Catharine Littlefield

Yes, RONR is officially recognized as the authority for all issues not covered by State Rules. This would include essentially everything regarding the conduct of meetings.

When I say "we" I am speaking of about ten members (from various precincts) who are concerned the rules are not being followed. We meet separately to discuss ways to get this group on a healthy, growing track. We believe the most constructive first step is to commit to following the rules. We decided that rather than taking a more confrontational approach, we should have a rules and bylaws committee. Hopes were it could 1) start incrementally educating everyone (including the officers) as to the rules (especially how meetings are run under RONR.) and 2) We also thought they could start crafting some simple procedural bylaws that could save a lot of time after ReOrg, which happens every two years. This particular motion was written by this group. The largest precinct was in favor of it by a majority. We then agreed on who would put it on the agenda, who would make the motion and who would second it. We also discussed the best arguments for debate, but, alas, the motion did not get made. But this is the first time in at least fifteen years that this county has properly organized by first organizing the precincts. That is why almost everyone involved knows nothing about how it works. The committeemen do not even understand their own powers.

This question refers to the County Committee of a Political Party. An inexperienced, but well-intentioned, County Chairman, newly elected, has instituted a policy that any item for the agenda must be sent in ten days in advance of the meeting. His procedure during his six-month tenure has been to have the committee approve the agenda, though everyone on the committee is equally unfamiliar with the rules, and they go along with everything. Again, no bad motives suspected. I am a precinct president, not the Executive Committeeman from our precinct, so I can neither speak, nor vote at meetings. My concern is that the elected Officers are issuing dictates, mostly procedural, rather than having the Executive Committee discuss and enact procedures. Rules clearly say Exec. Committee runs county party. (see below) My initial thinking was that it was not necessary to put a motion on the agenda, but that it would do not harm to observe their requested 10-day-in-advance submission; so, we put a planned motion on the agenda three days early - not in specific terms, but the general topic, which was "Members and the Rules." What ensued was a three-day argument with the person who submitted it. They wanted more detail and were finally told it was a motion to form a rules and bylaws committee, but not the text of the motion. Ultimately, the member was told her motion would not be heard "because we already had rules." That is when I realized that the submission for agenda was really desired so that the Officers could control the agenda by filtering out what they did not want to discuss. I realized then, that advance notice was not to the benefit of those who want to have a motion discussed on the floor. When the group of us who think having this committee would be beneficial found it would not be on the agenda, we decided that the motion could still be made by an executive committeeman. We had a mover and a seconder lined up. I don't need to waste time on the specifics, but the motion was not made at the meeting. Subsequently, there was an Open Meeting where I could speak, and when the chairman told someone that the motion they were describing (a different one) had to be submitted for the agenda before the next business meeting, I was recognized and gave my opinion that any executive committeeman could make a motion - that being on the agenda was not required. Great vitriol was immediately unleashed upon me! Was I wrong, or right? Does the chairman have the right to decide in advance what motions he feels like hearing? I need clarification on Agenda and Motions. Please!! ********************************************* Operative arrangement described in The Rules as follows: " (1) The precincts in each county shall be held together and operated under the control of a County Executive Committee, which shall consist of one (1) committeeman from each precinct elected by the precinct. The county executive committee, when elected, shall by majority vote elect its own officers, except those who were elected by the county convention per party rules. Appointed officers need not be executive committeemen. An officer of the County Executive Committee who is not an executive committeeman shall not be entitled to vote on any question. The county chairman may vote only in case of a tie vote. (2) The state executive committeeman from the county shall also be an officer of the County Executive Committee and shall be entitled to vote on any question. The officers that were elected at the county convention are: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, State Executive Committeeman (representative from County to sit on state executive committee. *** And from the explanatory manual that accomapnies The Rules: The County Executive Committee serves an extremely important role in the operation of the Party. After all, it is the County Executive Committee that conducts the affairs of the Party closest to the "grassroots." The County Executive Committee is responsible for the most visible of all organizational and campaign activities: voter registration, membership recruitment, yard signs, phone banks, door-to-door, event hosting, literature drops, GOTV, poll worker and poll watchers recruitment / training, etc. Structure of the County Executive Committee The County Executive Committee consists of one voting representative per organized precinct and the county elected committee officers. County Committeeman. Each precinct within the county is entitled to one county committeeman on the County Executive Committee. This member is elected at meetings for a two (2) year term during precinct reorganization. Precinct members must live within the precinct that they represent (which means the position is vacated when a member moves to a different precinct). County Committee has no bylaws, so comes under the State Rules. Anything not covered by state Rules is governed By RONR.

The state rules recommend each county party have their own bylaws, but does not require it. In absence of county bylaws, state Rules and Roberts rules, rule the day. Not having bylaws is a real detriment, imo, as it causes a lot of lost time when every two years a "new administration" comes in and they have to start from scratch, reinventing the wheel, as it were, in establishing new operating procedures. Like, six months have passed and no agreement has been reached on regular date for monthly member meetings. So, no monthly member meetings.

Thanks for the corrections. I agree with you that it is caused by something other than simple ignorance. I have several theories, but I can't know for sure. All I know for sure is this: In the Republican Party there is only one way to have a voice in the workings of the party, and that is through the precinct where you vote. If you happen to live where there is an active, vibrant, growing group, it is easy to get involved politically and make a difference. You may also have an "old guard" who sees every new member as a threat rather than an asset.

