Political party executive committees

[Guest Taytay]

In a political party, what is the proper operation of the executive committee? Even if most powers have been ceded to that executive committtee, are executive committee meetings entitled to be always closed to all members of the governing central committee and is the executive committee permitted to provide no notice of meetings, no agendas, no minutes, and no reports to the central committee?

[Rob Elsman]

As to the first question posed, an executive committee is an assembly in the nature of a "board within a board", RONR (12th ed.) 49:13. It is, therefore, the executive board's board.

[Richard Brown]

On 1/21/2023 at 10:08 AM, Guest Taytay said:

In a political party, what is the proper operation of the executive committee?

This is something that should be defined in your bylaws and/or controlling state law. As Mr. Elsman pointed out, the executive committee is in the nature of a board within a board which is subordinate to the parent board (likely your state central committee) and to the organization itself (The state political party, if it is a state political party).  

[Richard Brown]

On 1/21/2023 at 10:08 AM, Guest Taytay said:

Even if most powers have been ceded to that executive committtee, are executive committee meetings entitled to be always closed to all members of the governing central committee and is the executive committee permitted to provide no notice of meetings, no agendas, no minutes, and no reports to the central committee?

Based solely on the rules in RONR, yes, a board may operate almost in total secrecy.  It may meet in executive session, meaning its meetings are limited to its members and what happens in the meetings is kept secret.  It is up to the parent organization or the "parent board" (the governing central committee) to set the parameters for the conduct of executive committee meetings. If no rules or parameters have been set by any of the parent bodies or by state law, then the executive committee itself may decide how it operates, e.g., whether its meetings are open to others (and precisely which others), whether its proceedings are in open session or executive (secret) session, how much and what kind of notice to give for its meetings, etc.   All of this should be covered in the parent organization's bylaws and other rules.

For information generally on boards (and the executive committee is in the nature of a board, despite its name) see Section 49 in RONR, the section on boards.  You might also take a look at sections 55:39-43 regarding recommended bylaw provision regarding executive boards and executive committees.

[Guest Taytay]

On 1/21/2023 at 12:43 PM, Richard Brown said:

Based solely on the rules in RONR, yes, a board may operate almost in total secrecy.  It may meet in executive session, meaning its meetings are limited to its members and what happens in the meetings is kept secret.  It is up to the parent organization or the "parent board" (the governing central committee) to set the parameters for the conduct of executive committee meetings. If no rules or parameters have been set by any of the parent bodies or by state law, then the executive committee itself may decide how it operates, e.g., whether its meetings are open to others (and precisely which others), whether its proceedings are in open session or executive (secret) session, how much and what kind of notice to give for its meetings, etc.   All of this should be covered in the parent organization's bylaws and other rules.

For information generally on boards (and the executive committee is in the nature of a board, despite its name) see Section 49 in RONR, the section on boards.  You might also take a look at sections 55:39-43 regarding recommended bylaw provision regarding executive boards and executive committees.

The state party is unrelated to the county party. RONR say an executive committee is a board of a parent board, but that doesn't seem to be how the party is organized. The EC is composed as a subset of members of the central committee plus dozens of people hand selected by a small group selected by the party chair. I guess the party organization doesn't follow the structure anticipated by RONR. I was hoping for a way to return us from a pyramid to an inverted pyramid by citing RONR. I find it disappointing that under RONR a committee can presumptively completely exclude its governing body from its meetings and information about them. But I guess that means change will have to be done by changing our governing documents. Just feels like somewhere along the way, the central committee was tricked into ceding its authority.

[Richard Brown]

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

The state party is unrelated to the county party.

You did not tell us this is a county party, but everything I said will still be applicable whether it is a state party or county affiliate of a state part. 

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

RONR say an executive committee is a board of a parent board, but that doesn't seem to be how the party is organized. The EC is composed as a subset of members of the central committee plus dozens of people hand selected by a small group selected by the party chair. I guess the party organization doesn't follow the structure anticipated by RONR.

State, local and national political parties, just like all organizations, are free to organize and have whatever governing structure they want as long as it complies with law.  RONR is not controlling:  the organization's bylaws and other rules and state law are controlling.  An organization does not have to follow the structure recommended by RONR.  An organization's bylaws and customized rules all take precedence over RONR.  There is no "RONR Police Department" that you can call if your organization or its members are not following the bylaws, state law, or even RONR.  It is up to the members of the organization to see that its rules are followed. That sometimes means electing new leadership.

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

I was hoping for a way to return us from a pyramid to an inverted pyramid by citing RONR.

You do that by persuading your fellow members that change is needed. 

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

I find it disappointing that under RONR a committee can presumptively completely exclude its governing body from its meetings and information about them.

As I stated earlier, your own bylaws and rules as well as state law all supersede the rules in RONR. Your own bylaws and rules can provide for almost anything the members want. If you want to direct your executive committee as to how it operates in a way different from the rules in RONR, you do that by virtue of your own rules and bylaws, all of which supersede the rules in RONR.  I imagine your central committee and your county organization have the authority to issue at least some directives to the executive board, but based on what you have told us the members of your central committee and county organization are apparently declining to do so.

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

But I guess that means change will have to be done by changing our governing documents.

Either doing that or electing new leadership and/or convincing the leadership and membership to follow the organization's own rules.

On 1/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Guest Taytay said:

Just feels like somewhere along the way, the central committee was tricked into ceding its authority.

That may be true.... and it may be that the central committee members are happy with it that way.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 1/21/2023 at 11:27 AM, Rob Elsman said:

As to the first question posed, an executive committee is an assembly in the nature of a "board within a board", RONR (12th ed.) 49:13. It is, therefore, the executive board's board.

In political parties, what would be normally be considered a board is often named a committee--executive committee, steering committee, etc.  This sounds like one of these.

[Guest Taytay]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:33 PM, Richard Brown said:

You did not tell us this is a county party, but everything I said will still be applicable whether it is a state party or county affiliate of a state part. 

State, local and national political parties, just like all organizations, are free to organize and have whatever governing structure they want as long as it complies with law.  RONR is not controlling:  the organization's bylaws and other rules and state law are controlling.  An organization does not have to follow the structure recommended by RONR.  An organization's bylaws and customized rules all take precedence over RONR.  There is no "RONR Police Department" that you can call if your organization or its members are not following the bylaws, state law, or even RONR.  It is up to the members of the organization to see that its rules are followed. That sometimes means electing new leadership.

You do that by persuading your fellow members that change is needed. 

As I stated earlier, your own bylaws and rules as well as state law all supersede the rules in RONR. Your own bylaws and rules can provide for almost anything the members want. If you want to direct your executive committee as to how it operates in a way different from the rules in RONR, you do that by virtue of your own rules and bylaws, all of which supersede the rules in RONR.  I imagine your central committee and your county organization have the authority to issue at least some directives to the executive board, but based on what you have told us the members of your central committee and county organization are apparently declining to do so.

Either doing that or electing new leadership and/or convincing the leadership and membership to follow the organization's own rules.

That may be true.... and it may be that the central committee members are happy with it that way.

I'm a member of the central committee and I find it mindboggling.