:

1. Certification of County Delegates.

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2. Election of members of the Central Committee for the ensuing term by the following motion:  “I move that the membership of the Sanpete County Republican Party Central Committee consist of the Voting Precinct Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson; the Administrative Area Officers and Steering Committee Members and Elected Republican Officials residing in Sanpete County.”

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3. Selection of delegates of the State Republican Party Convention by the following motion:  “I move that the delegates to the Utah State Republican Party Convention from Sanpete County be those delegates appointed according to the formula adopted by the Central Committee and articulated in the By-Laws.  These delegates include those elected in their Mass Meeting Caucuses as well as the at-large delegates appointed according to that formula.  A list of the nominated delegates has been submitted to the Sanpete County Republican Party Secretary/Treasurer.”

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4. Adoption of a party platform.

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5. Nomination of candidates for County Offices, in accordance with convention rules as adopted by the Central Committee.

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6. Balloting:  Only certified delegates shall proceed to cast secret ballots for all contested offices on printed ballots provided by the County Secretary/Treasurer.  Balloting shall continue for such time as will afford all duly accredited delegates an opportunity to cast their ballots.

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7. Election results:  Ballots shall be counted by judges selected by the convention.  The two persons receiving the highest number of votes for any office shall be declared the party’s nominees to run in the primary election.  If one candidate receives seventy percent or more of the votes cast, they shall become the party’s candidate in the general election without running in a primary election.

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C. The Sanpete County Republican Party Organizing Convention shall convene at a time and place set by the Steering Committee.  It shall be held in the odd numbered years.  Convention business shall include but is not limited to, the following:

1. Election of the three County Party Officials.

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2. Such other business as may be set forth by the Central Committee.

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ARTICLE VI – BY-LAWS

A. By-Laws shall define responsibilities and establish specific policies and procedures to be followed by party officers, delegates, governing committees, conventions, administrative area caucuses and mass meeting caucuses and shall be consistent with the Constitution and the law.

B. Any member of the Central Committee may propose by-laws.

A. RATIFICATION:  This Constitution shall be binding when approved by a majority vote of the Central Committee quorum present and when ratified by a majority vote of the delegates at a Sanpete County Republican Party Convention.

B. AMENDMENTS:  this Constitution shall be amended when the proposed amendment is approved by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee quorum present and when ratified by a majority vote of the delegates at a Sanpete County Republican Party Convention.  Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Steering Committee, which may appoint a Constitution Committee to process them in accordance with the By-Laws.  Amendments shall take immediate effect when ratified by a convention.