The Rules of the Republican Party
Adopted by the 1992 Republican National Convention,
Held at Houston, Texas, August 17-20, 1992
Quick Link Word Index
Order of Business | Committee Reports | Definition of "States" | Admission to Convention Hall | Voting | Rules of Order | Length of Debate | Suspension of Rules | Platform Resolutions | Minority Reports; Amendments | Motion to Table | Previous Question | Roll Call | Unit Rule | Record Vote | Nominations | Convention Committees | Temporary Rules | Organization of the Republican National Committee | Method of Election | Term of Office | Vacancies | Officers of the Republican National Committee | Chairman's Executive Council, Executive Committee | Rules of Order | Meetings of the Republican National Committee | Filling Vacancies in Nominations | Committees of the Republican National Committee | Finance and Budget | Call of Next Convention | Membership in Convention | Election of Delegates and Alternate Delegates | Election of Excess Delegates and Alternate Delegates | Participation | Certification of Election | Contests: Resolution by States | Temporary Roll | Contest Filing | Contest Procedure | Convention Committee on Credentials
Republican National Committee
Address goes here
PREAMBLE
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Republican Party is the party of the open door. Ours is the party of equality of opportunity for all and favoritism for none.
It is the intent and purpose of these rules to encourage the broadest possible participation of all voters in Republican Party activities at all levels and to assure that the Republican Party is open, accessible to all, and answerable ultimately to the people in the true American tradition.
It is the further purpose of these rules to ensure that the Republican Party stands for the principle that, as we are the party open to all, we are also the party of opportunity for all: opportunity for everyone of every race, religion, color, national origin, age, and sex.
These rules provide for full participation with equal opportunity for men and women, for minorities and heritage groups, and for all Americans regardless of age or social or economic status.
These rules mandate that the Republican Party shall be a nationwide party, purposeful and strong in all sections of the country, North, South, East, and West.
These rules maintain the Republican Party as an instrument for the political realization of that concept of individual liberty on which our constitutional government is founded.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the following be and they hereby are adopted as The Rules of the Republican Party, comprised of the rules of business of this national convention, the rules for the election and government of the Republican National Committee until the next national convention, the rules under which delegates and alternate delegates shall be allotted to the respective states in the next national convention, and the rules under which such delegates and alternate delegates shall be elected and under which contests shall be considered.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION
Rule No. 1
Order of Business [Return to Top]
The convention shall proceed in the order of business prepared and printed by the Republican National Committee.
Rule No. 2
Committee Reports [Return to Top]
The report of the Committee on Credentials shall be disposed of before the report of the Committee on Rules and Order of Business is acted upon, the report of the Committee on Rules and Order of Business shall be disposed of before the report of the Committee on Resolutions is acted upon, and the report of the Committee on Resolutions shall be disposed of before the convention proceeds to the nomination of candidates for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States.
Rule No. 3
Definition of "States" [Return to Top]
Whenever used in these rules, "state" or "states" shall be taken to include American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, except in Rule No. 31 and unless the context in which the word "state" or "states" is used clearly makes such inclusion inappropriate.
Rule No. 4
Admission to Convention Hall [Return to Top]
(a) No person except members of the several delegations, officers of the convention, members of the Republican National Committee and, beginning at the 1992 Republican National Convention, incumbent Republican governors, incumbent Republican United States Senators, and incumbent Republican members of the United States House of Representatives, shall be admitted to the section of the convention hall restricted to delegates.
(b) Press and staff shall be admitted to the section(s) of the hall authorized for them.
(c) The chairman of the Republican National Committee shall insure that guest passes to the convention are distributed in an equitable fashion. Each delegate and alternate delegate to the convention shall receive at least one guest pass to each session of the convention.
Rule No. 5
Voting [Return to Top]
(a) Each delegate to the convention shall be entitled to one (1) vote, which may be cast by an alternate delegate in the absence of the delegate.
(b) In the absence of any delegate at large or any delegate from any Congressional district, the roll of alternate delegates for the state or district shall be called in the order in which the names are placed upon the roll of the convention, unless the law governing the state or district electing the absent delegate, the state or district convention, or the Republican state committee or governing committee shall otherwise provide, or the delegation shall otherwise direct at the time of certification, in which event the alternative delegates from the state or district shall vote in the order established pursuant to the foregoing, as set forth in the delegation's certification. The form of certificate provided by the Republican National Committee shall provide a means by which an order for voting by alternate delegates may therein be specified.
Rule No. 6
Rules of Order [Return to Top]
The Rules of the House of Representatives of the United States shall be the rules of the convention, except that the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, ("Robert's Rules of Order") shall be the rules for committees and subcommittees of the convention, insofar as they are applicable and not inconsistent with the rules herein set forth; provided, however, that the convention may adopt its own rules concerning the reading of committee reports and resolutions.
Rule No. 7
Length of Debate [Return to Top]
No delegate shall speak more than once or longer than five (5) minutes upon the same question, unless by leave of the convention, except in the presentation of the name of a candidate for nomination for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States.
Rule No. 8
Suspension of Rules [Return to Top]
A motion to suspend the rules shall always be in order but only when made by authority of a majority of the delegates from any state and seconded by a majority of the delegates from each of five (5) or more other states, severally.
Rule No. 9
Platform Resolutions [Return to Top]
All proposed resolutions relating to the platform shall be submitted in writing to the Committee on Resolutions without reading and without debate.
