By-Laws of the Portsmouth Republican Party

Bylaws
Republican Party of Portsmouth Virginia
(Revised 1981,1982,1984,1995,1996,1997,1999, 2000)

ARTICLE I Qualifications for Participation in Party Actions

Section A

1. All legal and qualified voters, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia regardless of race, religion, national origin or sex, who are in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and who, if requested express in open meeting, either orally or in writing as may be required their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election may participate as members of the Republican Party of Portsmouth in its mass meetings Party canvasses conventions or Primaries. (amendment adopted by the city committee July 1995)

2. A person who has made application for registration and meets all other requirements of Section A but whose name does not appear on the local registration books solely because of the books having been closed in connection with a local election will nevertheless be deemed a legal and qualified voter upon proof of residency in the city of Portsmouth. (Amendment adopted by the city committee July 1995)

3. The qualifications for such membership shall be published in all official calls for mass meetings and conventions.

Section B Powers and Duties

All powers and duties of the Republican Party of Portsmouth and the City Committee are derived from the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia herein after referred to as the STATE PARTY PLAN. No action of the City Committee or these bylaws shall conflict with the State Party Plan or amendments thereto. (Amendment adopted by the city committee July 1995)

ARTICLE II Definitions

1. "State Party" "Party" means Republican Party of Virginia.

2. "State Party Plan" means plan of organization of the Republican Party of Virginia.

3. "Election District" means the city, county, or ward of a city, magisterial district of a county, precinct or portions or combinations of such political subdivisions which comprise the area defined by law in which an election is to be held.

4. "City Committee" means city committee for the Republican Party of Portsmouth.

    5. "Ex-officio" means the person holding the office and shall not be construed to mean with or without vote.

    6. "Mass Meeting" is as defined in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order subject to the provisions of the State Party Plan.

    7. "Party Canvass" is a method of electing chairmen and members of official committees, delegate to conventions or party nominees which shall include prefiling candidacies then secret balloting by part members at convenient polling places and hours after proper notice.

    8. "Convention " is as defined in the then current edition of Robert's Rules of order subject to the provision of the State Party Plan.

    9. "Primary" is as defined in and subject to the election laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

10.The fiscal year shall be from April 1st to March 31st.

11. Definitions not set forth above shall be those set forth in the State Party Plan and then the current edition of Robert's Rules of order. (Amendment adopted by the city committee July 1995)

ARTICLE III: City Committee

Section A: There shall be a city committee of the Republican Party of Portsmouth, hereinafter referred to as the City Committee.

Section B: The purpose of the, City Committee shall be to promote the principles of the Republican Party, to encourage, nominate and elect Republican candidates for public office and to inform and assist elected Republican officials.

Section C: Membership

The Membership of the City Committee shall consist of the following:

1. The Unit Chairman: who shall be an additional member of the City Committee. He shall not be counted as a precinct or an at large member.

2. The Treasurer: who shall be an at-large member of the City Committee.

3. Precinct Members: The number of members from each precinct shall be determined by the average of the gubernatorial and the presidential Republican candidates' votes in a recent past election or elections divided by 125, but not less than one member from each precinct.

4. At Large Members: Additional members at large: who shall not exceed in number 30% of the allowed members of the committee.

5. All publicly elected Republican officials: Representing any portion of the city of Portsmouth. Ex officio, shall be additional members of the committee. They shall not be classified as precinct or as at-large members.

6.The immediate past chairman shall be an additional member of the city committee.

7. Additional officers of the city committee: shall be the Vice Chairman and Secretary.

8. Committee Emeritus age 65 or older with 10 years of service and a member in good standing. (Amendments adopted by the city committee July 1995)

Section D: Notice, Quorum, Removal, and Proxy

1. Meetings of the City Committee shall be held upon written notice of not less than one week on the call of the chairman; or on the call of one-third of the members, which shall include the agenda for the meeting.

2. Twenty five percent of the voting members of the City Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. (Motion adopted by the City committee to change quorum -1997)

3. An elected member of the City Committee shall automatically lose his committee membership if he is absent from three consecutive official meetings or fails to attend at least 50% of the meetings in an elected year.

4. The City chairman or any committeeman may be removed from office by the vote of two thirds of the members. Such an individual shall be given thirty day within which to appear and defend himself.

5. An elected member of the City Committee shall automatically lose his membership by failing to pay annual dues by the prescribed time.

