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TWIN FALLS COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE BY-LAWS
The Twin Falls County Central Committee shall be the governing body of the Republican Party of Twin Falls County, Idaho. It shall establish all policy and functions of the Republican Party of Twin Falls County. The following By-Laws have been adopted by the Republican Party of Twin Falls County to guide its conduct in carrying out the business of said Party.

ARTICLE I – MEETINGS

  • Section 1 – REGULAR MEETINGS – Regular meetings shall be held at a time and place to be designated by the Central Committee. Notice of meetings shall be given at least 4 days in advance of the date of the meeting.
  • Section 2 – PETITION FOR MEETING – Upon receipt of a written petition signed by 1/3 of the members of the Central Committee requesting a special meeting, the County Chairman shall, within 10 days, and upon not less than four days notice, call a meeting of the Central Committee as requested by the petition.
  • Section 3 – SPECIAL MEETING – A special meeting may be called at the discretion of the County Chairman when deemed necessary by the Chairman to consider urgent business concerning the Central Committee. Notice of special meetings of the Central Committee shall be given in writing not less than 4 days in advance of the meeting.
  • Section 4 – SPECIAL ASSEMBLIES – Official meetings which are held pursuant to the laws of the State of Idaho shall be held as provided by law and the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party.

ARTICLE II – RIGHT TO VOTE

  • Section 1 – REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS – Only Precinct Committeepersons, the State Committeeman, the State Committeewoman, the State Youth Committeeperson, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Designated Directors shall be allowed to vote, originate motions, and move nominations at regular and special meetings of the Central Committee. The Vice-Chairman is limited to originating motions and nominations and shall not vote except that he may also serve as a Precinct Committeeperson. The Chairman shall vote only in the case of a tie.
  • Section 2 – PROXY VOTING – Proxy voting shall be allowed except for the election of Central Committee Officers, election of delegates to the State Convention, and nomination of nominees to fill county office vacancies, as stated in Article IV, Section 11 of the Idaho Republican Party rules. Proxy votes shall be in writing, signed properly, and carried by a voting member of the convening body and limited to that particular meeting.
  • Section 3 – SPECIAL ASSEMBLIES – The right to vote in the County Assembly and the Organizing Assembly shall be limited to Precinct Committeepersons and such other persons as may be designated by the laws of the State of Idaho and the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party.

ARTICLE III – QUORUM

  • Section 1 – MEETINGS – Ten Precinct Committeepersons shall constitute a quorum at regular meetings of the Central Committee.
  • Section 2 – SPECIAL QUORUM – 75% of the elected or appointed Precinct Committeepersons shall constitute a quorum for purposes of amending the by-laws and rules of the Twin Falls County Republican Central Committee. Such a quorum shall also be necessary for the removal of a County Chairman or an Executive Committee Officer.

ARTICLE IV – FILLING OF VACANCIES

  • Section 1 – APPOINTMENT AND CONFIRMATION – When vacancies occur in the County Central Committee, the County Chairman may fill such vacancies by appointing qualified persons to act on a temporary basis until the next regular meeting of the Central Committee, at which time such appointments shall be submitted to the Committee for confirmation. Confirmation shall be determined by majority vote of the Precinct Committeepersons in attendance at the meeting. Precinct Committeepersons appointed and confirmed according to this Article shall have all of the authority and responsibility of regularly elected Precinct Committeepersons.
  • Section 2 – COUNTY CHAIRMAN – Should a vacancy arise in the office of County Chairman, Article IV, Section 9 of the rules of the Idaho Republican Party shall apply in filling such vacancy. Article IV, Section 9 states, “If the office of County Chairman becomes vacant, by reason of resignation, death or otherwise, the Vice-Chairman shall assume all duties of the Chairman and, within thirty days after giving at least seven (7) days notice, call the Central Committee for the purpose of electing a new County Chairman. If such a meeting is not called within thirty (30) days and after giving seven (7) days notice, the State Chairman shall call a County Central Committee for the purpose of filling such vacancy.”

ARTICLE V – SUSPENSION OF RULES

  • Section 1 – SUSPENSION – The rules and by-laws as contained in this document may be suspended for valid reasons only. A suspension of rules motion must be affirmed by unanimous vote of the Precinct Committeepersons then attending, and shall not conflict with the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party and the laws of the State of Idaho.

