Bylaws of The Utah County Republican Party: Article I - General
Bylaws of The Utah County Republican Party: Article I - General
Bylaws of The Utah County Republican Party: Article I - General
Of the
Utah County Republican Party
(as amended August 28, 2010)
Article I - General
A. Authority - These Bylaws are established in accordance with Article VIII of the Utah
County Republican Party Constitution dated April 28, 2001, as amended.
B. Purpose - These Bylaws are designed to establish specific procedures and rules which
will be followed by the Utah County Republican Party in performance of its
responsibilities. The Bylaws will provide either specific instructions or general
guidelines to be followed, as may be most appropriate.
C. Method of Approval - Any member of the Central Committee may propose Bylaws.
Proposed Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Constitution and Bylaws
Committee. After consideration by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the
Executive Committee, the Bylaws shall be submitted with recommendations to the
Central Committee for consideration. Approval of any new Bylaw or any amendments to
these Bylaws shall require a majority vote of a quorum present at any Central Committee
Meeting where written notice of any such change to the Bylaws has been previously
available (through any means including, but not limited to, publication on the Party
website, email, regular mail, and hand delivery) to all Central Committee members at
least 7 days prior to the meeting at which the vote will take place.
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7. Midterm vacancies in the Legislature
8. Committee Procedures
A. General -
1. The Utah State Republican Party Central Committee allocates the number of State
Delegate positions to each County. It is the responsibility of the Utah County
Republican Party to distribute its allocation in a manner which recognizes the
following:
2. As used in this bylaw, the following terms shall have the meanings given in this
section:
b. “Ex Officio Delegates” shall mean those persons who are nominated as
delegates pursuant to that formula as set forth in this Bylaw 2 to represent
the precinct at the state convention. Ex Officio Delegates shall have the
same privileges as Caucus Delegates.
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the allocation made herein. The allocation of the delegate positions in Utah
County will be distributed for nominations based on the following formulas:
4. Ex Officio Delegate positions are based on party or elected positions held. When
the qualifying position is no longer held, the individual will be considered to have
resigned as a delegate and his/her replacement, if any, will be nominated as a
delegate.
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accepted will revert to the appropriate Ex Officio replacement procedures
established in paragraph six below.
6. Recognizing that some voting precinct delegate position may not be filled for
various reasons, the following rules shall apply for filling Caucus Delegate
vacancies.
a. If a delegate was duly nominated at the Party Caucus, the Voting Precinct
Chair may appoint a replacement nominee up until the deadline date
established by the Steering Committee.
b. If a delegate was duly nominated at the Party Caucus and the Voting
Precinct Chair does not appoint a replacement by the deadline, the
allocation shall immediately revert to the Ex Officio formula.
c. If a delegate was not duly nominated at the Party Caucus, the allocation
shall immediately revert to the Ex Officio formula.
8. Recognizing that Caucus and Ex Officio Delegates may die, resign, or move from
the county, the following rules shall apply for replacing delegates:
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9. The list of nominated delegates will be compiled by the Party Secretary for
presentation to the Utah County Republican Party Convention for selection a
State Convention delegates.
A. The number and allocation of delegates to the Utah County Republican Party Convention
shall be as set forth in this bylaw and shall be listed as an attachment hereto. The
attachment shall be updated as needed to conform with this bylaw. All such updates shall
be reviewed by the Executive Committee to ensure the attachment accurately reflects the
enumeration and allocation made herein.
B. At least two delegate positions are allocated to each Voting Precinct to be filled by the
Voting Precinct Chair and Vice Chair. If the Voting Precinct Chair or Vice Chair
declines the position at the caucus, the caucus shall elect another person to fill that
position. An additional delegate is allocated to each Voting Precinct for each aggregate
500 Republican votes cast within that Precinct for contested statewide elective offices
(Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Auditor, and Attorney General) in the last
gubernatorial election.