6. Committee members may be represented in official meetings by proxy subject to the following conditions:

a) No individual may cast more than one vote at any meeting, which he attends.

b) The proxy holder must be a member of the Republican Party in the City of Portsmouth.

c) All proxies shall be in writing and shall be signed by the maker of the proxy and shall be substantially in the form prescribed by the City Committee.

Section E: Election and Term.

1. The Chairman, the Treasurer and other members of the committee shall be elected by the convention, mass meeting, Party canvas or primary called for the purpose of electing delegates to the Biennial District Convention for a term of two years or until their successors are elected.

2. If no Treasurer is elected by the mass meeting, Party Canvass convention or Primary the Treasurer shall be elected by the City Committee.

3. The Vice-Chairman and Secretary shall be elected by the City Committee at the first regularly scheduled City Committee meeting following the election of the City Committee chairman and committeemen. They must be elected members of the City Committee. Their terms shall expire with the term of the other members of the City Committee.

(Amendments adopted by the city committee July 1995)

Section F:. Vacancies:

1 A vacancy in the office of unit chairman shall be filled by the City Committee for the remaining unexpired portion of the term.

2. Vacancies in the offices of Vice-chairman, Secretary or Treasurer shall be filled by the City Committee.

3. Vacancies in Precinct Committeemen and at-large Committeemen shall be filled by the City Committee.

4. Vacancies shall be filled after notice of such intent has been included in the call of the meeting.

5. Whenever candidates, electors delegates or alternates have been duly elected by a convention or mass meeting and a vacancy occurs, the City Committee is authorized to fill such vacancy in formal meeting by a majority vote after due notice of such intent has been included in the call of the meeting.

6. Any City Committee member who moves to another precinct and no vacancy exists in that precinct will become an at-large member until a vacancy occurs in the new precinct. If there is no vacancy in the at-large seats, a special at large non-voting status is created until the earliest vacancy occurs at the at large or the new precinct seat. If a vacancy exists in a precinct seat and there is an at-large member from that precinct, he or she will fill that precinct seat. Seniority will rule from entry date on the City Committee.

ARTICLE IV : Executive Committee (9/24/84 meeting of city committee adopted a motion to amend bylaws re: Executive Committee see back of original sheet)

Section A: There is an executive committee comprised of the following members:

1. The Chairman

2. The Vice-chairman

3. The Secretary

4. The Treasurer

5. Three committeemen elected by the City Committee to become at- large members.

6. The immediate past chairman (when the immediate past chair is unable to fill this position the position will be filled by a city committee member till such time that there is an immediate past chairman to fill the position.) (passed by city committee April 2000.)

7.The District Chairman when said chairman resides in Portsmouth.

8. A representative from the Young Republicans (added by amendment adopted by City Committee 1996)- (when a representative is unable to fill this position the position will be filled by a city committee member till a representative becomes available.) (passed by city committee April 2000.)

Section B: The Executive Committee shall meet upon call of the city chairman for the purpose of developing policy, programs and other necessary tasks. The Exec Board is authorized to approve expenditures up to and including $300.00 without approval of the City Committee see Article VII Section A:

Section C: A meeting of the Executive Committee may be called at any time by the city committee chairman or three other Executive committee members who are also members of the City Committee. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members.

ARTICLE V Standing Committees of the City Committee

Section A: There shall be the following Standing Committees appointed by the City Committee Chairman to serve the City Committee:

1. Finance Committee

2. Public Affairs Committee

3. Candidate Recruitment Committee

4. Patronage Committee

5. Precinct Organization Committee

6. Any other Committee the City Committee deems appropriate

7. Parliamentarian

Section B The terms of members of the Standing Committees shall run concurrently with that of the City Committee chairman. The members shall serve at the pleasure of the City Committee Chairman.

ARTICLE VI Duties of the City Committee, the Chairman, officers, and certain Standing Committees

Section A. City Committee

1. The City Committee shall determine whether candidates for local and constitutional offices shall be nominated by mass meeting, Party Canvas, Convention or Primary and whether City Chairman and Committee members shall be elected by mass meeting, Party Canvas, Convention or Primary.

2. The City Committee shall direct the city chairman to call all regular mass meetings, party canvasses and conventions and such special mass meetings, party canvasses or conventions as it deems necessary and make arrangements therefore including the time and place and if convention the basis of representation.

3. The City Committee shall decide all controversies and contests within its jurisdiction with the right of appeal to the District Committee. Appeals shall be taken to the District Committee within thirty days after the decision appealed from, by petition signed by at least twenty-five qualified Republican voters of Portsmouth.