ARTICLE VI – AMENDMENTS

  • Section 1 – AMENDMENTS – Additions and amendments to these by-laws may be adopted by the affirmative vote of 2/3rds of the Precinct Committeepersons in attendance at a regular or special meeting of the Central Committee called for the purpose of considering amendments to these by-laws, providing that a special quorum as defined in Article III, Section 2, is present.
  • Section 2 – NOTICE OF AMENDMENT – Suggested additions or amendments shall be proposed to all members of the Central Committee at least ten days in advance of the vote on such additions or amendments.
  • Section 3 – CONFLICTS – Should changes occur in the laws of the State of Idaho, the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party, or the rules and by-laws of any other governing authority, which changes create conflicts with these by-laws, the County Chairman shall call a meeting of the Central Committee to review those changes and to make appropriate amendments to conform with the laws of the State of Idaho, the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party or the rules and by-laws of any other governing authority. The provisions of these by-laws shall apply to that amending process, except that the notice specified in Article VI, Section 2, hereof shall not be required.

ARTICLE VII – ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE

  • Section 1 – COMPOSITION – The County Central Committee is composed of the Precinct Committeepersons elected at the State Primary Election and the officers of the Central Committee.
  • Section 2 – OFFICERS – The officers of the Central Committee shall consist of the Chairman, the State Committeeman, the State Committeewoman, the State Youth Committeeperson, the Vice-Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Five Directors.
  • Section 3 – ELECTION OF OFFICERS – All officers of the Central Committee shall be elected by the Precinct Committeepersons at an Organizational Assembly called by the incumbent County Chairman to be held within 10 days after the Primary Election at the county seat. The election of the officers shall be the first order of business at that Organizational Assembly. Fifty-one percent of the Precinct Committeepersons shall be required for a quorum at the Organizational Assembly.
  • Section 4 – NOMINATIONS – At the Organizational Assembly, all nominations for the election of officers shall come from the floor and only Precinct Committeepersons shall be eligible to move such nominations.
  • Section 5 – NOMINEES – Any qualified resident of Twin Falls County who is a qualified elector of this county, and who is a bona-fide and recognized member of the Republican Party, is eligible for nomination and election.
  • Section 6 – BALLOTING – When more than one candidate is nominated for an office, election to that office shall be by secret ballot.
  • Section 7 – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
  1. Chairman – In addition to the duties specifically provided for by the laws of the State of Idaho, the Chairman shall preside at all Central Committee meetings, and will serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee and will serve as ex-officio member of all standing and special committees of the Central Committee.
  2. State Committeeman, Committeewoman and Committee Youth Person – The duties of these officers shall be those as specified by the laws of the State of Idaho and the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party, as well as such other duties delegated to them by the Chairman.
  3. Vice-Chairman – In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Central Committee, and assume those functions of the Chairman in the conduct of normal business. The Chairman shall be considered to be absent whenever outside the boundaries of Twin Falls County for more than 72 hours or when notice of intended absence is given to the Vice-Chairman. He shall perform such other duties that may be delegated to him by the Chairman.
  4. Secretary – The Secretary shall maintain a permanent record of all regular, special, and executive meetings and assemblies; shall maintain a permanent correspondence file relating to the business of the Central Committee; maintain a file of the State election laws, rules and by-laws of the Republican Party, current precinct boundary descriptions; and such other records as designated by the County Chairman. Normally it shall be the duty of the Secretary to notify the members of the Central Committee of meetings, assemblies, and other information as appropriate.
  5. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall have custody and responsibility for all funds of the Central Committee, including all donation and campaign funds collected on behalf of the Republican Party. The Treasurer shall be prepared to render a current report of all receipts and expenditures at each regular meeting. The Treasurer is authorized to expend funds for normal housekeeping expenses, not to exceed $25.00, without prior approval of the Central or Executive Committees.
  6. Directors – The Directors shall serve in an advisory capacity for both the Central and Executive Committees, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to them by the County Chairman.
  • Section 8 – REMOVAL OF OFFICERS – Officers serve at the pleasure of the Central Committee. Unless sooner removed, they shall serve until their successors are elected pursuant to the laws of the State of Idaho. Any officer deemed unwilling to perform the duties required by these by-laws and by the by-laws of the Republican Party may be removed from office by a vote of 2/3rds of the Precinct Committeemen present at a regular or special meeting of the Central Committee called for the purpose of considering the removal of officers, excepting that a quorum as defined in Article III, Section 2 shall be required for removal of the County Chairman or an Executive Committee Officer. No officer shall continue to serve when they are no longer residents of Twin Falls County.

