Steele County Republican Party Constitution
(Revised March 2011)
The name of this organization shall be the Steele County Republican party of the State of Minnesota.
The membership of the Party shall be composed of all voters in Steele County who desire to support the principles and objectives of the Republican Party.
The purpose of the Republican Party shall be the maintenance and advancement of good government through promotion within Steele County of the principles and objectives of the Republican Party as determined by the National Republican Convention, the Minnesota Republican Convention, the First Congressional District Republican Convention, and the Steele County Republican Convention.
The management of the affairs of the Steele County Republican Party shall be vested in the County Executive Committee, subject to the direction of the State Central Committee, the State Executive Committee, the First Congressional District Committee, the Steele County Convention, the Constitutions of the State, First District, and County Parties, and the Statues of the State of Minnesota.
(a). Purpose: The purpose of the County Executive Committee shall be to represent Steele County Republicans and to establish and carry out policies and manage the affairs of the Steele County Republican Party.
(b). Duties: The duties of the County Executive Committee shall include, but are not limited to, establishment of effective financial campaigns, organization of each precinct within Steele County, assistance to the candidates of the Republican Party, and coordination of all Republican activities in Steele County. To accomplish these duties, the County Executive Committee may create and appoint such standing and temporary committees as it deems necessary.
(c). Membership: The County Executive Committee shall be composed of the party officers elected at the County Convention. The immediate past County Co-Chairs shall be considered ex-officio members for one year after the expiration of their term of office. The County Executive Committee may replace members who are not active on the Committee for six months.
Section 1: The County Executive Committee shall meet not less than six (6) times each year at the call of the County Co-Chairs or any five (5) members thereof. Written notice shall be mailed to all members of the County Executive Committee at least five (5) days in advance of each meeting. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transaction of business by the County Executive Committee.
Section 2: Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the proceedings of all meetings of the above-mentioned groups, except as otherwise provided herein.
Section 1: Officers of each precinct shall consist of a Chair, Co-Chair, and such other officers as may be prescribed by the County Executive Committee, elected during even-numbered years for a two-year term by a caucus of Republicans from each precinct at the County Caucus, in accordance with the applicable Statutes of the State of Minnesota. However, in the event that a precinct shall fail to elect officers at a regular precinct caucus, officers for such precincts may be selected by the County Executive Committee.
Section 2: The officers of the County Executive Committee shall consist of two Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and six Vice-Chairs to be elected for a two-year term by the delegates to the County Convention in each odd-numbered year. The County Executive Committee shall consist of five (5) men and five (5) women. In the event of a vacancy, the committee shall consist of at least four of each gender. A majority of the votes cast shall be required to any office.
Section 3: Before each County Convention in even-numbered years, the County Co-Chairs, with the approval of the County Convention Executive Committee, shall appoint a Nominating Committee to be approved by the County Convention. Such Nomination Committee shall prepare in odd-numbered years a slate of candidates for all elective officers of the County Executive Committee, to be submitted for the consideration of the County Convention, provided, however, that nominations may also be made from the floor. Nominations from the floor must have prior consent of the nominee.
Section 4: Before each County Convention in odd-numbered years, the County Co-Chairs, with the approval of the County Executive Committee, shall appoint a Nominating Committee to be approved by the County Convention. Such Nominating Committee shall prepare in even-numbered years a slate of delegate and alternates to the First District and State Conventions to be submitted for the consideration of the County Convention, provided, however, that nominations may also be made from the floor. Nominations from the floor must have prior consent of the nominee.
Section 5: The County Convention may in even-numbered years elect twice as many alternates as delegates to the First District and State Conventions. The seating of these alternates will take place according to Section 8 of Article VIII of the Steele County Republican Party Constitution.
Section 6: When new County Co-Chairs are elected at a County Convention held during the two-year period for which delegated and alternated have been elected to the First District and State Conventions, they will become automatic delegates to the First District and State Conventions. The immediate past County Co-Chairs shall be placed at the top of the alternate list to be elected to any existing vacancies in the delegate or alternate lists.
