PRECINCT COMMITTEE
A precinct is a geographic area or division of a county, where all voters living within its boundaries vote at a centralized location. The precinct is the most basic grassroots unit of the Republican Party. All activities of the party originate and stem from the many precincts across the state of Kentucky as well as the nation.
AUTHORITY (RPK Rule 1.03): Each such precinct committee shall be under the authority of its respective county committee.
MEMBERSHIP: Every registered Republican in the precinct is a member; however, the only voting members of the County Committee are the Precinct Captain, Co-Captain, and Youth Captain, as elected at Reorganization or by their County Committee.
OFFICERS (RPK Rule 5. Precinct Committee) These officers must reside in the precinct in which they serve unless vacancies are being filled. Then individuals who fill vacancies in Precinct Officer positions need not reside in the precinct in which they are elected to serve (RPK Rule 4.09). The Precinct Officers will be the most direct channel of communication between the people of the precinct, party leaders and elected officials. The Precinct Officers include:
- Precinct Captain
- Precinct Co-Captain
- Precinct Youth Captain (who must be forty (40) years of age or younger when elected)
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES NOTED IN RPK RULES
- Description (RPK Rule 5.01 (a, b, c))
- Precinct Captain: The Precinct Captain is an elected official who represents the GOP voters of his or her precinct at the County Republican Party level. This is a volunteer grassroots position primarily used for election campaigns; facilitates voter registration and absentee ballot access; leads the get out the vote outreach efforts; distributes campaign and party literature; promotes the party; and addresses voter concerns. The Precinct Officer is a member of the County Committee in which they reside.
- Precinct Co-Captain: The Precinct Co-Captain shall have all the duties and authorities of the Precinct Captain during the absence or disability of the Precinct Captain, and who shall also serve during a vacancy in the office of Precinct Captain until such vacancy is filled. Further the Precinct Co- Captain is to assist and support the Precinct Captain in carrying out important tasks and act as a go- between for the Precinct Captain and other key stakeholders as needed.
- Precinct Youth Captain: The Precinct Youth Captain, who shall be forty (40) years old or younger when elected, shall encourage party engagement among young voters and conduct activities and responsibilities designated to the Precinct Captain. Design and implement programs that will build engagement among young voters throughout the precinct, share with the County Youth Chairman to build coordination throughout the County.
- Precinct Committee Elections (RPK Rule 6.03): In the year immediately following the year in which the President is elected, all precincts shall hold elections for party office pursuant to the Call to Reorganize issued as described in 6.01. The Precinct Committee Elections are the beginning of the entire Republican Party reorganization process.
- Serve on the County Committee: Officers of the Precinct Committee serve on the County Committee and are responsible for all duties noted in the Official RPK Rules, unless the County Committee elects a County Executive Committee. The County Committee may elect an Executive Committee of not less than nine (9) members, who need not be Precinct Officers. The Executive Committee, upon election, shall thereafter function in place of the County Committee for all purposes.
COUNTY COMMITTEE:
The County Committee is charged with managing and directing Party affairs in their respective county; including the collection and disbursement of Party funds; the promotion of campaigns of Republican candidates who represent their county at the national, state and local levels and the recruitment of poll workers that will represent the Republican Party on Election Day and ensure the fairness of elections. Each County Party will submit an annual statement of their Party goals for the coming year and a summary of their revenue and expenses for the current year just ended and for the projected year by July 31st to the District Committee and the RSCC budget committee.
AUTHORITY: Each County Committee shall be under the authority of its respective Congressional District Committee which in turn shall be under the full authority of the Republican State Central Committee (RPK Rule 1.03).
MEMBERSHIP (RPK Rule 4.01):
- Precinct Officers: Precinct Captain, Precinct Co-Captains, and Precinct Youth Captain
- County Officers: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, andYouth Chairman
- (Optional) Elected Republican Officials: Each County Committee may, by a 2/3 vote of the County Committee, include as members any or all elected Republican officials who reside in the county (provided that quorum for such meetings is tw0-fifths).