Rule No. 10
Minority Reports; Amendments [Return to Top]
No resolution or amendment pertaining to the report of the Committee on Resolutions or the Committee on Rules and Order of Business shall be reported out or made a part of any report of such committee or otherwise read or debated before the convention, unless the same shall have been submitted to the chairman, vice chairman, or secretary of such committee or to the secretary of the convention in writing not later than one hour after the time at which such committee votes on its report to the convention and shall have been accompanied by a petition evidencing the affirmative written support of a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership of such committee.
Rule No. 11
Motion to Table [Return to Top]
It shall be in order to lay on the table a proposed amendment to a pending measure and such motion, if adopted, shall not carry with it or prejudice such original measure.
Rule No. 12
Previous Question [Return to Top]
When the previous question shall be demanded by a majority of the delegates from any state, and the demand is likewise seconded by a majority of delegates from each of two (2) or more other states, severally, and the call is sustained by a majority of the delegates to the convention, the question shall then be proceeded with and disposed of according to the Rules of the House of Representatives of the United States in similar cases.
Rule No. 13
Roll Call [Return to Top]
(a) Upon all subjects before the convention requiring a roll call, the states shall be called in alphabetical order.
(b) In the balloting, the vote of each state shall be announced by the chairman of such state's delegation; and in case the vote of any state shall be divided, the chairman shall announce the number of votes for each candidate, or for or against any proposition; but if exception is taken by any delegate from that state to the correctness of such announcement by the chairman of that delegation, the chairman of the convention shall direct the roll of members of such delegation to be called, and the result shall be recorded in accordance with the vote of the several delegates in such delegation.
(c) In balloting, if any delegation shall pass when its name is called, then at the conclusion of the roll call all delegations which passed shall be called in the order herein before established and no delegation shall be allowed to change its vote until all delegations which passed shall have been given a second opportunity to vote.
(d) Except in a roll call for nomination for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States, or where the majority of delegates of fifteen (15) or more states severally have requested that a roll call be conducted by voice call of the roll, the chairman of the convention may order that the balloting on any subject placed before the convention requiring a roll call be conducted by electronic, telephonic or computer device which will display votes to the convention simultaneously. Each delegation chairman shall record and tally any such votes of the delegation on official roll call tally sheets provided by the secretary of the convention, showing the individual vote of the delegates, and file such tally sheets with the secretary of the convention not more than thirty (30) minutes after the completion of the roll call vote.
Rule No. 14
Unit Rule [Return to Top]
No delegate or alternate delegate shall be bound by any attempt of any state or Congressional district to impose the unit rule.
Rule No. 15
Record Vote [Return to Top]
If a majority of the delegates of any six (6) states severally shall demand a roll call vote, the same shall be taken of the states in the order hereinbefore established.
Rule No. 16
Nominations [Return to Top]
(a) In making the nominations for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States and voting thereon, the roll of the states shall be called, separately in each case; provided, however, that if there is only one candidate for nomination for Vice President of the United States who has demonstrated the support required by paragraph (b) of this rule, a motion to nominate for such office by acclamation shall be in order and no calling of the roll with respect to such office shall be required.
(b) Each candidate for nomination for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States shall demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from each of five (5) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of that candidate for nomination.
(c) The total time of the nominating speech and seconding speeches for any candidate for nomination for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States shall not exceed fifteen (15) minutes.
(d) When it appears at the close of a roll call that any candidate for nomination for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States has received a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the convention, the chairman of the convention shall declare that the candidate has been nominated.
(e) If no candidate shall have received such majority, the chairman of the convention shall direct the roll of the states be called again and shall repeat the calling of the roll until a candidate shall have received a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the convention.
Rule No. 17
Convention Committees [Return to Top]
(a) The delegates elected to the convention from each state, immediately after they are elected, shall elect from the delegation their members of the Committees on Resolutions, Credentials, Rules and Order of Business, and Permanent Organization of the convention, consisting of one (1) man and one (1) woman for each committee, and shall file notice of such selection with the secretary of the Republican National Committee; provided, however, that no delegate may serve on more than one (1) committee of the convention; except that the delegates from each of American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands shall select as hereinabove provided one (1) member of each such committee. Alternate delegates may not serve as members of the convention committees.
(b) Committees and subcommittees may set time limits for speaking on any question by a simple majority vote; provided, however, that not less than twenty (20) minutes, equally divided between proponents and opponents on any question, shall be allowed in any case on any debatable motion, order, or appeal.
(c) Upon request of one-fifth (1/5) of the members of a committee or subcommittee of convention, a vote shall be recorded in the manner provided by these rules, and no votes in the committees or subcommittees of the convention shall be taken by secret ballot.
Rule No. 18
Temporary Rules [Return to Top]
Rules No. 1 through No. 17 shall be the temporary rules of the next national convention and its committees and subcommittees.
THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Rule No. 19
Organization of the Republican National Committee [Return to Top]
The Republican National Committee shall have the general management of the Republican Party, subject to direction from the national convention. The members of the Republican National Committee shall consist of one (1) national committeeman and one (1) national committeewoman from, and the chairman of the state Republican Party of, each state.
Rule No. 20
Method of Election [Return to Top]
(a) Where the rules adopted by a state Republican Party provide a method of election of the national committeeman and the national committeewoman, they shall be elected pursuant to such method.
(b) Where the rules adopted by a state Republican Party do not provide a method of election of the national committeeman and the national committeewoman, and where state laws do provide such a method of election, they shall be elected pursuant to such method provided by state laws.
(c) Where neither the rules adopted by a state Republican Party nor state laws provide a method of election of the national committeeman and the national committeewoman, the national convention delegation from such state shall elect them.
