Scott County GOP BPOU Convention

February 2, 2019 @ 9:00 AM

Proposed Agenda

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 9:30AM

1. 8:00 AM: Registration Begins
2. 8:00 AM: Nominations Committee Begins Meeting with All Candidates
3. 9:00 AM: Call to Order and Welcome
4. Pledge of Allegiance
5. Invocation
6. Reading of the Call
7. Parliamentary Procedures
8. Motion for the Election of a Temporary Chair of the Convention
9. Motion for the Election of a Temporary Secretary of the Convention
10. Appointment of Convention Officials
11. Chief Sergeant-at-Arms
12. Chief Teller

iii.        Parliamentarian           

1. Appointment of Convention Committees
2. Arrangements
3. Constitution

iii.        Credentials      

1. Nominations
2. Rules
3. Preliminary Credentials Report
4. Motion to Approve Preliminary Credentials Report
5. Adoption of Rule V (Seat Alternates) and Rule VII (Addressing the Convention) Part A
6. Seating of Alternates
7. Adoption of Remaining Rules (Including the Agenda)
8. Motion to Make the Temporary Organization Permanent
9. 9:30 AM Registration Ends    
10. Final Credentials Report
11. Motion to Approve the Final Credentials Report
12. 10:00 AM Close of Nominations for State Central Delegates/Alternates, and Nominations for Scott County GOP Executive Committee
13. Constitution Committee Report
14. Legislative Updates
15. Scott County GOP Chair’s Report
16. Nominations Committee Report for Scott County GOP Executive Committee
17. Election of Executive Officers (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Director-At-Large)
18. Nomination Committee Report for State Central Committee Delegates/Alternates
19. Election State Central Committee Delegates/Alternates (7 Delegates and 21 Alternates spots available)
20. Treasurer Report & Finance review
21. Sub-caucus by House Districts (20A, 55A and 55B)
22. Election of House District Directors (Each House District has 2 Directors)
23. Election of Congressional District 2 Alternates (Seated after Delegates and Alternates elected in 2018)
24. Reconvene Scott County GOP BPOU Convention
25. Other Business
26. Motion to Adjourn the Convention

* At her/his discretion, the Convention Chair may move agenda items around as needed for purposes of expediency

** Qualified guest speakers may be recognized at the discretion of the Convention Chair throughout the convention as time allows. A report from any outgoing officers of the Scott County GOP BPOU will also be in order.

2019 Scott County GOP Basic Political Organization Unit (BPOU)

Convention Rules

Note:  Sections in Italics come directly from the Republican Party of Minnesota Constitution and cannot be changed.

1. Parliamentary Rules

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the conduct of the business of this Convention when not in conflict with the laws of the State of Minnesota, the Constitution and By-Laws of the Minnesota Republican Party, and Rules adopted by this Convention.

1. Order of Business

1. The order of business for this Convention shall be as outlined in the official Agenda of the Convention which is an integral part of these Rules.
2. A motion to adjourn shall not be in order until the official business of the convention, as stated in the Agenda is completed.

III.    Registration

1. Not withstanding Article II, Sections 2 and 3, registration fees may be assessed Delegates and

Alternates attending a convention.

1. Once a Delegate or a seated Alternate has registered for the convention he/she remains part of

the voting strength of the convention even if he/she leaves the convention prior to the convention’s

official adjournment.

1. A convention may close registration of Delegates and Alternates only if the convention call

states the time at which registration will close. If the call states a registration closing time the

convention may permit a later closing time for registration or may require the convention to

remain open regardless of the language in the call.

1. Convention Roll and Quorum

1. The permanent roll of the Delegates entitled to speak and vote at this Convention shall consist of the duly elected Delegates who are registered and such Alternates who shall be registered and seated in accordance with these Rules.
2. The Scott County GOP Republican Party BPOU Convention shall be composed of the delegates and alternates elected by the February 6, 2018 Precinct Caucuses. Attendees must be elected from Precinct Caucuses in House Districts 55A, 55B and 20A (Scott County portion).
3. A majority of the total number of Delegates registered shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of convening the Convention. Thereafter, a call for a quorum shall be out of order. No action except adjournment shall be transacted by the Convention without an affirmative vote of 25% of the registered Delegates and seated Alternates as established by the most recent report of the Credentials Committee.

1. Seating of Alternates

1. The Delegates of the Convention shall be seated and constituted as follows:

1. The Credentials Committee shall seat only duly accredited Delegates of each precinct, as such precincts were constituted on February 6, 2018, who are in attendance prior to the closing of convention registration. In the event no Delegates are present from a precinct, the Credentials Committee shall seat all accredited Alternates from the precinct after the first credentials report.
   