4. When a mass meeting or convention fails to nominate a candidate for office, the city committee is authorized to nominate such candidate by two thirds of those members present in formal meeting, after due notice of the meeting to all members. The nomination of the committee shall have the same force and effect as if the person had been nominated by the meeting or convention.

5. The City Committee shall cooperate with the State Central Committee, its District Committee and the legislative District Committee within its boundaries in conducting all elections and fund raising activities.

Section B: City Chairman

1. The city chairman shall be the chairman of the city committee.

2. He shall issue calls for city mass meetings, party canvasses or conventions and preside until a temporary organization is effected. See ARTICLE VIII, Section A, of the Party Plan for details.

3. He shall convene the city committee when the needs of the party so demand, but in no event less than once during each three month period and shall preside at the meeting of the committee. He shall be responsible for sending written notice of the call for a committee meeting to all members of the committee, which shall include the agenda for the meeting.

4. He with the approval of the city committee shall appoint committeemen to the Standing Committees and any special committees when needed.

Section C: Vice-Chairman

1. The Vice-Chairman shall serve in the absence of the chairman.

2. The Vice-Chairman shall function both as the Precinct Coordinator for Portsmouth and chairman of the precinct organization committee.

3. The Vice-Chairman shall assume the responsibility to determine, and maintain as prescribed by the By-laws the city committee membership. Records shall be kept showing authorized and actual members by the several categories. He shall advise the chairman of committee vacancies prior to the consideration and election of a new member.

Section D: Secretary

1. The Secretary shall take the minutes and maintain the records of the city committee meetings, and maintain the roster and attendance record of committeemen.

2. The Secretary shall keep and maintain official documents.

3. The Secretary shall call a city committee meeting upon the petition of one third of the committeemen and upon the chairman's death, resignation or inability to act within thirty days of such occurrence for the purpose of electing a new chairman.

4. This section is in no way to be construed to inhibit the ability of one third of the membership to call a city committee meeting directly themselves according to the provisions of the State Party Plan.

Section E: Treasurer

1. The treasurer shall serve a custodian of city committee funds, which shall include the collection receiving safekeeping disbursing and recording of such funds.

2. The treasurer shall keep the chairman informed of the committeemen who have failed to pay dues as prescribed by the By-Laws.

3. The treasurer shall remain in office until his successor is elected.

Section F: Finance Committee

1. The finance committee shall formulate plans to raise funds for the operation of the city committee; for the conduct of general election campaigns falling under the jurisdiction of the city committee and to coordinate fundraising efforts with the District Committee and State Central Committee.

2. The finance committee shall in June of each year submit a proposed annual operating budget to the city committee.

3. The finance committee shall audit the treasurer's records annually and prior to the election of a treasurer.

Section G: Public Affairs Committee.

1. The public affairs committee shall keep the city committee briefed on important public affairs which may call for a political response or other action by the city committee.

2. Public "position" statements issued to the press shall be approved by the Executive Committee of the city committee.

3. The public affairs committee shall prepare plans of action designed to enhance the image of the Republican Party in Portsmouth and during the periods of active campaigning shall assist those various persons connected with the city district state or national candidates to determine those issues most vital.

Section H: Parliamentarian

1. The parliamentarian may be a committeeman or may be any other person willing and qualified to serve.

2. He shall serve as an advisor on question of parliamentary procedure when required to do so.

3. He shall attend meetings of the city committee and of the Executive Committee when requested.

ARTICLE VII Miscellaneous

Section A: Fiscal Matters

1. The executive committee is between meetings of the city committee empowered to authorize expenditures from the city committee treasury not exceeding three hundred dollars.

2. Disbursements exceeding three hundred dollars must be approved by the majority of the city committee.

3. The city chairman is empowered to authorized expenditures as outlined in the annual approved budget.

Section B: The State Party Plan, the city committee By-laws and then Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised(1970) in that order shall govern the proceedings of all meetings.

Section C: Annual dues are due and payable upon election as a member of the city committee and no later than April 1st (amendment adopted and approved by the city committee February 1996) Those elected after December 1 of each year shall pay upon election one half dues for that membership year.

ARTICLE VIII Adoption and Amendments

These By-Laws are hereby adopted an may be amended by the city committee upon two thirds vote of the voting members present and notice of intent to adopt and amend shall be included in the call of the meeting.

ARTICLE IX Effective Date

These By-Laws to be known as the By-laws of the Republican Party of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, shall become effective immediately following adoption.