- (Optional) Ward, District or Area Captains: In addition to Precinct Committees, County Committees may, by a majority vote, establish Ward, District or Area Captains over groups of Precincts in that County.
- (Optional) Executive Committee: County Committees, by majority vote of the County Committee, may elect an Executive Committee of not less than nine (9) members, who need not be Precinct Officers. No such Executive Committee shall assume any authority or be officially recognized in any way unless and until Republican State Headquarters has received written notification of the election of said Executive Committee, together with the names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the members of said Executive Committee. In the event that such an Executive Committee is elected it shall thereafter function in place of the County Committee until a new County Committee takes office as provided in Rule 4.08. The new County Committee may or may not decide to create an Executive Committee.
OFFICERS (RPK Rule 4.02): The County Committee may, on the same day and in the same location as the Precinct Conventions, but not later than thirty (30) days following the Precinct Conventions, meet and elect County Officers, who need not already be members of the County Committee. The County Committee Officers shall include a:
- County Chairman
- County Vice-Chairman
- County Secretary
- County Treasurer
- County Youth Chairman
GENERAL NOTES & DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES NOTED IN RPK RULES:
- Description (RPK Rule 5.01 (a, b, c))
- County Chairman: The County Chairman, or their designee, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the County Party with all necessary and implied powers to carry out his/her duties. He/she is charged with overseeing an annual plan that is reflective of the County goals, priorities and financial resources; Oversees the overall structure of the County party and coordination of County Party activities. As the primary officer, the County Chairman is responsible to ensure the scope of the County Committee tasks is accomplished. The County Chairman shall preside at all County meetings, shall create and appoint any special committees as necessary, and shall serve as an ex officio member of all special and standing County committees. The County Chairman is responsible for carrying out the mandate of the Rules. The Chair serves on both the District Committee and the Republican State Central Committee.
- County Vice-Chairman: The County Vice Chairman shall have all the duties and authorities of the County Chairman during the absence or disability of the County Chairman, and who shall also serve during a vacancy in the office of County Chairman until such vacancy is filled. Further, the Vice Chairman, or their designee, is to assist and support the Chairman in carrying out important tasks and act as a go-between for the Chairman and other key stakeholders as needed. While this is one of the most undefined roles, it plays a critical role in maintaining the relationship between the State, and District. The Vice Chairman serves on both the District Committee and the Republican State Central Committee.
- County Secretary: The County Secretary, or their designee, shall keep and be responsible for the minutes and records including correspondence, of all County Party meetings.
- County Treasurer: The County Treasurer is the lead officer responsible for the financial compliance of the County Republican Party and ensures proper adherence to all reporting rules and regulations.
- County Youth Chairman: The County Youth Chair’s role is to encourage party engagement among young voters and also conduct any other activities and responsibilities designated to them by the County Chairman. Design and implement programs that will build engagement among young voters Page 14 of 40 throughout the county, share with the District and State Youth Chair to build coordination throughout the state.
- Precinct Officers (See Above)
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Report: Each County Party will submit an annual statement of their Party goals for the coming year and a summary of their revenue and expenses for the current year just ended and for the projected year by July 31st to the District Committee and the RSCC budget committee.
- Define Membership of the County Committee: Elect County Party Officers and decide whether to vote on the following: including Elected Republican Officials as members of the County Committee; to establish Ward, District or Area Captains over groups of Precincts in that County; to elect an Executive Committee which thereafter functions in place of the County Committee.
- Fill Vacancies (RPK Rule 4.09): Vacancies in the County Committee will be filled by the County Committee, except that long-standing vacancies may be filled by the State Chairman as provided in Rule 2.08. All such vacancies filled by the County Committee shall be reported, in writing, within 10 days to the State Republican Headquarters (see rule 4.09 for other specifics)
- Party Organization (RPK Rule 6): The County Committee is responsible for conducting the Precinct Committee Elections and the County Committee Election and shall follow the method of election for each subscribed in the Official RPK Rules (reference RPK Rule 6).