(d) At each convention, the roll shall be called and the delegation from each state shall report through its chairman the names of the elected national committee members whose election shall be ratified by the convention if otherwise in accordance with these rules.
Rule No. 21
Term of Office [Return to Top]
(a) National committeemen and national committeewomen shall serve from the adjournment of the national convention until the adjournment of the following national convention, and until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.
(b) The duly elected and acting chairman of each state Republican Party shall be a member of the Republican National Committee during his or her tenure in office.
Rule No. 22
Vacancies [Return to Top]
(a) Election of members to fill vacancies in the Republican National Committee shall be ratified by the Republican National Committee upon their election by the state Republican Party in and for the state in which the vacancy occurs.
(b) The Republican National Committee shall have the power to declare vacant the seat of any member who refuses to support the Republican nominee for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States.
(c) In the event of the death, resignation, disqualification, or disability of any officer or committee member of the Republican National Committee, as enumerated in Rule No. 23 and Rule No. 29, such vacancy shall be filled by the same body and in the same manner as provided therein for the election of such officer or officers or committee members in the first instance.
Rule No. 23
Officers of the Republican National Committee [Return to Top]
(a) The officers of the Republican National Committee shall consist of:
(1) A chairman and a co-chairman of the opposite sex who shall be elected by the members of the Republican National Committee. Except as otherwise ordered by a majority of the members of the Republican National Committee present and voting on the matter, the chairman and the co-chairman shall be full-time, paid employees of the Republican National Committee. The chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Republican National Committee. The chairman or co-chairman may be removed from office only by a two-thirds (1) vote of the entire Republican National Committee.
(2) Eight (8) vice chairmen, comprising one (1) man and one (1) woman from each of the following four (4) regions:
The Western States Association: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming;
The Midwestern States Association: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wisconsin;
The Northeastern States Association: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin Islands; and
The Southern States Association: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
(3) A secretary, a treasurer, and such other officers as the Republican National Committee shall deem necessary, all to be elected by the Republican National Committee.
(b) The chairman, co-chairman, and all other officers shall be elected in January of each odd-numbered year. All officers except the vice chairman shall be nominated from the floor, and candidates must have at least two (2) votes in three (3) states in order to have their names put in nomination. There shall be no nominating committee.
(c) The eight (8) vice chairmen shall be elected at regional caucuses by the Republican National Committee members of the four (4) regions and shall be residents of and Republican National Committee members from their respective regions. The election shall take place in January of each odd-numbered year commencing in January 1997. The election of vice chairmen shall not require confirmation by the Republican National Committee.
(d) The chairman shall appoint a general counsel for the Republican National Committee and a chairman of the Republican Finance Committee, both of whom shall be confirmed by the Republican National Committee.
Rule No. 24
Chairman's Executive Council, Executive Committee [Return to Top]
(a) There shall be a Chairman's Executive Council of the Republican National Committee to consist of eleven (11) members of the Republican National Committee, three (3) to be appointed by the chairman and eight (8) additional members to consist of one (1) man and one (1) woman elected by and from each of the four (4) regional caucuses. In addition, the following shall serve as ex-officio members of the Chairman's Executive Council: the chairman, the co-chairman, the general counsel, the chairman of the Republican Finance Committee, the chairman of the Republican State Chairmen's Advisory Committee, the chairman of the Budget Committee, and the president of the National Federation of Republican Women.
(b) The Chairman's Executive Council may exercise all the executive and administrative functions required of the Republican National Committee, with the exception of the following:
(1) election of officers of the Republican National Committee;
(2) ratification of the election of members of the Republican National Committee;
(3) issuance of the call and designation of the time and place for holding the national convention; and
(4) filling a vacancy in the office of Republican candidate for President of the United States, or Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States.
(c) The Chairman's Executive Council shall meet on the call of the chairman and such meetings shall be held at least twice in each year. In addition, upon written petition of at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Chairman's Executive Council, the chairman, within ten (10) days of his receipt of said petition, shall call a meeting of the Chairman's Executive Council to be held in a city to be designated by the chairman. The date of such meeting shall fall between ten (10) and twenty (20) days from the date of the call. The minutes of all Chairman's Executive Council meetings shall be distributed as promptly as practicable to all members of the Republican National Committee.
(d) There shall be an Executive Committee, which shall be composed of the members of the Chairman's Executive Council, the president of the National Federation of Republican Women, the chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, the chairman of the College Republican National Committee, the chairman of the National Republican Heritage Groups Council, the chairman of the National Black Republican Council, the chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, the president of the National Federation of the Grand Order of Pachyderm Clubs, the president of the National Conference of Republican Mayors, the Republican leader of the United States Senate, the Republican leader of the United States House of Representatives, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, the president of the National Conference of Republican County Officials, the president of the National Republican Legislators Association, the president of the National Association of Urban Republican County Chairmen, the chairman of the Republican Labor Council, the chairman of Republicans Abroad, and a representative of Jewish-Americans appointed by the Chairman of the Republican National Committee Additional groups and organizations may be granted representation on or removed from the Executive Committee by the Republican National Committee, subject to ratification by the next Republican national convention. Groups and organizations represented on the Executive Committee may be referred to as "Auxiliaries of the Republican National Committee." The Executive Committee shall consult with and offer advice to the chairman of the Republican National Committee with respect to the executive and administrative functions of the Republican National Committee.
