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DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY

OF NEBRASKA

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DCRP Governance

Constitution of the Douglas County Republican Party

ARTICLE I.  Name and Objectives

Section 1.  Name

The name of this organization shall be the Douglas County Republican Party (hereinafter referred to as the “Party” or “DCRP”).

Section 2.  Objectives

The objectives of the Party shall be the maintenance of government of, by and for the people according to the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Nebraska, and the election of Republican candidates who substantially support the platform of the Party.

ARTICLE II.  Membership

The membership of the Party shall be composed of all registered Republican voters of Douglas County, Nebraska, who desire to, and do, support the objectives of the Party.

ARTICLE III.  Organization and Governance

The County Convention of the duly elected Delegates when in session shall be the governing body of the Party and when such Convention is not in session, the Douglas County Central Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “Central Committee”) shall be the governing body. The Central Committee shall be composed of Republican individuals duly elected at a County Convention to represent their respective Legislative District as provided below.

ARTICLE IV.  Conventions

Section 1.  Time, Place and Purpose

A.  County Convention

A County Convention for DCRP shall be held in Douglas County in even numbered years between March 1st and April 10th, at a suitable hour and place, all to be designated by the County Chairman. The County Chairman will, after appropriate consultation with the Central Committee, certify the date, time and location of the County Convention to the County Election Commissioner prior to March 1 of that year. The County Chairman shall cause to be published, at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the County Convention, an official notice of the date, time, and place of the Convention. The County Convention shall proceed with its organization and the transactions of such business as shall properly come before it, including, but not limited to, (a) the election of the DCRP Central Committee, (b) the election of members of the Nebraska Republican Party (“NEGOP”) State Central Committee, and (c) the election of Delegates to the NEGOP Convention.

  1. Amendments and Resolutions

All amendments to this Constitution and resolutions intended to be considered at the County Convention must be submitted by mail or email by their author to the respective County Convention committee at least 10 days prior to the date of the County Convention. The respective County Convention committee shall notify all registered delegates of any such amendments and resolutions to be considered at the County Convention at least 5 days prior to the date of the County Convention.

Section 2.  Representation and Election of Delegates

A.  County Conventions

Registered Republicans wishing to attend the County Convention as a Delegate must be registered with the Election Commissioner prior to March 1 of that year or 15 days prior to the County Convention, whichever comes first. At least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the County Convention, the DCRP shall issue a

notice to all Registered Delegates with the time, place and location of the County Convention prior to the Convention being held. 

B.  State Conventions

The NEGOP apportions the State Convention Delegates to be elected from Douglas County among the NEGOP State Central Committee Districts (“NEGOP District”), as set forth in the NEGOP Constitution within Douglas County upon the basis of the number of votes cast for the Republican candidate for the President of the United States at the last preceding general election.   Each NEGOP District shall be entitled to at least two (2) State Convention Delegates in the event a NEGOP District’s total votes cast for the Republican candidate for President is inadequate to qualify for a minimum of two (2) delegates. The number of Alternate Delegates and the apportionment thereof shall be the same as Delegates. Delegates and Alternates to the State Convention shall be nominated and elected at caucuses of the Delegates to the County Convention from the respective NEGOP Districts within Douglas County.

C.  Election of State Central Committee Members

At the County Convention, a Committeewoman, a Committeeman, and a County Chairman Representative shall be elected to the State Central Committee from each NEGOP District. The County Chairman shall be entitled to an automatic appointment to the position of County Chairman Representative in his or her NEGOP District. State Central Committee members shall be nominated and elected at caucuses of the Delegates to the County Convention from NEGOP Districts within Douglas County.

D.  Vacancies

Vacancies in the State Central Committee Districts shall be filled by a meeting of the County Central Committee members from the District where such vacancy occurs, provided the person filling the vacancy does not alter the gender qualifications required by the NEGOP Constitution. The County Chairman shall call the meeting within thirty (30) days after he is notified of the vacancy. For purposes of this section a vacancy shall exist upon the happening of any of the events identified as creating a vacancy in Article V, Section 5, Paragraph (A) of this Constitution.