   
2. The precincts shall caucus after acceptance of the first report of the Credentials Committee. The Convention shall then proceed to the seating of the Alternates, which shall be accomplished as follows:  Unless the precinct caucus specifies the seating of Alternates to fill delegations in another manner (for example; rank order determined at 2018 precinct caucus), the seated Delegates of each precinct shall fill all vacancies by the vote of the seated Delegates and only from accredited Alternates of that precinct.  In case of a tie, the precinct chair shall appoint one of those who are tied to fill that particular vacancy.

1. In the event questions arise concerning the seating of Delegates or Alternates, the question may be referred to the Credentials Committee for decision. Decisions of the Credentials Committee may be appealed to the Convention.

1. A vacancy shall be deemed to exist if at the time of the Convention such Delegate or Alternate does not reside within the precinct from which they were elected, was elected by a precinct in which they no longer reside, or has resigned their Delegate or Alternate position

1. Seating of registered Alternates shall be permissible at any time, if a Delegate or seated Alternate is absent, provided that upon return of the Delegate, the Delegate shall be immediately seated. However, at the start of any ballot, there shall be no change in seating until that ballot has been completed.

1. There shall be no cross-seating; a Delegate or Alternate from one precinct cannot be seated in a different precinct.

1. Convention registration shall close at 9:30AM or with the final passage of the rules or whichever is later.

1. Amendment or Suspension

After adoption of these Rules, they may be suspended or amended only by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Delegates and seated Alternates voting.

VII.   Addressing the Convention

1. The permanent roll of the Delegates entitled to speak and vote at this Convention shall consist of the duly elected Delegates who are registered and such Alternates who shall be registered and seated in accordance with these Rules.

In addition, the following persons may address the convention:

• Minnesota State Republican Senators and Representatives
• Minnesota Republican Congressman
• Candidates for State Party Officers and Congressional District 2 Party Officers
• Candidates for State Central Delegates/Alternates during the election process
• Candidates for Scott County BPOU Officers during the election process
• Candidates for Alternates for the Congressional District 2 Convention
• Current Scott County BPOU officers if registered for convention
• 2018 Endorsed Republican Candidates for Elected Office

1. A Delegate or seated Alternate wishing to speak shall rise, address the Convention Chair, and when recognized, state his or her name and precinct and the purpose for which he or she rises.

1. Debate on any motion or subject shall be limited to one (1) minute by each Speaker. No person shall be allowed to speak a second time upon the same question until all others wishing to be recognized have been heard.  Speaker may be allowed to speak one additional time provided that someone has spoken against the motion.

1. At least two speakers on each side of a question shall be afforded the opportunity to speak on an issue before a call for the question or motion to table shall be in order. After six (6) minutes of elapsed debate, the Chair may call for the vote. If there are fewer than two speakers for a side of the question, and no speakers come forward when the Chair makes a final call, the Chair may call the question early.

1. Anyone wishing to address the convention shall inform the Sergeant-at-Arms of their desire to speak. The chair, at a time of his discretion, shall allow the speaker to address the convention.

1. The Convention Chair or his designees shall keep an accurate record of each speaker’s time and shall rigorously enforce any time limitations.

1. Those recognized will be allowed to address the convention for 5 minutes.

1. Each person running for Delegate/Alternate to State Central Committee shall be allowed 30 seconds to speak during the election process.

1. Each person running for Scott County GOP chair shall be allowed 5 minutes to address the convention. The limit is 3 minutes per candidate for the rest of the BPOU officers. 

1. Each person running for Congressional District 2 Alternate will be allowed 30 seconds to speak during the election process.

VIII.    Nomination and Election of Officers and State Central Delegates

1. If there is an uncontested race, the Convention may decide, by a 2/3rds standing vote, to elect by acclamation.

1. All candidates for State Central Delegate/Alternate or their representatives shall indicate their interest in running for election by writing their names on the nominating forms located at the registration table no later than 10:00AM or fifteen (15) minutes after the adoption of these rules, whichever is later. The tellers shall create ballots with all of the names written on the Nominating forms. The ballots will be passed out at the beginning of the voting process.  The Nominations Committee shall read the names of all candidates on the ballot.  The convention will close nominations.  Each candidate may then speak for 30 seconds.

1. All candidates for Scott County GOP BPOU Officer shall indicate their interest in running for election by writing their name on the nominating forms located at the registration table no later than 10:00AM or fifteen (15) minutes after the adoption of these rules, whichever is later.