C. Ex Officio delegate positions are allocated for the following offices when held by a
resident of Utah County:
D. If any delegate no longer qualifies under the criteria which made him/her a delegate, that
individual loses the delegate authorization and the delegate slot becomes vacant.
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the Voting Precinct Chair fails to make an appointment by the cut-off date set by the
Steering Committee, the Legislative District Chair may make the appointment in that
precinct subject to subsequent approval by the Central Committee. Vacancies occurring
in the Ex officio category are automatically filled by the individual entering the
qualifying position.
F. The Utah County Republican Party Secretary shall maintain a record of the votes per
Voting Precinct upon which the allocation of Voting Precinct delegates were based. This
record will be available to any individual upon request to the Secretary.
A. Allocation from state party. The sitting members of the Utah State Republican Party
Central Committee shall determine the number of positions on the State Central
Committee allocated to the Utah County Republican Party for the next two year term.
The allocation shall be proportional.
B. Election. The members of the State Central Committee from the Utah County
Republican Party shall be elected as follows:
1. The County Chair and County Vice-Chair shall serve as two of the county's
representatives to the State Central Committee.
C. Vacancies. Vacancies arising from death, resignation, or other cause, shall be filled by
the next highest eligible vote recipient from the list of candidates who ran for a seat on
the State Central Committee at the previous County Organizing Convention. In the case
of a tie, a coin toss will decide the one to whom the seat will be offered. If the list of
candidates has been exhausted, the vacancy will be filled by the County Executive
Committee. Names for consideration shall include anyone who in writing prior to the
next Executive Committee meeting indicates interest in serving. Any member of the
Executive Committee may present a name for consideration. The Executive Committee
shall approve a replacement at the regularly scheduled Executive Committee meeting to
select the replacement for unexpired term. The selected person shall serve without
ratification pending ratification by the County Central Committee at its next regularly
scheduled meeting.
D. De Facto Resignation. Upon any member of the State Central Committee missing three
State Central Committee meetings per term for any reason, that member shall be
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considered to have resigned, and shall be replaced according to the provision above on
filling vacancies.
A. In conducting the day-to-day affairs of the Utah County Republican Party, the Steering
Committee shall have the power to transfer between line items of the budget with the
approval of a majority of the Steering Committee, but only the Central Committee shall
have the power to change the total budget or to approve deficit spending.
B. Spending Limits.
1. All individual expenditures exceeding $5,000 must have the specific approval of
the Central Committee.
2. All individual expenditures exceeding $2,000 must have the specific approval of
the Executive Committee.
3. All individual expenditures of $500 or more must have specific approval of the
Steering Committee.
4. All individual expenditures of less than $500 must have the approval of at least
two of the four party officials who are checking signatories.
C. When handling cash from major fund drives, at least two unrelated people will open,
count, prepare and deliver the bank deposit.
D. When the Steering Committee makes payments for authorized expenditures from party
funds, such payments shall be made only by check, shall require the signatures of any
two of the four Elected County Party Officers, and shall have been approved by the
appropriate governing committee as budgeted.
E. On or before October 1st of each year, the Central Committee shall approve a budget for
the coming election cycle.
A. Elected and Appointed Officers - All elected and appointed Party officers, including
County Party Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and appointed Officers and
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Committee Members; all Legislative District Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Education Officers and
Committee members; all Voting Precinct Chairs, Vice-Chairs, Secretaries, Treasurers,
and Committee Members; and members of any other standing and/or ad hoc committees
shall, upon assuming office, agree to:
2. Publicly support only Republican candidates for partisan public office. Any
officer who publicly supports or runs as a non-Republican Party candidate in a
partisan race will be subject to removal for cause from his/her elected or
appointed office. (“Publicly supports” includes such things as, but is not limited
to, giving written or oral public endorsements, posting signs, allowing the use of
the officer’s name in campaign literature, writing letters to the editor, providing
money or in-kind contributions.)