Section 3.  Voting

A.  Unit Rule Prohibited

At all Conventions, each Delegate thereto shall be entitled to register his individual vote, and it shall be unlawful to attempt to bind any Delegate by any Party or Convention rules requiring the Delegates from any political subdivision to such Convention to vote as a unit.

B.  Proxies Prohibited

The authority granted to Delegates to the County Convention, by reason of their election, shall be deemed personal in its nature, and no such Delegates may, by power of attorney, proxy or in any other way, authorize any other person in his name or on his behalf to appear at such County Convention, cast ballots therein or participate in the organization or transaction of any business of such Convention.

Section 4.  Order of Business

The order of business at all DCRP County Conventions shall be announced by the County Chairman at the beginning of the Convention. The order of business may be altered by a vote of sixty percent (60%) of the delegates voting thereon. The order of business at all County Conventions shall be as follows:

  1. Opening of County Convention
  2. Selection of the temporary officers of the County Convention
  3. Appointment of Committees, including Credentials and Platform
  4. Keynote Speech(es)
  5. Report of Credentials Committee and action thereon
  6. Selection of permanent officers of the Convention
  7. Speech of permanent Chairman
  8. Program
  9. Caucuses of NEGOP Districts
  10. Reports of Committees and Caucuses and action thereon
  11. Other business
  12. Adjournment

ARTICLE V.  Administration

Section 1.  General Management

The general management of the affairs and business of the Party shall be determined by the Central Committee.

Section 2.  County Central Committee

A.  Apportionment

The Central Committee shall consist of two residents, one man and one woman, from each Legislative District in Douglas County, plus one additional member for each 1,000 (or major fraction thereof) votes cast for the Republican candidate for President in the last general election in the Legislative District. The members of the Central Committee chosen from the various Legislative Districts shall be elected at the Caucuses of the Delegates to the County Convention from the respective Legislative Districts to be held at such County Conventions, and their elections shall be certified to the County Chairman by the Chairman of each Caucus. It shall be a duty of members of the Central Committee to assist Legislative District Chairmen in the performance of their duties and to advise the County Chairman of conditions in their respective Legislative Districts.

B.  Additional Central Committee Members

  1. The following Republican organizations, upon majority approval by the Central Committee, shall be permitted to have one representative on the Central Committee:
  2. Douglas County Chapter(s) of Nebraska Federation of Republican Women
  3. The Young Republicans
  4. The College Republicans
  5. The Nebraska High School Republicans

Such representatives on the Central Committee shall be selected by the organization concerned and their selection shall be presented for certification to the Executive Committee before they shall be admitted to the Central Committee.

  1. Each Legislative District shall have a Chairman and such Chairman shall be selected by the County Chairman from the Central Committee membership of the Legislative District.

C.  Vacancies

When the County Convention is not in session, any vacancy on the Central Committee arising from any cause shall be filled in the following manner:

  1. Legislative District Member

If the vacancy to be filled is from a member of a Legislative District, the Legislative District Chairman for the affected Legislative District shall fill the vacancy, in so much as possible, with a member residing in the particular Legislative District within thirty (30) days after notice of the vacancy. If the Legislative District Chairman fails to fill the vacancy within that time, it shall be filled by the County Chairman subject to the approval of the Central Committee members of the relevant Legislative District.

  1. County Chairman

A vacancy in the office of County Chairman shall be temporarily filled by the Vice-Chairman who shall hold an election for the new Chairman. In the absence of a Vice-Chairman, the Executive Committee shall elect Chairman Pro-tem who shall hold an election for the new Chairman as soon as practicable. The Vice-Chairman or Chairman Pro-tem, as the case may be, shall notify the Central Committee members of the date, time, and place at which the Central Committee shall elect a new County Chairman.

