FLATHEAD COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE BY-LAWS

By-Law Committee Report,  January 2006

 

ARTICLE I ? Name

            Flathead County Republican Central Committee (FCRCC)

 

ARTICLE II ? Objectives

            Section 1.  To recruit, educate, and train individuals to run for public office that uphold the Republican principles, platform and the State Constitution.

Section 2.  To inform and educate the public on the principles and ideals for which the Republican Party stands, its candidates, and issues that promote such.  

Section 3.  To facilitate cooperation among Republican organizations that work for the election of Republican candidates.

Section 4.  To provide support for Republican candidates financially and through volunteers.

Section 5.  To support elected Republican officials.

Section 6.  To increase voter registration.

 

ARTICLE III ? General Provisions

            Section 1.  Authority.  These rules are created for the governance of the FCRCC.  These rules shall be effective when not in conflict with State law or rules and regulations of the Montana Republican Party and will govern the organization, the conduct of its meetings, its officers, committees, precinct people and the business of the FCRCC.

            Section 2.  Effective Date.  These, rules and any amendments shall be effective when adopted by a two thirds (2/3) vote of eligible voters present at a general meeting.

Section 3.  Amendments.  These by-laws may be amended, repealed, or additional rules added at any general or special meeting of the FCRCC by a two thirds (2/3) vote of eligible voters present.  A copy of the proposed changes must be delivered at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which it will be voted upon. 

 

ARTICLE IV ? Membership

            Section 1.  The FCRCC shall consist of the duly elected or appointed precinct committeemen and committeewomen of each precinct in Flathead County.  The precinct committeemen and committeewomen shall hold office for a period of two years from the date of their election or if appointed until the next precinct election date.  The duly elected or appointed precinct committeemen and committeewomen are the voting members of the FCRCC.

            Section 2.  Ex-officio members of the FCRCC consist of Flathead County residents who hold public office through election or appointment in the Republican Party.  They are granted floor privileges but are not entitled to make motions or vote.

            Section 3.  Other attendees to the FCRCC general meetings are granted floor privileges, which do not include the right to make motions or to vote.  The Chairperson, in his/her discretion, has the authority to withdraw the privileges from any person or persons for actions deemed inappropriate or for the good of the meeting.

 

ARTICLE V ? Conventions and Election of Officers

            Section 1.  FCRCC must hold a convention each odd-numbered year between April 15 and May 15 for the purpose of organizing the FCRCC.  The convention shall be called and notice of the call must be given as provided by State law. 

            Section 2. An officers nominating committee of not less than three shall be nominated and elected from the floor at the February or March meeting of the convention year.  Their slate shall be presented at the convention.  Additional nominations may be made from the floor during the convention providing there is a second for the motion.  If there are two or more candidates vying for one office a secret ballot will be used to determine the office holder.

            Section 3.  The FCRCC Chairperson shall preside at the county convention and no person other than a duly elected or appointed committeeman or committeewoman or their verified proxy is entitled to participate at the convention.  Only duly elected or appointed precinct committeemen and committeewomen or their verified proxy holder will be allowed to vote.

            Section 4.  If a committeeman or committeewoman is absent, by not appearing either in person or by proxy, the convention may fill the vacancy by appointing a qualified elector of the party, a resident in the precinct, to represent the precinct during the convention.  

Section 5.  A precinct committeeman or committeewoman may appoint a proxy to represent him or her at the convention, but no proxy may be recognized unless held by an elector of the precinct of the committeeman or committeewoman executing it.

            Section 6. The FCRCC shall elect the following officers to serve for a period of two years:  Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson (one of whom shall be a man and one of whom shall be a woman) Secretary, Treasurer, State Committeeman and State Committeewoman, Congressional Committeeman and Congressional Committeewoman, Finance Chairperson, and other officers as deemed appropriate. 

The officers need not be precinct people but must be registered electors of Flathead County.

            Section 7. A quorum for the transaction of any business at the County Convention shall be a majority of the eligible precinct committeemen and precinct committeewomen as represented in person or by verified proxy. 

           

ARTICLE VI ? Officers of FCRCC

            Section 1.  Duties of Officers

A.     Chairperson:  The Chairperson shall be the recognized leader of the FCRCC.  He or she shall preside at all meetings of the FCRCC, the Executive Committee, and all Republican Conventions, except that he or she may appoint a convention chairperson to preside over the business of the convention.  The Chairperson shall appoint all committees, except the Executive Committee, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.  He or she shall represent the FCRCC in an official capacity and shall have the usual powers of supervision and management as pertaining to the office of a chairperson.