3. Submit in writing to the Executive Committee, upon filing for any partisan public
office, notification of said filing and to take a Leave of Absence until no longer a
candidate for partisan public office. During the Leave of Absence, the Elected or
Appointed Officer will retain all Convention voting privileges associated with the
delegate status of the office. However, all obligations and responsibilities
specified for the office shall revert to the remaining officer holders for the
organization, precinct, or district.
4. Resign from their Utah County Republican Party office upon being elected to a
partisan public office.
B. Candidates for Public Office - All Republican candidates who have declared their
intention to seek a partisan elected office, county office or legislative office within Utah
County, shall be requested to meet with the Steering Committee, or its designee, prior to
convention to discuss written instructions, approved in advance by the Executive
Committee, regarding the Party's standards of and candidates willingness to adhere to:
1. Fitness for public office, including but not limited to maintaining the highest
degree of honesty, morality, and integrity and refraining from any conduct which
would cause embarrassment to the Party; and
2. Publicly support only Republican candidates for partisan public office; and
3. After the Utah County Republican Party has a nominee, any elected office holder
or candidate who supports (i.e. money or in-kind contributions, posting signs,
public endorsements, etc.) or runs as a non-Republican Party candidate will be
ineligible to run as a Republican during the next election cycle for any Utah
County Republican Party office or partisan elected office nominated by the Utah
County Republican Party.
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voting delegates prior to the convention, or take any other action consistent with
this Bylaw.
C. County Party Officers - All county level Party officers including the County Chair,
Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary; and the five Appointed Officers; must show
pre-convention and primary neutrality toward Republican candidates for public office
where Republican opposition exists. Such things as, but not limited to, written
endorsements or criticism, the use of officers' names in campaign literature (with or
without their Party titles), and written or verbal public statements, letters to the editor
favoring or disfavoring one Republican candidate over another, are prohibited for these
officers until the Party has chosen a nominee for the office in question. All other Party
Officers at the Legislative District and Precinct levels must likewise be neutral, but only
when using their party office titles either verbally or in writing.
1. Any member of the County Central Committee may file with the Executive
Committee a written and signed complaint containing specific allegations that a
Party officer or delegate has violated these standards. The Executive Committee
must act upon any such complaint in a timely manner, including the possibility of
removal for cause, as specified in Article III.G.2.d. of the Constitution.
2. The Central Committee may discipline any Party officer or delegate without prior
action by the Executive Committee, as specified in Article III.G.1.i. of the
Constitution.
3. Any officer or delegate removed for cause shall be ineligible to hold Party office
or delegate position in the next election cycle.
A. Voting Precinct Caucus Meetings shall be held by each Voting Precinct entitled to
delegates on the date determined by the State Republican Party leadership. The caucus
meetings shall be held each general election year for the purpose of organizing to
effectively participate in the political process as directed by the Central Committee.
1. Each Meeting shall convene at the time and place appointed, which place shall be
within the precinct or in a public building in a nearby precinct. Notice of the time
and place of the meeting shall be posted in at least three public places in the
precinct at least five days prior to the date of such meeting; and the notice shall
specify the number of delegates to the County Party Conventions to be elected.
2. Only citizens who will be at least eighteen years old by the next November
election and who reside in the Voting Precinct shall be entitled to vote in the
Voting Precinct Caucus.
3. Each Voting Precinct Caucus shall elect Voting Precinct Officers and County
Convention Delegates, shall nominate a specified number of Delegates to the
State Republican Party Conventions, and shall submit nominations for
Registration Agents and Election Judges to the County Clerk.
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4. Balloting, or the opportunity therefore, shall continue for at least one hour after
the time the meeting opens for business. The results of balloting shall be
submitted through Legislative District Chairs to the Steering Committee
immediately after adjournment.
B. The Legislative District Caucus shall be held between July 15 and December 1 following
the Organizing Convention. In any organizing year that follows a Federal Census (every
ten years), when approved by a majority vote of the Central Committee quorum present,
Legislative District Caucuses can be held anytime between the Organizing Convention
and February 1, following the Organizing Convention. Legislative District Committee
Members I and II or their replacements shall be appointed by the Legislative District
officers and shall serve until the completion of the next Legislative District organizing
caucus.