D.  Meetings

  1. Required Meetings

In the month following the adjournment of the even numbered year County Convention, the County Chairman shall convene a meeting of the Central Committee to be held in Douglas County at a convenient time and place to be designated by the County Chairman. The Chairman shall, upon request of a County Central Committee member, electronically distribute a roster to that member listing the names, emails, home addresses and phone numbers of the elected Central Committee and Douglas County members of the State Central Committee. A copy of the County and State Constitutions shall also be electronically distributed upon request from a Central Committee member. The meeting may include on its agenda the completion of any unfinished business and attend to any other proper action that its officers or members deem necessary.

  1. Other Meetings

Regular meetings of the Central Committee shall be held in Douglas County. A meeting shall be held each month unless otherwise decided by the Central Committee, but there shall be at least six (6) regular meetings each year.

  1. Special Meetings

A special meeting of the Central Committee may be called by the County Chairman, with majority approval of the Executive Committee. A special meeting shall be called by the County Chairman upon a written request of not less than one-half (1/2) of the members of the Central Committee. Notices of any special meetings shall set forth the purpose of the same.

  1. Notices

Each member of the Central Committee shall be notified by mail, phone, or email (if available) at least ten (10) days prior to all meetings of the time, date and place of each meeting.

  1. Quorum

The presence, in person, by not less than a simple majority of the number of members entitled to vote shall be requisite for and shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Central Committee for the transaction of official Party business.

  1. Voting

Votes cast at all meetings of the Central Committee shall be cast by Central Committee members personally present and no proxy voting shall be permitted. Additionally, no person shall be entitled to more than one (1) vote even if such person is a Central Committee member and an officer or member of the Executive Committee of the DCRP.

E.  Budget

There is hereby created the Budget Committee which shall consist of the members of the Executive Committee who shall prepare an annual budget for all proposed expenditures of the DCRP. The Chairman, within the first quarter in each calendar year, shall present the annual budget to the County Central Committee members for their review, amendment and adoption. The budget, as approved by the Executive Committee, shall be mailed or emailed to each County Central Committee member not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting at which approval of the budget is requested. The adopted budget may subsequently be revised by the County Central Committee at the request of the County Chairman provided a notice enumerating the details of such revision is mailed or emailed to each County Central Committee member not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting at which approval of the revised budget is requested.

Section 3.  Required Officers

A.  Titles

The officers of the Central Committee shall be a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Legal Counsel, and each shall be entitled to a vote on the Central Committee.

B.  Election

The County Chairman shall be elected by a majority vote of the Central Committee at its January meeting or its first meeting of the year in each odd numbered year. Such officers other than the Chairman shall be selected by the County Chairman subject to the approval of the Central Committee.

C.  Powers

Such officers shall have the powers and duties usually incident to their respective offices.

Section 4.  Terms of Office

Officers, Assistant Chairmen, and members of the Central Committee shall hold office for a term of two years or until their successors are selected.

Section 5.  Vacancies in Offices & Committees

  1. When Occurring

The office of any Executive Committee member, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, shall become vacant immediately when an incumbent shall be appointed to or shall become a candidate for an elective public office. If a vacancy shall occur in the office of Treasurer, the Chairman shall appoint another member of the Executive Committee (other than the Chairman) to serve as Treasurer until a permanent Treasurer is selected by the Chairman and approved by the Central Committee. Any officer or any member of the Central Committee may be removed from office with or without cause by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Central Committee present and voting. A vacancy in the office of any member of the Central Committee shall exist upon the happening of any of the following events:

  1. resignation;
  2. removal from office;
  3. with respect to members of the Central Committee, three unexcused absences in any twelve-month period. Excused absences from Central Committee meetings shall be granted at the discretion of the Chairman, provided that following six such absences (excused and unexcused) by any Central Committee member in any twelve-month period, the Chairman, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall review such member’s attendance and may refuse to grant any further excused absences to such member;
  4. death;
  5. ceasing to be a resident of the Legislative District from which elected;
  6. ceasing to be affiliated with the Party, or if any member chosen by an officially affiliated Republican organization, ceasing to be a member of that organization; or
  7. conviction of a felony.