(e) The Executive Committee shall meet on the call of the chairman of the Republican National Committee. In addition, upon written petition of at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Executive Committee, the chairman, within ten (10) days of receipt of said petition, shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee to be held in a city to be designated by the chairman. The date of such meeting shall fall between ten (10) and twenty (20) days from the date of the call.
(f) There shall be a Republican Labor Council which shall be composed of working men and women, all supportive of the Republican Presidential nominee, balanced between union and non-union members, appointed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee with the approval of the Republican National Committee. This Council shall elect its chairman from among its members.
Rule No. 25
Rules of Order [Return to Top]
(a) Robert's Rules of Order shall govern in all meetings of the Republican National Committee and its committees insofar as they are applicable and not inconsistent with these rules.
(b) All meetings of the Republican National Committee and all of its committees shall be open meetings, except as provided for by Robert's Rules of Order.
(c) A member of the Republican National Committee may give a written and witnessed proxy to a legal and qualified voter of the same state, which shall be effective for one meeting and which shall be filed with the secretary of the Republican National Committee.
(d) No votes (except elections to office when properly ordered pursuant to the provisions of Robert's Rules of Order) shall be taken by secret ballot in any open meeting of the Republican National Committee or of any committee thereof.
Rule No. 26
Meetings of the Republican National Committee [Return to Top]
(a) The Republican National Committee shall meet at least twice in each year. A tentative agenda for each meeting shall be mailed to the members at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting. The minutes, including all resolutions and motions, shall be mailed to all members of the Republican National Committee within thirty (30) days after the close of the meeting.
(b) The first meeting of the Republican National Committee shall take place within five 5) days after the adjournment of the national convention. Such meeting and all other meetings of the Republican National Committee shall take place upon call of the chairman or, in case of a vacancy in the chairmanship, upon call of the co-chairman or, in case of a vacancy in the chairmanship and the co-chairmanship, upon call of the vice chairman senior in time of service as a member of the Republican National Committee; provided, however, that such call shall be issued at least ten (10) days in advance of the date of the proposed meeting, except that if one of the purposes of a meeting of the Republican National Committee is to fill a vacancy in the office of Republican candidate for President of the United States or Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, then only five (5) days' notice of the purpose, date, and place of said meeting shall be required. Upon written petition of sixteen (16) or more members of the Republican National Committee, representing no fewer than sixteen (16) states, filed jointly or severally with the chairman, requesting a meeting of the Republican National Committee, it shall be the duty of the chairman, within ten (10) days from receipt of said petition, to issue a call for a meeting of the Republican National Committee, to be held in a city to be designated by the chairman, the date of such called meeting to be not later than twenty (20) days or earlier than ten (10) days from the date of the call.
Rule No. 27
Filling Vacancies in Nominations [Return to Top]
(a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise in the office of Republican candidate for President of the United States or Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.
(b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast in the national convention.
(c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes, among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy.
(d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.
Rule No. 28
Committees of the Republican National Committee [Return to Top]
(a) There shall be the following committees:
(1) There shall be a Standing Committee on Rules of the Republican National Committee composed of one (1) member of the Republican National Committee from each state, to review and propose recommendations with respect to The Rules of the Republican Party. The members of the Republican National Committee from each state shall caucus and by majority vote choose from their number within eight (8) months following the national convention appointees to serve on this committee. If the members of the Republican National Committee from any state do not within this period submit to the chairman of the Republican National Committee their choice to serve on the Standing Committee on Rules, the chairman of the Republican National Committee shall select, from among the members of the Republican National Committee from each such state, one (1) member to serve on the Standing Committee on Rules. The chairman of the Standing Committee on Rules shall be elected by the committee from among its members.
(2) There shall be a Committee on Arrangements to plan for and manage the next national convention. The chairman and the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee shall be members of the Committee on Arrangements and the chairman of the Republican National Committee shall appoint to the Committee on Arrangements at least one (1) member of the Republican National Committee from each state. The chairmen of the Committee on Arrangements and of its subcommittees shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chairman of the Republican National Committee from among the members of the Committee on Arrangements and, together with such other officers as shall be elected by the Committee on Arrangements, shall be members of the executive committee of the Committee on Arrangements. The chairman of the Standing Committee on Rules and the chairman of the Committee on Contests shall also be members of the Committee on Arrangements.
(3) There shall be a Committee on the Call, composed of a chairman and at least seven (7) members of the Republican National Committee who shall be appointed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee. This committee shall assist the Republican National Committee in connection with issuance of the call for the next national convention pursuant to Rule No. 30. This committee shall be appointed after the selection of the Committees on Rules and Arrangements.
(4) There shall be a Committee on Contests, which shall be composed of two (2) members of the Republican National Committee from each of the four (4) regions described in Rule No. 23, elected by members of the Republican National Committee from each such region, and a chairman appointed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee from among the members- or officers of the Republican National Committee. This committee shall perform the duties relating to the resolution of contests prescribed in Rule No. 39. This committee shall be elected after the selection of the Committees on Rules and Arrangements.
(5) There shall be a Committee on the Site of the Republican National Convention, which shall be composed of two (2) members of the Republican National Committee from each of the four (4) regions described in Rule No. 23, elected by the members of the Republican National Committee from each such region, and a chairman appointed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee from among the members or officers of the Republican National Committee. This committee shall be responsible for investigating potential sites for the next national convention, and for recommending a site to the Republican National Committee for selection. This committee shall be selected no later than two (2) years following the Presidential election.