B.     Vice-Chairperson:  The Vice Chairperson shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson.  In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson.  If the Vice-Chairperson is a woman, she shall be the liaison officer between the FCRCC and the Flathead County Republican Women?s Club.  If the Vice-Chairperson is a man, the Chairperson may appoint, with approval of the Executive Committee, a woman who may serve as the liaison officer between the FCRCC and the Flathead County Republican Women?s Club. 

C.     Secretary:  The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the FCRCC general meetings, Executive Committee meetings and all Republican Conventions.  These minutes shall be made available at the next appropriate meeting.

The Secretary shall keep the roll of membership, and submit appropriate forms to the Flathead County Election Department after the appointment of precinct committeepersons. The Secretary shall submit to the State Central Committee a report within five (5) days of the County Convention results.  Failure to file the report within the allotted time period may result in the county delegation not being seated at the next State Convention

D.    Treasurer:  The Treasurer shall collect lunch monies at the general FCRCC monthly

meetings and pay lunch bill accordingly.  The Treasurer shall prepare a report for the general FCRCC meeting of an accounting for all receipts and disbursements of the FCRCC and insure the timely filing of all reports required to be made to any governmental body or agency by the FCRCC.  All disbursements shall be made only upon presentation of valid receipts or billing statements with a check countersigned by either of the two persons who have been authorized to do so by the FCRCC, the Treasurer and/or the Finance Chairperson.  All disbursements shall be made within the boundaries of the annually approved budget.   The Treasurer shall present an annual report to the FCRCC Convention of the financial affairs.  The books of the Treasurer shall be reviewed each March by an Audit Committee appointed by the Chairperson and at every change in incumbency in the office if requested by the incoming Treasurer.

E.     State Committeeman and State Committeewoman: They shall attend and represent the FCRCC at the State Delegate Convention and participate in accordance with the State Party rules.

F.      Congressional Committeeman and Congressional Committeewoman: They shall be the liaison with the Congressional Delegation.  They shall attend and represent the FCRCC at the Republican State Convention and participate in accordance with the State Convention rules.  

G.    Finance Chairperson:  The Finance Chairperson along with the Finance Committee shall determine an annual budget for the FCRCC.  The proposed budget shall be presented to the FCRCC at the February meeting where it shall be voted upon  Any deviation of expenses on a passed budget must be approved by the FCRCC Executive Committee.  The Finance Chairperson in collaboration with the Finance Committee shall raise funds for the use of the FCRCC to carry out said budget.  The Finance Chairperson is authorized, along with the Treasurer, to sign checks and make disbursements on behalf of the FCRCC.

H.    Compensation:  No elected official of the FCRCC shall be a paid employee of the Party, nor shall they be entitled to financial compensation other than reimbursement for expenses directly related to business on behalf of the FCRCC.

 

            Section 2.  Term, Removal, and Vacancies of Officers:

A.    Term of Office.  All officers shall hold office for a term of two years.  No officer shall hold office for

more than two consecutive terms.

B.     Removal from office. An office holder may be removed from office for cause by announcing the cause at any general meeting and obtaining a ? vote of the eligible voting members present at the following general meeting.

C.     Resignation. Resignation of officer submitted between general meetings shall be announced at the first general meeting following receipt of said resignation.  If a resignation is rendered during a general meeting the vacancy shall be filled at the next general meeting or any subsequent meetings thereafter.

D.    Replacement. FCRCC Officer. In the event of a vacancy in any officer position which entitles the holder to membership on the FCRCC Executive Committee, except for committeeman or committeewoman, due to death, resignation, failure to maintain status as an elector of Flathead County, or removal from the county, or cause as determined by ? of the eligible voting members present, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of the eligible voting members of the FCRCC present at their next general meeting following the vacancy announcement or any subsequent meetings thereafter.

 

ARTICLE VII ?Precinct Committee Persons

            Section 1.  Election of Precinct Committeeman and Precinct Committeewoman

A.    To run for the position of precinct committeeman or committeewoman a

candidate must file the appropriate filing form at the Flathead County Election Department as required by Flathead County election law and be duly elected by the public at the appropriate election.