2. The Central Committee shall meet within one month of the Voting Precinct
Caucuses to set the schedule of meetings for the next six months and tentatively
for the next two years and for the members to learn their duties and become
familiar with this Constitution.
3. The Central Committee may at any meeting consider and vote upon changes to
these Bylaws or recommended changes to the Party Constitution.
D. Nominating Convention
1. The Utah County Republican Party Nominating Convention shall be held during
the month of April or May of each even-numbered year and before the State
Republican Party Nominating Convention, for the purpose of selecting party
candidates for the County Elections. Oral notice of the convention shall be given
at each Voting Precinct Caucus meeting and written notice shall be mailed to each
delegate. The Convention shall convene at the time and place designated by the
Executive Committee and shall conduct party business as directed by the
Executive Committee.
b. Election of members of the Central Committee for the ensuing term by the
following motion:
"I move that the voting membership of the Utah County Republican Party
Central Committee consist of the Voting Precinct Chairs and Vice-Chairs;
the Party's Elected County Officers; the Party's Appointed County
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Officers; the Legislative District Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Education
Officers; and all County, State and Federal Elected Officials."
"I move that we elect the Delegates to the Utah State Republican
Convention from Utah County. These Delegates are those persons
nominated as State Delegates according to the formula adopted by the
Central Committee in Bylaw 1. Those nominees include those nominated
in their Voting Precinct Caucuses and those nominated by the Steering
Committee as provided in Bylaw 1. A list of these nominated Delegates
has been submitted to the Convention Chair."
iii. If there are fewer than five candidates and no Candidate receives
sixty percent or more of the votes cast, or if no Candidate in the
second round of balloting described above receives at least sixty
percent of the votes cast, the two Candidates who receive the
highest number of votes shall be placed on a ballot and voting shall
proceed again. If one candidate then receives sixty percent or
more of the votes cast, he or she shall become the party’s
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Candidate in the General Election without running in the Primary
Election.
E. Organizing Convention
2. The Utah County Republican Party Organizing Convention business shall include
the election by ballot of the four County Party Officers and the State Central
Committee members as provided in the Bylaws. Only qualified members who
filed a declaration of their candidacy with the County Party Secretary at least
fourteen days before the convention shall have their names placed on the ballots
provided by the Party. The Convention Chair shall certify to the Convention the
election results.
F. The Executive Committee shall call other meetings and conventions as needed.
A. In the case of a mid-term vacancy of a Republican in the Utah State Senate or House of
Representatives for a district entirely within Utah County, the Party shall call a
convention of county delegates residing in the precincts comprising the district having the
vacancy for the purpose of electing a replacement.
B. Such election shall follow the same voting procedures and rules used for Nominating
Conventions as outlined in Bylaw 7, Section D, governing the selection of party
candidates, except as modified below.
1. If, after the round of balloting in which only two candidates remain, neither
candidate receives at least sixty percent of the votes cast, the vote totals for
each candidate shall be announced and voting proceed one last time. The
candidate who then receives the most votes shall be the Party’s selection to
fill the midterm vacancy.
2. In the case of a tie between the two remaining candidates, the Party selection
to fill the midterm vacancy shall be determined by a coin toss.
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C. Eligibility. Any candidate who was registered as a Republican in the most recent general
election and is currently eligible to file as a Republican candidate may file for a midterm
vacancy.
D. The Party Chair and Secretary shall certify the selection made under this bylaw to the
State Party Chair in accordance with Utah Code section 20A-1-5-3.
A. The Steering Committee shall meet as needed, but not less than once a month.
Additional meetings shall be held at the call of the County Party Chair or at the request of
any two Steering Committee members. A quorum shall consist of a majority of its
members.