(6) Each member of the Republican National Committee shall be a member of at least one (1) of the above-mentioned committees. The general counsel of the Republican National Committee shall be counsel to each of such committees. The minutes of these committees shall be distributed as promptly as practicable to all members of the Republican National Committee. Any of these committees may meet and act by telephone Conference upon twenty-four (24) hours' notice.
(b) The chairman of the Republican National Committee, with the approval of the Republican National Committee, may appoint such other committees and assistants as he or she may deem necessary, and whenever such committees are appointed, they shall consist of a chairman and an equal number of men and woman.
Rule No. 29
Finance and Budget [Return to Top]
(a) The Republican National Committee shall create a Republican Finance Committee and any subcommittees thereof which it deems desirable, to which it may delegate the responsibility of developing and implementing a broad-based fundraising plan. The chairman of the Republican Finance Committee shall be appointed pursuant to-the provisions of Rule No. 23(d).
(b) The Republican National Committee shall create a Budget Committee and any subcommittees thereof which it deems desirable, to which it may delegate the responsibility of developing a budget and reviewing income and expenditures of the Republican National Committee. The Budget Committee shall be composed of seven (7) members of the Republican National Committee, three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the chairman of the Republican National Committee and one (1) of whom shall be elected by each of the four (4) regional caucuses in January of each odd-numbered year. In addition, the following shall serve as ex-officio members of the Budget Committee: the chairman, co-chairman, and treasurer of the Republican National Committee, and the chairman of the Republican Finance Committee. The chairman of the Republican National Committee shall make every effort in his appointments to ensure that an equal number of men and women serve on the Budget Committee. The chairman of the Republican National Committee shall appoint the chairman of the Budget Committee from among the members thereof.
(c) The annual budget shall be approved at the first meeting of the Republican National Committee held in each year. The proposed budget, in reasonable detail, shall be mailed to all members of the Republican National Committee at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting.
(d) The Republican National Committee shall not, without prior written and filed approval of all members of the Republican National Committee from the state involved, contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for public or party office except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office.
CONVENING OF THE NEXT NATIONAL CONVENTION
Rule No. 30
Call of Next Convention [Return to Top]
The Republican National Committee shall issue the call for the next national convention to nominate candidates for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States prior to January 1 of the year in which the national convention is to be held. The Republican National Committee shall issue and promulgate the call in a manner consistent with these rules, which call shall include the text of the rules relating to the convening and the proceedings of the national convention.
Rule No. 31
Membership in Convention [Return to Top]
The membership of the next national convention shall consist of:
(a) Delegates.
(1) Six (6) delegates at large from each of the fifty (50) states.
(2) Three (3) district delegates for each Representative in the United States House of Representatives from each state.
(3) Four (4) delegates at large from American Samoa, fourteen (14) delegates at large from the District of Columbia, four (4) delegates at large from Guam, fourteen (14) delegates at large from Puerto Rico, and four (4) delegates at large from the Virgin Islands; provided, however, that if Puerto Rico shall become a state prior to the next national convention, the number of delegates from Puerto Rico shall be calculated in accordance with the same formula used for the other states.
(4) From each state having cast its electoral votes, or a majority thereof, for the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the last preceding election: four and one-half (4 1/2) delegates at large plus a number of the delegates at large equal to sixty percent (60%) of the number of electoral votes of that state; provided, however, that if Puerto Rico shall become a state prior to the next national convention, it shall be presumed that it would have cast its electoral votes, or a majority thereof, for the Republican nominee in the last preceding election. (In the computation of the number of delegates at large, any sum of the four and one-half (4 1/2) plus the sixty percent (60%) representing a fraction shall be increased to the next whole number.) In addition, one (1) delegate at large shall be awarded to a state for any and each of the following public officials elected by such state in the year of the last preceding Presidential election or at any subsequent election held prior to January 1 of the year in which the next national convention is held:
(i) Each Republican United States Senator; provided that no such additional delegate at large award to any state shall exceed two (2);
(ii) A Republican governor; provided that no such additional delegate at large award to any state shall exceed one (1);
(iii) Membership in the Republican Party of at least one-half (1/2) of the Representatives representing a state in the United States House of Representatives; provided that no such additional delegate at large award to any state shall exceed one (1); and
(iv) Membership in the Republican Party of a majority of the members of any chamber of a state legislature, if such chamber has been organized, and is presided over (if the presiding officer is elected by the chamber), by Republicans; or, if the membership in the Republican Party of the members of any chamber of a state legislature increases by twenty-five percent (25%) or more, so long as twenty-five percent (25%) equals at least two (2) legislators; provided that no such additional delegate at large award to any state shall exceed one (1).
(5) In addition from the District of Columbia, if the District of Columbia shall have cast its electoral votes, or a majority thereof, for the Republican nominee for President of the United States in the last preceding Presidential election: four and one-half (4 1/2) delegates at large plus the number of delegates at large equal to thirty percent (30%) of the fourteen (14) delegates at large allotted to the District of Columbia. (In the computation of the number of delegates at large, any sum of the four and one-half (4 1/2) plus the thirty percent (30%) representing a fraction shall be increased to the next whole number.)
(6) Any state which would receive fewer delegates under all provisions of this rule than it received to the 1972 Republican National Convention shall have its number of delegates increased to the same number of delegates it received to the 1972 Republican National Convention.
(b) Alternate Delegates.
One (1) alternate delegate for each delegate to the national convention.
Rule No. 32
Election of Delegates and Alternate Delegates [Return to Top]
(a) Order of Precedence.