B.     The Committeeman and Committeewoman must be a registered voter and live in the

precinct they file in.

 

            Section 2. Precinct Committeeman and Committeewoman Vacancies

A.    At the meeting following the election of precinct committeeman and committeewoman the Chairperson shall announce any vacant precinct positions.  These vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote of the eligible voting members of the FCRCC present at any subsequent meetings. 

B.     Vacancy in a Precinct Office due to death, resignation, or failure to maintain status

as an elector of the county shall be announced at the next general meeting upon learning of the vacancy.  The position may be filled by a majority vote of the eligible voting members of the FCRCC present at their next general meeting following the announced vacancy or any subsequent meetings thereafter.

C.     Immediately after an appointment is made to fill a precinct position

notice must be filed by the secretary with the County Clerk and Recorder and the State Republican Headquarters.

D.    Vacancies in the office of Precinct Committeeman or Committeewoman

must be filled not less than sixty (60) days prior to the county officers? convention or county delegate convention in order for the person appointed to fill such vacancy to be eligible to vote at such conventions, either in person or by proxy. 

 

ARTICLE VIII ? FCRCC Executive Committee

            Section 1.  The FCRCC Executive Committee shall consist of the duly elected officers, the President of Flathead County Republican Women, the Chairperson of Pachyderm Club, the Chairperson of College Republicans and the Chairperson of Young Republicans. 

Section 2.  Executive Committee meetings shall be held between the scheduled time of the general meeting at a time determined convenient to the Executive Committee members.

            Section 3.  The FCRCC Executive Committee is charged with the execution of the county party?s policies and programs between general meetings of the FCRCC.

            Section 4.  Members of the FCRCC Executive Committee shall be entitled to participate in the proceedings of the FCRCC, but shall not include the right to vote unless they are also a precinct committeeman or committeewoman.

 

ARTICLE IX ? Committees

            Section 1.  The Chairperson shall have the power to appoint standing or special committees as deemed necessary or desirable from time to time.

            Section 2.  The Committee Chairperson shall designate a committee member to take minutes of

committee activities and make these minutes available to the Executive Committee and/or FCRCC.

            Section 3.  The term of the members of all committees appointed by the Chairperson shall automatically expire at the conclusion of business for which the committee was appointed, at the conclusion of each term of office of the Chairperson, or upon the resignation or removal of the Chairperson from office.

             

ARTICLE X ? General Meetings.

            Section 1.  General meetings of the FCRCC shall be held the second Thursday of the month unless otherwise determined at a prior meeting.

            Section 2. General meetings of the FCRCC may be called by the Chairperson, by the majority of the members of the FCRCC Executive Committee, or by a majority of the voting members of the FCRCC.

            Section 3.  A quorum at the general meeting is derived of eligible voting members present.  Any votes taken must pass by a simple majority (other than by-law amendments which require a 2/3 vote of eligible voting members present, Article III, Section 3).

                       

ARTICLE XI ? Rules

            Section 1.  The FCRCC may adopt rules for the governing of the county Republican Party in Flathead County including rules governing campaign literature for public distribution.  These rules may not be inconsistent with any of the provisions of the election laws of this state or with the rules of the Montana State Central Committee.

 

ARTICLE XII ? Proxies

            Section            1.  Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen shall be entitled to vote in person or by approved written proxy. 

            Section 2.  A person holding a proxy must be a resident of the same precinct as the committeeperson being represented by said proxy holder.

Section 3.  A proxy need not be held by a person of the same sex as the committeeperson being represented by said proxy holder. 

Section 4.  Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen may vote in their own right and may hold and vote the proxy of an absent precinct committeeperson.  A proxy holder may carry no more than one proxy.         

 

ARTICLE XIII ? Voting Eligibility           

            Section 1.  As spelled out in Montana State By-laws, only duly elected precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be allowed to vote at FCRCC meetings.  Ex-officio members, general attendees, and executive committee office holders unless duly elected or appointed precinct people or proxy holders are not entitled to vote.

            Section 2.  All elected or appointed precinct committeemen and committeewomen or their designated proxy holders will check in before the meeting and receive their precinct card, which will be used and shown for qualification purposes during all votes.

 

ARTICLE XIV ? Robert?s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the FCRCC.  There may be a Parliamentarian either elected or appointed.