1. When the Steering Committee vetoes motions passed by the Central Committee,
vetoes must be submitted in writing to the County Party Secretary at the meeting
where the motion is passed or no later than seven days thereafter. Vetoes
presented to the Secretary during the meeting in which the motion is passed may
be over-ridden by the Central Committee only at that meeting. If the veto occurs
after the meeting in which the motion is passed, the County Party Secretary shall
mail a notice to each member of the Central Committee, which notice shall
contain a copy of the motion, with the reason for the veto, and a call to a Central
Committee Meeting for the purpose of considering an over-ride of the veto. The
notice shall be mailed no later than seven days after the veto is received by the
Secretary. Each Central Committee Meeting called to consider an over-ride shall
be held no earlier than seven days after the notice is mailed and no later than
twenty-four days after the veto is received by the Secretary.
2. Each of the officers of the Steering Committee may appoint such committees
and/or assistants as needed to perform the functions of said office with the
approval of the Steering and Executive Committees, such committees and
assistants being accountable to the appointing authority. Such assistants or
committees may attend meetings of the Steering, Executive, and Central
Committees as needed when invited by the Party Chair, but shall have no voice
nor vote in any such meeting unless also a member of that body or unless invited
by the Party Chair to speak.
C. Central Committee. Proxies shall not be permitted, but a non-voting representative may
attend to obtain information on behalf of any absent member. The Central Committee
shall meet as needed, but not less than once a quarter. Central Committee Meetings may
be called by the Steering Committee, the Executive Committee or upon the petition of ten
percent of the members of the Central Committee. A quorum shall exist when at least
one hundred Voting Precinct Chairs or Vice-Chairs are present.
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The Central Committee has the power to over-ride a veto by the Steering Committee,
which over-ride requires a two-thirds majority vote of the quorum present, provided that
the over-ride occurs no later than the end of the next Central Committee Meeting held
after the veto.
1. Number of Members. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall have seven
(7) members. The Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall become
a member of the County Executive Committee.
2. Purpose. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee is the guardian of the Party
Constitution and Bylaws.
5. Election. All members (including the Chair and Vice-Chair) shall be elected at
the Third Quarter Central Committee Meeting during the "organizing" year.
6. Term. All members shall serve for a term of two years unless:
8. Nominations.
b. Nominations will only be accepted from the floor if there has been an
inadequate number of declarations of candidacy received to fill all
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vacancies. In such case, those who submitted declarations of candidacy
will automatically be elected, and floor-nominated candidates will vie for
election to the remaining positions.)
9. Meetings. Meetings shall be held from time to time as required in order to fulfill
the purpose (D.2. above) and make necessary changes (D.3. above). The County
Chair is responsible for setting and conducting the first meeting after members of
the Committee have been elected.
a. If the Chairmanship becomes vacant, the Vice-Chair shall have the option
of filling that position. The Constitution & Bylaws Committee members
shall then nominate a qualified member of their Committee to become the
new Vice-Chair. If the Vice-Chair declines the position of Chair, the
Committee members shall nominate another qualified member of their
Committee to fill that position. (In the event of a tie vote, the soon-to-be
vacated Committee-member position described in b. below shall first be
filled, and then another vote taken of the entire Committee.)
c. The nominee in either case above shall serve an interim appointment with
all the authority and responsibility of that position until such nomination is
approved by both the Executive Committee and the Central Committee (or
the nomination is rejected by either).
E. Audit Committee
1. Number of Members. The Audit Committee shall have five (5) members. The
Chair of the Audit Committee shall become a member of the County Executive
Committee.
2. Purpose. The Audit Committee shall select a qualified CPA firm to review or
audit the Party’s financial records for the past fiscal year. The Audit Committee
shall oversee the review or audit and present the review or audit report to the
Executive Committee for review and its recommendations for approval or
disapproval of the review or audit report before submitting the review or audit
report to the County Central Committee for approval.
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4. Election. All members (including the Chair and Vice-Chair) shall be elected at
the Third Quarter Central Committee Meeting during the "organizing" year.