Delegates at large and their alternate delegates and delegates from Congressional districts and their alternate delegates to the national convention shall be elected in the following manner:
(1) In accordance with any applicable laws of a state, insofar as the same are not inconsistent with these rules; or
(2) To the extent not provided for in the applicable laws of a state, in accordance with any applicable Republican Party rules of a state, insofar as the same are not inconsistent with these rules; or
(3) By a combination of the methods set forth in paragraphs (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this rule; or
(4) To the extent not provided by state law or party rules, as set forth in paragraph (c) of this rule.
(b) General.
In all elections of delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention, the following rules shall apply:
(1) In any jurisdiction in which Republican representation upon the board of judges or inspectors of elections for primary elections is denied by law, delegates and alternate delegates shall be elected as provided in paragraph (a)(2) or (a)(4) of this rule.
(2) In selecting delegates and alternate delegates to the national convention, no state law shall be observed which hinders, abridges, or denies to any citizen of the United States, eligible under the Constitution of the United States to hold the office of President of the United States or Vice President of the United States, the right or privilege of being a candidate under such state law for the nomination for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States or which authorizes the election of a number of delegates or alternate delegates from any state to the national convention different from that fixed in these rules.
(3) Alternate delegates shall be elected to the national convention for each unit of representation equal in number to the number of delegates elected therein and shall be chosen in the same manner and at the same time as the delegates, and under the same rules; provided, however, that if the law of any state shall prescribe another method of choosing alternate delegates they may be chosen in accordance with the provisions of the law of the state in which the election occurs.
(4) Delegates and alternate delegates at large to the national convention when serving as delegates and alternate delegates shall be residents of and duly qualified voters in their respective states. All delegates and alternate delegates allocated as delegates and alternate delegates at large shall be elected at large in the several states; provided, however, that such allocation and method of election may be varied in any state to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to avoid conflict with state law applicable to the selection of national convention delegates if such varying allocation and method of election were those pursuant to which delegates at large and alternate delegates at large were elected to the 1988 Republican National Convention from that state.
(5) Delegates and alternate delegates to the national convention representing Congressional districts shall be residents of and qualified voters in said districts respectively when elected and when serving as delegates and alternate delegates. There shall be three (3) delegates and three (3) alternate delegates allocated to represent each Congressional district of the several states, who shall be elected by each such Congressional district; provided, however, that such number of delegates and alternate delegates allocated to represent, and elected by, any Congressional district of a state may be reduced or increased to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to avoid conflict with state law applicable to the selection of national convention delegates if such varying allocation was that pursuant to which district delegates and alternate district delegates were elected to the 1988 Republican National Convention from the state.
(6) No delegate or alternate delegate to the national convention shall be required to pay an assessment or fee in excess of that provided by the law of the state in which his or her election occurs as a condition of serving as a delegate or alternate delegate to the national convention.
(7) There shall be no automatic delegates to the national convention who serve by virtue of party position or elective office.
(8) Delegates and alternate delegates to the national convention may be elected only in one of the following manners:
(i) by primary election;
(ii) by the Republican state committee, where specifically provided by state law;
(iii) by state and Congressional district conventions;
(iv) by any method consistent with these rules by which delegates and alternate delegates were selected to the 1984 Republican National Convention in that state.
(9) No state law shall be observed which permits any person to participate in a primary delegate and alternate delegate selection process that also permits that person at the same primary to participate in the choosing of nominees of any other party for other elective office. Delegates and alternate delegates shall in that event be elected by Congressional district or state conventions pursuant to paragraph (c) of this rule.
(10) No delegates or alternate delegates shall be selected pursuant to any Republican Party rule of a state or state law which materially changes the method of selecting delegates or alternate delegates and was adopted or made effective more than seven days after the issue of the call for the next national convention in the year before the year in which the national convention is to be held. Where it is not possible to select delegates or alternate delegates in the manner in effect in that state before the date seven days after the issue of the call for the next national convention, delegates or alternate delegates shall be selected in the same manner as was used for the immediately next preceding national convention or, if it is not possible to select delegates or alternate delegates in the same manner as was used for the immediately next preceding national convention, then delegates or alternate, delegates shall be selected by Congressional district or state conventions pursuant to paragraph (c) of this rule.
(11) Except with respect to delegates and alternate delegates elected under paragraph (b)(8)(ii) of this rule and if consistent with paragraph (c)(5) of this rule, the selection process for choosing those who will select delegates or alternate delegates shall not begin before September 1 of the year before the year in which the national convention is to be held.
(12) Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 32(a), a state party may select its delegates and alternate delegates by rules inconsistent with Rule 32(a)(1), provided that those state party rules are not otherwise inconsistent with the Rules of the Republican Party, and provided that the Republican National Committee, after determining that the state law being waived hereunder is adverse to the best interests of the Republican Party in that state, has granted that state party a waiver of Rule 32(a)(1) of these rules.
(c) Conventions.
Wherever state law permits or the Republican Party rules of a state require the election of delegates and alternate delegates by convention or there is no applicable state law or Republican Party rule, delegates and alternate delegates to the national convention shall be elected by Congressional district or state conventions pursuant to the following rules:
(1) Congressional district or state conventions shall be called by the Republican state committee.
(2) Delegates to Congressional district conventions may be elected in precinct caucuses, mass meetings, mass conventions, or county conventions in which only eligible voters in such precinct, county, or district as the case may be shall vote.
(3) Notices of the call for any such caucus, meeting, or convention shall be published in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in the county district, or state as the case may be, not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of such caucus, meeting, or convention.