1. The election of party officers as defined in the Scott County GOP Constitution shall be done separately in this order Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Director-At-Large and sub-caucus into House District Directors.

1. The Nominations Committee shall place into nomination all persons who wrote their name on the nomination form for that office. The convention approves the report.  The Convention Chair asks for any further nominations.  Further, nominations for an officer will be allowed from the floor following a nomination motion and second. The convention will then close nominations for this Officer position.  If contested race, the convention will vote using a secret ballot.  Otherwise the convention has the option of a rising vote (VIII A).   Repeat this process until all officers are elected.

1. If a candidate for a named executive officer position seat fails to be elected, they may, after following the nominating and seconding procedure, run for any other BPOU office.

1. Nominations for each office shall be closed before balloting begins.

1. A candidate may remove his or her name from consideration at any time.

1. The order of nominating and candidate speeches for each office shall be determined by lot and candidate speeches will immediately follow his or her nominating and seconding speeches.

1. No person shall be elected an officer unless he or she has received a majority of valid votes cast on that ballot.

1. If more than two (2) persons are nominated for any office, then the balloting shall continue for the position(s) until the number of persons to be elected are/is elected by a majority vote. Beginning with the third (3rd) and subsequent ballots, the candidates with the fewest votes shall be dropped, provided that until all positions have been filled by a majority of those voting, there shall remain at least one more candidate on the ballot.

1. A ballot will not be considered valid if it contains the same name more than once, if it contains more votes than the number of positions to be filled, if it contains other than properly nominated candidates or if it is left blank.

1. Voting

1. The vote on all questions shall be by voice except as follows:

1. At the request of at least five (5) Delegates or seated Alternates or at the discretion of the Chair, a rising vote shall be taken.

1. Voting for contested elections shall be by secret ballot.

1. The House District Director(s) or designee shall collect ballots cast by each delegate/seated alternate in their House District and turn them over to the tellers. If the House District Director(s) are not present, then the remaining Delegates and seated Alternates will elect a person to serve in that capacity.

1. The Chief Teller shall verify the number of ballots cast by a House District and the Convention Chair shall announce any discrepancies before the ballots are comingled with other ballots.

1. House District Director(s) or their designee shall ensure that each Delegate and seated Alternate in his or her House District will cast only one vote and that unused ballots are returned unmarked.

1. The Chief Teller shall report back to the Convention Chair the total number of votes cast for each candidate and the Convention Chair shall announce the results to the Convention.

1. If there is a dispute as to the number of ballots cast by any House District, the said House District challenge shall be made before the ballots from that House District are comingled with those of other House Districts. Upon such a challenge, the Convention officers selected by the Chief Teller shall count the ballots cast by said delegation.

1. Each Delegate or seated Alternate shall have one full vote. Voting by unit rule is forbidden.

1. No Delegate or seated Alternate shall be required to vote for any number of candidates

1. Any ballot marked for more than the allowed number of candidates shall be considered spoiled.

1. Each candidate may have one observer in the “counting room”.

1. Ballots will be destroyed after the close of the convention.

1. The Scott County GOP Delegate and Alternate positions to the State Central Committee shall be nominated at the Scott County GOP Convention held during odd-years. Alternates must be seated by descending vote totals. Ties for the last delegate spot(s) will be decided by coin toss. Ties for alternate will be broken at the Scott County GOP convention by a random method defined by the tellers. [Note:  From Scott County GOP Constitution.]

1. Miscellaneous

1. All literature distributed at the Convention must have its source(s) prominently displayed. All non-compliant literature must be immediately removed. Without objection, the Convention Chair determines compliance.

1. Removal of literature following the convention, other than official Convention documents, is the responsibility of the source(s). The Scott County GOP BPOU may recover reasonable clean-up cost.

1. Any person, campaign, or organization found to have violated the venue property owner’s policies shall be liable for associated fines, fees, and damages.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2019 Scott County GOP Constitution Change Proposal:

The Constitution Currently Reads:

Section 5: Pre-Convention Committees 

A. The Executive Committee shall appoint the following Pre-Convention Committees well in advance of the Annual Convention. 

1. Nominations
2. Credentials
3. Rules
4. Resolutions
5. Arrangements
6. Constitution

Motion to add ‘Constitution’ to our list of committees:

Section 5: Pre-Convention Committees 

A. The Executive Committee shall appoint the following Pre-Convention Committees well in advance of the Annual Convention. 

1. Nominations
2. Credentials
3. Rules
4. Resolutions
5. Arrangements
6. Constitution