Excellent ideas. am printing this out!

The Officers do not acknowledge that they are in almost perpetual violation of the rules. My concern is that coming from people with NO foundation in the rules, a workshop would require a big time commitment. Just RONR, much less the State Rules that govern is massive. Our thought was that a committee would get the idea of the rules on the floor on an ongoing and incremental basis. In this particular situation, with the Rules Committee being recognized for a report at each meeting, there is the opportunity to get good suggestions out there. As an example, they think they are following RONR by having an agenda, Minutes, Old business, new busines, adjourn, etc. But they do not do proper Motion and Debate procedure. Never have. Motion is one person making a motion and then everyone attacking at once. Name calling, questioning of motives, interruptions, etc. We thought the first order of business would be the rules committee suggesting a quick summary document of the rules for debate to be sent to each member before the next meeting with the intent of practicing that style at that meeting. A step by step approach suggested and lead by Rules Committee or an expert they bring in. We are trying to sneak all of this in past a hostile set of Officers, without a major head to head battle that turns off attendees who want unity and are sick of fighting among party members. (This is political party)

I will be making a motion to establish a Rules Committee for our County GOP Party this week that the Chairman needs, but does not want. He has never even conducted a proper debate according to RONR. (our named authority) I expect the meeting to quickly become disorderly. I have earlier been advised here that I can say, "Mr. Chairman, I raise a Point of Order that the meeting is not in order." And wait. Can adjournment be requested on the basis that meeting does not come to order? Cam motion be made to postpone debate on the motion until we have a special meeting to learn the rules of debate? I need to know every proper tactic available to me in a situation where no one else has a clue what the rules are or cares. (PS. an Appeal is being prepared for our State Party, but that hearing would be weeks out.)

I am a part of an organization under a larger umbrella organization, and totally subject to its rules unless it has bylaws of its own, which is does not. Even if it did, those bylaws could not be in conflict with the higher level rules. There is a long story as to why, but it is not germane to what I want to ask. Suffice it to say that Officers do not know the rules. They are either ignorant of the rules and too lazy to learn them, or they are breaking rules to assume more power for themselves. The main source of power within our structure is an Executive Committee, but this is the first time in almost twenty years it has been properly elected through our precincts, so we have no ongoing example to follow. The new Executive Committeeman do not know the rules either. In short, a group of us has formed who are concerned and want to get the group to operate under the rules. Which means teaching EVERYONE the rules, including Roberts Rules at our meetings. We know it won't be easy, and we do not expect automatic success. Our first idea is to introduce a motion to create a Rules Committee. Here it is: Motion for the Purpose of Familiarizing All Members with the SCGOP Rules I move that the XXXX County Executive Committee establish a Standing Committee on Rules and Bylaws for the purpose of familiarizing current and future members of our Party with the SCGOP Rules that govern us; that the committee shall be comprised of no more than one volunteer from each precinct with basic knowledge of SCGOP Rules or a willingness to learn them, and who are not currently officers of the County Party; that the committee be chaired and members selected by a sitting County Committeeman of who holds no other County office or other standing committee chair; and that the XXXX County Chairman may have a seat on the Rules Committee ex-officio. Does this seem a good first step? It will be very hard to pass, I admit. They have already created five new officers, with a vote (in direct violation of the rules) As we debate it at a meeting this week we need to describe definite tasks it can undertake to help. One I assume, is to begging establishing bylaws. What would be the other tasks that could be assigned? Offering an opinion on the "legality" of future motions or actions? Training sessions in breakout meetings? I need our most compelling arguments. BTW, our officers will be saying they ARE following the rules.

BRILLIANT!!

Exactly. That is why I gave up on it so easily. I appreciate your opinion!

This is a county political party. Governing documents are Election Law, State Party Rules and any area not governed by those is governed by RONR. Most County Parties do have bylaws, but those who don't just go by State Party Rules. They are actually great rules. This is a structure that has been in place for two hundred years for Dems and GOP. It is like a pyramid with Precincts at bottom, County, State and then National. Grassroots up. Our problem as a small rural county is that (against Election Law) a small group of very close friends has run our county party as they pleased. "Old Guard." State did not much care because we were so small. When they were finally forced to organize precincts this year (which they did not want to do) they have been trying to top-down control the precincts, which is contrary to the rules. So right now it is a power struggle, with Rules favoring the precincts. "Old Guard" not pleased.

Standing Committee. This group has no bylaws. And there are none of our Rules that specify a method for forming a Committee. Since the primary problem with this group is with the Chairman/Officers not knowing the rules, we want to carefully craft the motion to assure the committee is chaired by someone who understands the necessity of the rules. We will give the Chairman a voting seat, as we want him to learn the rules and understand that the people he is working with are not in opposition to him. At some point we want this committee to establish bylaws for the group and make this committee part of that.

Agreed. Thank you for your good advice!

I know main motions should be on one topic. But can that topic have parts? For instance, we want to move to create a Rules and Bylaws Committee. We want it to be chaired by a sitting voting member who does not currently hold another office, and name the person we prefer; we want to let him choose the members by searching for people with knowledge of Rules (including RONR) or willingness to learn them and who do not currently hold an office; and the Chairman may have a seat on the committee with a vote. Can all that be rolled into one motion, or should it be a series of single motions?