Section 1: Vacancies in precinct offices may be filled by appointment of the County Executive Committee, or if so directed by said body, by a meeting of Republicans residing within the precinct in which any vacancies have occurred.
Section 2: An officer of hr County Executive Committee may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote at any meeting of the County Executive Committee, provided that the officer whose removal is under consideration shall have been furnished with a detailed written statement of the complaint or charges against him at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting, and provided further that said officer shall be entitled to answer the complaint or charges against him before the entire County Executive Committee, if he s o desires, before the question is voted upon.
Section 3: An appointed member of the County Executive Committee may be removed by the appointed authority.
Section 4: The two County Co-Chairs shall be designated as delegates to any State Central Committee meeting. In the event that one or both of the County Co-Chairs is unable to attend a State Central Committee meeting, a member of the County Executive Committee may attend the State Central Committee meeting as an alternate.
Section 1: County Conventions of the Republican Party shall be held during the period and for the purposes designated by the Official Call issued by the State Executive Committee, the State Central Committee, or the First Congressional District Committee. The time and place therefore shall be determined by the County Executive Committee.
Section 2: Special County Conventions shall be held at the call of the State Executive Committee, the State Central Committee, the First Congressional District Committee, or any time deemed necessary by a majority of the members of the County Executive Committee.
Section 3: Delegates and alternates to the County Convention shall be selected in the manner prescribed by the State Executive Committee or the State Central Committee and set forth in the Official Call for such conventions. The number of delegates and alternates to the County Convention may be increased or decreased at the discretion of the Country Executive Committee, provided, however, that the basis for the appointment be uniform throughout the county. Delegates and alternates shall be selected for two-year terms and shall serve until their successors are duly elected and certified.
Section 4: Delegates and alternates who have moved form one precinct to another within Steele County during the two-year period between precinct caucuses, will be entitled to vote with their old precinct until new caucuses are held.
Section 5: Each delegate to the County Convention is entitled to one vote. There shall be no half votes. An alternate shall be seated upon receipt of the majority votes of the duly elected delegates from his precinct present at the convention. The order of the seating of alternates shall be determined one at a time. This may be done before the convention convenes.
Section 6: A county Convention, with the approval of sixty percent (60%) of the seated delegates at the convention, may recommend endorsement of candidates for public office, provided, however, that such endorsement shall be advisory only and that delegates to district and state conventions from said county shall not be bound by such endorsements.
Section 7: County Convention committees such as Credentials, Rules, Nominating, and Resolutions Committees shall consist of three or five (3 or 5) members of the duly elected delegates to the County Convention.
Section 8: Each delegate to the First Congressional District and State Conventions is entitled to one vote. There shall be no half votes. An alternate shall be seated upon receipt of the majority votes of the duly elected delegates from his county. The order of the seating of alternates shall be determined one at a time. This may be done before the convention convenes.
Section 1: The county party organization is affiliated with the Republican Party of Minnesota, and its activities shall be consistent with the objects, platforms, and principles of the official state organization. The provisions of the Constitution of the Republican Party of Minnesota shall govern if any part of this constitution is not consistent therewith.
Section 2: No member of the county organization shall be authorized to express the views or otherwise speak on behalf of any group within the Republican Party on any matters of policy unless the group has first considered and taken action on such matters. This shall not be construed to prevent any official of the county organization from freely expressing his opinions provided he makes clear that his statements are solely his personal views.
Section 3: The County Executive Committee shall not as a corporate body endorse candidates before or during an endorsing convention. If they do so as individuals, they should not identify themselves as County Executive Committee members.
Section 4: The provisions of this Constitution shall be presumed to be incorporated as a part of the rules of each County Convention, with such changes as the County Convention may determine, unless a contrary intention is expressly stated in such rules.
Section 5: Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to deny or abridge the rights of any voter to participate in any party caucus, primary, or convention in which he is entitled by law to participate.
This Constitution may be amended by a majority of the delegates present at any County Convention, provided that the proposed amendments shall have been first referred to a duly appointed Constitution Committee.