- Delegates and Alternate Delegates to District and State Conventions (RPK Rule 7.02):Not sooner than March 1 but not later than March 31, during each year in which a Presidential election is held, each County Committee shall conduct a County Mass Meeting of registered Republican voters in the county to elect (a) a slate of delegates and alternate delegates to the District Convention (b) a slate of delegates and alternate delegates to the State Convention and (c) one delegate from that county to serve on each of the five District Convention Committees (Credentials Committee, Rules Committee, Committee on Permanent Organization, NominationsCommittee, Resolutions Committee). The County Committee shall serve as the Nominating Committee which will nominate a slate for each type of office to be filled.
- Kentucky Republican Presidential Caucus (RPK Rule 11.03): If the RSCC votes to distribute the authorized delegate votes at the Republican National Convention by a party caucus, each County Committee shall create a County Caucus Plan and execute Republican Caucuses in their precincts according to the guidelines established in the RPK Rules.
- Statutory Duties
- Precinct Election Officers (KRS 117.045): On or before March 15 of each year, each CountyCommittee will designate in writing to the County Board of Elections a list of not less than four (4) names to each precinct. If lists are submitted, the County Board of Elections shall select one (1) judge at each voting place from each political party’s list, and the County Board shall select thesheriff from one (1) political party’s list and the clerk from the other.
- County Board of Elections (KRS 118.015): Following the elections of persons to statewide office, each County Committee will nominate a list of five (5) Republicans for the County Board ofElections by sending the same on a form provided by the State Board of Elections to Republican State Headquarters. Republican State Headquarters shall submit said list to the State Board of Elections. One (1) member to the County Board of Elections will be appointed from the list submitted.
- Nominees (noted in RPK Rule 10.02): Wherever else public or Party law requires the filing of a nomination by a Party Committee, the lowest level Precinct, County, or District Committee embracing the entire geographic area of the office for which a nomination is to be made, shall make such nominations. Wherever this rule refers to a “County Committee” the County’s Executive Committee, if one has been created, shall function instead.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS (RPK Rule 12.08): In order to be eligible to vote at any meeting, or to be eligible for election or to serve in any Party position or office described in the RPK Rules, a person must be and remain a registered Republican voter, eligible to vote in the next Republican primary election.
REMOVAL:
- RPK Rule 4.10: The County Committee may itself remove any member without notice for absence from three (3) consecutive duly called meetings, or with 30-day written notice for misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance in office subject to the same appeal as provided in contested elections to the RSCC.
COMMITTEES:
- Standing Committees (RPK Rule 4.04): Standing Committees shall be created and shall exist at the pleasure of the County Committee. The Chair of any such Standing Committee may, by majority vote of the County Committee, be afforded membership on the County Committee.
- Special Committees (RPK Rule 4.05): Special Committees may be created and shall exist at the pleasure of the County Chairman; such committees shall be subject to ratification by the County Committee.
MEETINGS (RPK Rule 4.03): The County Committee shall hold regular meetings not less than quarterly. Fifteen percent (15%) of the membership of the County Committee is a quorum and required to conduct any business or votes.
Special meetings of the County Committee may be called by the County Chairman or on petition in writing signed by five (5) members of the County Committee and transmitted to the County Chairman. Such petition by members shall state the purpose of such meeting. Any such special meeting shall require at least five (5) business days written notice to all members of the County Committee. Special meetings may be conducted telephonically, by video conference, or by any other mechanism as authorized by a majority of the Executive Committee. However, in an emergency, the County Chairman may direct the County Secretary to give less than five (5) days’ notice by telephoning, or contacting via electronic mail, the members.
DUES (RPK Rule 4.07): The County Committee, by majority vote, may establish annual dues for its membership. The failure to pay dues by August 31st of each year shall constitute cause for removal of any member.
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