ARTICLE VIII – COMMITTEES

  • Section 1 – STANDING COMMITTEES – For approval by the Central Committee, the County Chairman shall nominate a chairman and such other members as deemed necessary to the following standing committees: Campaign, Finance, and Program. Members need not be Central Committee Members.
  • Section 2 – SPECIAL COMMITTEES – The Chairman may appoint on a temporary basis special committees as may be necessary to the administration of the business of the Central Committee.
  • Section 3 – DUTIES – The duties of all committees shall be designated by the County Chairman and subject to the review of said Chairman.
  • ARTICLE IX – EXPENDITURE OF FUNDSSection 1 – APPROVAL – Expenditure of funds other than regulated by Article VII, Section 7 (e) of this document may be authorized by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee or by approval of the Central Committee.

ARTICLE X – PATRONAGE

  • Section 1 – CENTRAL COMMITTEE ACTION – All nominations and endorsements for patronage positions shall be submitted to the Central Committee for consideration.

ARTICLE XI – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  • Section 1 – COMPOSITION – The Executive Committee shall consist of the County Chairman, the State Committeeman, the State Committeewoman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Vice-Chairman, the State Youth Committeeperson and the Five Directors. The Legislative District Chairman and President of Republican Women in Twin Falls County shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee. Executive Committee meetings will be called by the County Chairman when deemed necessary.
  • Section 2 – QUORUM – A Quorum shall consist of six members of the Executive Committee.
  • Section 3 – EMERGENCY ACTION – The Executive Committee shall have the power to act for the Central Committee when matters arise that are so urgent as to preclude the calling of a special Central Committee meeting. All actions of the Executive Committee under such circumstances shall be subject to review and either ratification or disavowal at the next succeeding meeting of the Central Committee.
  • Section 4 – VOTING – Voting of the Executive Committee on matters other than those covered by pertinent rules and by-laws shall be by simple majority vote.

ARTICLE XII – CENTRAL COMMITTEE ENDORSEMENTS

  • Section 1 – CANDIDATES – The Central Committee may function to determine the political qualification of a candidate filing or declaring an intent to file as a candidate of the Republican Party. Upon majority vote of Precinct Committeepersons in attendance, the Central Committee may, at a regular or special meeting, endorse particular candidates for public office.
  • Section 2 – APPLICANTS – The Central Committee may exercise the function, upon a majority vote of those in attendance at a regular or special meeting, of endorsing applicants for public service.

ARTICLE XIII – COUNTY DELEGATE ASSEMBLY

  • Section 1 – INSTRUCTIONS – Each county shall hold an Assembly in accord with Rule II, Section (a) of the “Rules for selection of delegates to the Republican National Convention and the Republican State Convention” (Amended June 28, 1980) for the selection of delegates to the Republican State Convention.
  • Section 2 – QUORUM – Fifty-one percent of the Precinct Committeepersons holding office shall constitute a quorum at a Delegate Selection Assembly.
  • Section 3 – RULES – The following rules of order are written to insure the orderly conduct of the County Assembly, but shall not conflict with the rules and by-laws of the Republican Party or the laws of the State of Idaho:
  1. Voting shall be by simple majority rule with the Chairman voting only in the case of a tie.
  2. Voting on issues before the Assembly shall be limited to Precinct Committeepeople.
  3. Motions, seconds, and nominations shall be made only by Precinct Committeepeople.
  4. Nominating speeches at a County Assembly shall be limited to two speeches for each nominee and each of such speeches not to exceed two minutes in time. Other seconding nominations shall be by a simple statement of, “I second the nomination of…,” or the equivalent thereof.
  5. Any bona-fide Republican present may request the floor to raise issues pertinent to the business of the Assembly.
  6. The Chairman shall have the authority to temporarily suspend proceedings, recess and reconvene the Assembly, and clear the meeting of all persons other than those legally entitled to be present.
  7. Discussion of platform and resolution subjects shall be limited to ten minutes on each item under consideration, but may be reasonably extended if it would serve the best interests of the Assembly.

Section 4 – DELEGATES

  1. As to regular party business, the Central Committee shall not “instruct” legally elected delegates as to the vote to be cast by each delegate. The Central Committee may “advise” legally elected delegates.
  2. In any issue regarding Idaho delegates to the National Republican Convention, Twin Falls County delegates must vote so as to reflect the votes cast by the Republican electorate in the County Presidential preference primary.

ARTICLE XIV – MISCELLANEOUS

  • Section 1 – PARLIAMENTARIAN – The County Chairman shall appoint a parliamentarian to advise on interpretation of the rules and procedures in this document and to resolve questions, when necessary, on matters of parliamentary procedure.
  • Section 2 – ROBERT’S RULES – The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition, shall govern this organization in all cases in which they are applicable and when they are not inconsistent with the rules and by-laws of this organization.