5. Term. All members shall serve for a term of two years unless;
7. Nomination.
b. Nominations will only be accepted from the floor if there has been an
inadequate number of declarations of candidacy received to fill all
vacancies. In such case, those who submitted declarations of candidacy
will automatically be elected, and floor-nominated candidates will vie for
election to the remaining positions.
8. Meetings. Meetings shall be held from time to time as required in order to fulfill
the purpose (E.2. above) of the Committee. The County Chair is responsible for
setting and conducting the first meeting after members of the Committee have
been elected.
a. If the Chairmanship becomes vacant, the Vice-Chair shall have the option
of filling that position. The Audit Committee shall then nominate a
qualified member of their Committee to become the new Vice-Chair. If
the Vice-Chair declines the position of Chair, the Audit Committee shall
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nominate another qualified member of the Committee to fill that position.
(In the event of a tie vote, the soon-to-be vacated Committee-member
position described in b. below shall first be filled, and then another vote
taken of the entire Committee.)
c. The nominee in either case above shall serve an interim appointment with
all the authority and responsibility of that position until such nomination is
approved by both the Executive Committee and the Central Committee (or
the nomination is rejected by either).
E. Ad Hoc and Standing Committees may be appointed by any Chair or by any governing
committee and shall be accountable to the appointing authority.
B. An Officer or Delegate who moves out of the geographic subdivision from 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.
C. No officer or delegate shall be removed from office except for cause and provided that
the officer or delegate is given at least fourteen days’ advance written notice of the
allegation, is given opportunity for a fair hearing by the Executive Committee, and is
given the right to appeal to the Central Committee for reconsideration of an adverse
finding and recommendation by the Executive Committee. If the officer or delegate so
charged fails to respond to the notice and fails to appear at the hearing, or if the officer or
delegate does not appeal an adverse finding within fourteen days after the hearing, then
the decision of the Executive Committee shall be final.
D. In case of death, physical or mental disability, resignation or removal from office for
cause of any elected party official or delegate or in the case of a vacancy for any other
reason, the order of succession or the method of replacement to fill the unexpired term of
office shall be as follows:
1. When any Chairmanship becomes vacant, the Vice-Chair shall succeed to the
Chairmanship without further approval, unless the Vice-Chair declines.
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2. When any Chairmanship becomes vacant and the Vice-Chairmanship is also
vacant or the incumbent Vice-Chair declines succession, the following procedures
will apply:
b. In the case of other Chairmanships, the Chair of the next higher level of
organization shall nominate a qualified party member of that precinct or
district to succeed to the office.
3. When any other position becomes vacant, the Chair of the respective
organizational level shall nominate a qualified member of the electing area to
succeed to the office.
4. The nominee in each case above shall serve an interim appointment with all the
authority and responsibility of that office until the nomination is approved by both
the Executive Committee and the Central Committee, or the nomination is
rejected by either.
5. These five appointed officers shall be nominated by a majority of the four Elected
County Party Officers and approved by the Executive Committee and the Central
Committee, and shall serve only during the term of the four Elected County Party
Officers.
6. The Utah County Republican Party Chairman, within 30 days following the
Organizing convention or within 30 days of a vacancy in the position, shall
appoint, subject to Executive Committee approval, a Utah County Republican
Party Parliamentarian. The Parliamentarian should be experienced in the
Parliamentary procedures, and if this is not practical, should be willing to obtain
proper knowledge and experience. The Utah County Republican Party
Parliamentarian shall serve as Parliamentarian at all Central Committee meetings
as well as at all conventions.
A. Purpose. The purpose of the Party Platform is to identify the Party--and elected officials
who are members of the Party--with certain values, principles, and legislative priorities.
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1. Who may propose. Any member of the Central Committee may propose
revisions to the Party Platform.
Bylaw 11 – Rules of Order
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order 10th Edition Newly Revised shall
govern all meetings of the Party unless contrary to the State Party Constitution, the
State Party Bylaws, the County Party Constitution, the County Party Bylaws, or any
special rule of order the Party may adopt.
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