Any officer or member of the Central Committee may be removed from office upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee and concurrence therein by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Central Committee members for inadequate performance of duty or conduct detrimental to the best interests of the Party.

  1. How Filled

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this section or any other section of this Constitution, any vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the term by the Central Committee.

Section 6.  Legislative District Chairmen and Committees

The County Chairman shall have the power, with the approval of the Central Committee, to appoint and remove Legislative District Chairman and may establish such committee(s) from time to time as circumstances may warrant. The County Chairman shall announce the name of any such new Committee, the Committee Chairman and Committee members in addition to the Committee’s purpose at the next Central Committee meeting. The Committee Chairman shall give current information reports to the Central Committee throughout the duration of its assignment and if monies are used, a complete itemized account of all expenditures by and income derived from the Committee’s undertaking.

Section 7.  Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee which shall consist of the County Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Legal Counsel, and a maximum of five (5) Assistant Chairmen selected by the Chairman, who shall each have one (1) vote thereon. When possible, the immediate past County Chairman shall also be a voting member of the Executive Committee, but shall not in this capacity be entitled automatically to a vote on the Central Committee. The Assistant Chairmen shall be deemed members of the Central Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet regularly to assist in planning and carrying out the activities of the DCRP and the County Chairman shall update the Central Committee regularly regarding the activities of the Executive Committee.

Section 8.  Political Plan

The County Chairman, within the first quarter in each odd numbered calendar year, shall present a two-year Political Plan to the County Central Committee members for their review, amendment and adoption. The Political Plan shall include such topics as the County Chairman, in consultation with the Executive Committee, deems appropriate. The County Chairman may appoint a Committee of County Central Committee members to assist in the preparation of the Political Plan.

ARTICLE VI.  Vacancy on Ballot – How Filled

Unless otherwise provided by law, should a vacancy or vacancies in the name or names of any Republican candidate or candidates for any Douglas County office arise for any cause before any election, such vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by the majority vote of the Central Committee. The County Chairman shall call a meeting of the Central Committee to be held at a place designated by him or her within such time as to allow the filing of the necessary certificate or certificates with the proper officer in the manner and within the time provided by law, and the County Chairman shall cause such certificate or certificates to be properly filed.

ARTICLE VII.  Nomination for Candidates – How Made

All nominations for Republican candidates for any Douglas County office to be filled at a special election or any other office to be filled by the electors of Douglas County, which are excepted from the provisions of Article 5 of Chapter 32 of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska as amended, shall be made by a majority vote of the Central Committee in the manner provided by law. The County Chairman shall call a meeting of the Central Committee to be held at a place designated by him at the time and in the manner provided by law, and the County Chairman shall cause the certificate or certificates of nomination to be properly filed.

ARTICLE VIII.  Rules of Order

At all meetings herein provided for, rules of order shall be the most current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.”

ARTICLE IX.  Endorsements

The DCRP’s policy regarding endorsements of candidates for political office shall be governed by, and in all material respects, shall conform to the endorsement policy of the NEGOP as contained in the NEGOP Constitution.

ARTICLE X.  Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by the Central Committee, provided a written notice of the place, date and time of the meeting at which such amendments will be presented, together with any sections proposed to be added or deleted will be mailed or electronically transmitted to each voting member of the Central Committee no less than twenty (20) days before the date of said meeting called to consider such amendments. Any proposed amendments properly presented shall be deemed adopted if a quorum is present and at least three-fourths (3/4) of those present vote in favor of the said amendments. Additionally, this Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of Delegates at a County Convention, provided any such proposed amendment has been properly submitted in advance in accordance with Article IV, Section 1, Paragraph B above.

ARTICLE XI.  Repeal

All previous Constitutions of the DCRP are hereby repealed.

As Revised January 27, 1998

Amended January 17, 2012, February 24, 2015, August 22, 2023

 

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