(4) Only legal and qualified voters who are deemed to be Republicans pursuant to state law or by party rules of a state shall participate in any Republican caucus, mass meeting, or mass convention held for the purpose of selecting delegates to county, district, or state conventions and only such legal and qualified voters shall be elected as delegates to county, district, and state conventions; provided, however, that in addition to the qualifications provided herein, the governing Republican committee of each state shall have the authority to prescribe additional qualifications not inconsistent with law. Such additional qualifications shall be adopted and published in at least one (1) daily newspaper having a general circulation throughout the state, such publication to be at least ninety (90) days before such qualifications become effective.
(5) No delegates shall be deemed eligible to participate in any Congressional district or state convention the purpose of which is to elect delegates to the national convention who are elected prior to the date of the issuance of the call of such national convention.
(6) Congressional district conventions shall be composed of delegates who are legal and qualified voters therein, and delegates to state conventions shall be qualified voters in the respective districts which they represent in said state conventions. Such delegates shall be apportioned by the state Republican Party among counties, parishes, and cities of the state or district having regard to the Republican vote or the population therein.
(7) There shall be no proxies at any district or state convention (which shall not include meetings of a Republican state committee) held for the purpose of selecting delegates to the national convention. If alternate delegates to such selection convention are selected, the alternate delegate and no other shall vote in the absence of the delegate.
(d) On or before September 1 of the year before the year in which the national convention is to be held, each Republican state committee shall adopt rules, procedures, policies, and instructive materials (prepared pursuant to Rule No. 34(a) governing the selection of delegates and alternate delegates to the national convention to convene during the following year, and shall certify and file with the secretary of the Republican National Committee true copies of the same and of all statutes governing the selection of such delegates and alternate delegates. Any subsequent amendments to or changes in such statutes, rules, procedures, policies, and materials shall be filed with the secretary of the Republican National Committee within twenty-one (21) days after the date of the amendment or change.
Rule No. 33
Election of Excess Delegates and Alternate Delegates [Return to Top]
(a) No state shall elect a greater number of persons to act as delegates and alternate delegates than the actual number of delegates and alternate delegates respectively to which it is entitled under the call for the national convention, and no unit of representation may elect any delegate or delegates, or their alternate delegates, with permission to cast a fractional vote.
(b) Where more than the authorized number of delegates from any state is certified and forwarded to the secretary of the Republican National Committee in the manner provided in Rule No. 35, a contest shall be deemed to exist and the secretary shall notify the several claimants so reported and shall submit all such credentials and claims to the whole Republican National Committee for decision as to which claimants reported shall be placed upon the temporary roll of the national convention.
Rule No. 34
Participation [Return to Top]
(a) The Republican National Committee shall assist the states in their efforts to inform all citizens as to how they may participate in delegate-selection procedures. The states, in cooperation with the Republican National Committee, shall prepare instructive material on delegate-selection methods and make it available for distribution.
(b) Participation in a Republican primary, caucus, or any meeting or convention held for the purpose of selecting delegates and alternate delegates to a county, district, state, or national convention shall in no way be abridged for reasons of sex, race, religion, color, age, or national origin. The Republican National Committee and the Republican state committee or governing committee of each state shall take positive action to achieve the broadest possible participation by men and women, young people, minority and heritage groups, senior citizens, and all other citizens in the delegate-selection process.
(c) Unless otherwise provided by the laws of the state in which the election occurs, in those states where delegates and alternate delegates are elected through the convention system or a combination of convention and primary systems, the precinct, ward, township, or county meetings shall be open meetings, and all citizens who are qualified shall be urged to participate.
(d) Each state shall endeavor to have equal representation of men and women in its delegation to the Republican National Convention.
(e) The provisions of these rules are not intended to be the basis of any kind of quota system.
Rule No. 35
Certification of Election [Return to Top]
(a) All delegates and alternate delegates shall be elected not later than thirty-five (35) days before the date of the meeting of the national convention, unless otherwise provided by the laws of the state in which the election occurs.
(b) Election of delegates and alternate delegates shall be certified:
(1) in every case where they are elected by convention, by the chairman and secretary of such convention or by the chairman and secretary of the Republican state committee, and forwarded to the secretary of the Republican National Committee;
(2) in every case where they are elected by primary, by the canvassing board or officer created or designated by the law of the state in which the election occurs, to canvass the returns and issue certificates of election to delegates or alternate delegates to national conventions of political parties, and all certificates shall be forwarded by said duly elected delegates and alternate delegates in the manner herein provided; and
(3) in every case where they are elected by the Republican state committee, by the chairman and secretary of the Republican state committee, and forwarded to the secretary of the Republican National Committee.
(c) No later than thirty (30) days before the time set for the meeting of the national convention, the credentials of each delegate and alternate delegate shall be filed with the secretary of the Republican National Committee for use by the secretary in making up the temporary roll of the national convention, except in the case of delegates or alternate delegates elected at a time or times in accordance with the laws of the state in which the election occurs rendering impossible the filing of credentials within the time above specified.
Rule No. 36
Contests: Resolution by States [Return to Top]
All contests arising in any state electing district delegates by district conventions shall be decided by its state convention, or if the state convention shall not meet prior to the national convention, then by its state committee; and only contests affecting delegates elected at large shall be presented to the Republican National Committee; provided, however, if the contest regarding a district delegate arises out of the irregular or unlawful action of the state committee or state convention, the Republican National Committee may take jurisdiction thereof and hear and determine the same under the procedures provided in Rules No. 38 and No. 39.
Rule No. 37
Temporary Roll [Return to Top]
(a) The names of the delegates and alternate delegates presenting certificates of election from the officials designated in Rule No. 35 shall be placed upon the temporary roll of the national convention by the Republican National Committee.
(b) No person on the temporary roll of the national convention and whose right to be seated as a delegate or alternate delegate is being contested shall be entitled to vote in the national convention or in any committee thereof until by vote of the national convention the contest as to such person has been finally decided and such person has been permanently seated, except that any such person may be accorded the right to so vote, except in matters involving the credentials of that person, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Republican National Committee or the Committee on Credentials.
Rule No. 38
Contest Filing [Return to Top]
(a) Notices of contests shall state the grounds of the contest and shall be filed, no later than thirty (30) days before the time set for the meeting of the national convention, with the secretary of the Republican National Committee, except in the case of delegates or alternate delegates elected at a time or times in accordance with applicable state law rendering impossible the filing of the notice of contest within the time above specified.
(b) Notices of contests may be filed only by a resident of the state whose delegation is challenged who was eligible to participate at any level in the delegate selection process of that state.
(c) Only contests that are timely filed under these rules shall be considered.
(d) For purposes of the rules relating to contests and credentials, the term "party" shall mean a person or persons who shall have filed a notice of contest pursuant to this Rule No. 38, and the person or persons whose right to be seated as a delegate or alternate delegate is the subject of such notice of contest.
Rule No. 39
Contest Procedure [Return to Top]
(a) The Committee on Contests shall have the power to adopt procedural rules, not inconsistent with these rules, which shall govern the expeditious prosecution of contests before the Committee on Contests. When any deadline set out in this rule falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, such deadline shall be extended to the following day.
(b) No later than twenty-two (22) days before the convening of the national convention (or, in the case of delegates or alternate delegates elected at a time or times in accordance with applicable state law rendering impossible compliance with this requirement, within five (5) days after such election), each of the parties shall file with the secretary of the Republican National Committee at least three (3) printed or typewritten copies of the statement of position in support of the party's claim to sit as delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention together with such affidavits or other evidence as desired. The secretary of the Republican National Committee, upon receiving the statement of position of a party, shall furnish the opposing party a copy of said statement of position.
Each statement of position shall begin with a summary of not more than one thousand (1,000) words setting forth succinctly a synopsis of the statement of position and a specific statement of the points relied upon.
(c) The Committee on Contests shall promptly hear the matter, decide what issues are involved, either of law or fact, or both, decide upon its recommendation for resolution of such issues, and submit such issues and its recommendations for resolution to the Republican National Committee. The issues so submitted by the Committee on Contests shall be the sole issues passed upon and determined by the Republican National Committee unless the Republican National Committee shall, by a majority vote, extend or change the same.
If the Committee on Contests for any reason shall fail to state the issues either of law or fact, the Republican National Committee shall decide upon what issues the contest shall be tried, and the hearing shall be limited to such issues unless the Republican National Committee, by a majority vote, shall decide otherwise.
(d) The Committee on Contests shall make up a report of each contest filed, showing the grounds of contest, the statute and rule, if any, under which the contest is waged; and the contentions of each party thereto. The report shall conclude with a statement of the points of issue in the contest, both of fact and law, and a statement of the recommendation of the Committee on Contests as to resolution of such points of issue, and shall be signed by the chairman or his designee. When the Committee on Contests has prepared such report stating the issues of law and fact, a copy of the statement of such issues shall be submitted forthwith to a person in the convention city whom the parties must appoint at the time of filing the contest to receive such statement, and a copy shall be served forthwith by the chairman of the Committee on Contests upon the parties by the most expeditious method available, providing for written evidence of receipt including, but not limited to, overnight delivery service.
(e) The parties shall have eight (8) days to file written objections to the Committee on Contests' statement of the issues of fact or law, or both, unless the Republican National Committee is called to act upon the contest sooner, in which case such objections shall be made before the meeting of the whole committee. If the parties reside in American Samoa, Guam, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, they shall be entitled to ten (10) days to file written objections.
The objections shall contain any additional statement of issues of either law or fact, or both, claimed by the party submitting the same to be involved in and necessary to be decided in the contest.
(f) When the Republican National Committee is called to pass upon any contest that may arise, the members of the Committee on Credentials shall also be notified of the time and place of such meeting and shall have the right to attend all hearings of all contests but without the right to participate in the discussion or the vote.
Rule No. 40
Convention Committee on Credentials [Return to Top]
(a) When the national convention shall have assembled, the secretary of the Republican National Committee shall deliver to the Committee on Credentials all credentials and other papers forwarded under Rule No. 35(c).
(b) An appeal may be taken to the Committee on Credentials from any ruling of the Republican National Committee on any contest, by and only by a party to such contest in the proceedings conducted pursuant to Rules No. 38 and No. 39, provided, however, that notice of such appeal must be filed with the secretary of the Republican National Committee within twenty-four (24) hours after the decision, that such notice shall specify the grounds upon which the appeal is taken, and that only the grounds so specified shall be heard by the Committee on Credentials upon such appeal. No evidence other than that taken before the Republican National Committee shall be taken up by the Committee on Credentials unless it shall, by a majority vote of all of its members, so direct.
(c) No issue involving the status of one or more delegates or alternate delegates or any contest relating thereto may originate before the Committee on Credentials of the national convention. All contests must first be presented to the Committee on Contests of the Republican National Committee or to the whole Republican National Committee.