GILA COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

BYLAWS AMENDED SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

AUTHORITY
The Gila County Republican Committee (GCRC), AKA Gila County Republican Party, exists by virtue of the Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 16-821 (AR 16-821). Its purpose is to maintain an informed organization dedicated to advancing the Republican Party and electing Republican candidates at the local, county, state, and national levels.

ARTICLE I
Duration and Method of Amending Bylaws

Section A: Duration of Bylaws

These bylaws shall become effective on the date of their adoption and shall continue in force for the government of the GCRC and its present and future membership subject to amendment as provided in Section C.

Section B: Reaffirmation of Bylaws

These bylaws shall be reaffirmed at each Statutory Organizational meeting which is held every two years.

Section C: Method of Amending Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the GCRC called in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws, provided a copy of each proposed amendment, with an explanation of the reason for the amendment is included in the notice of call of the meeting. Amendments must be approved by two-thirds of the elected, deemed elected and appointed members present in person or by proxy.

ARTICLE II
Membership
Section A: Composition

1. The GCRC shall consist of all Republican Precinct Committeemen (PC) lawfully elected, deemed elected, or appointed, representing precincts within Gila County. The elected committeemen serve a two-year term following the primary election of Gila County and the State of Arizona. Appointed committeemen complete their term at the next Primary election.
2. An Associate Precinct Committeemen, (APC) is a Republican from a precinct whose allotment of PCs has already been filled by election or appointment by the Gila County Board of Supervisors and is willing and able to serve. An Associate Precinct Committeeman is appointed by the County Chairman and may serve on any Committee of the GCRC. Associate Precinct Committeemen can participate in all committee business meetings, training and other activities, however, are not eligible to vote on official Gila County Republican Committee business. APC may be eligible to carry a proxy of an absent PC as defined in Article IV Section D

Section B: Vacancies

1. A vacancy shall exist in the GCRC when a member
Dies, resigns, or relocates out of the precinct from which he/she was elected,
Is no longer registered as a Republican

2. In accordance with ARS, the Board of Supervisors of Gila County, upon the recommendation of the County Chairman or Acting County Chairman shall determine when a vacancy exists in the office of the Precinct Committeeman. If a vacancy exists, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to a request for appointment submitted on a Gila County Republican Committee Precinct Committee Appointment form by the Chairman or Acting Chairman of the GCRC.

ARTICLE III
Officers

Section A: Elected Officers

1. The elected officers for the GCRC shall be a County Chairman, First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Secretary and a Treasurer. The same person may fill the latter two offices. These officers constitute the GCRC Executive Board.

2. Nominees for office must be a GCRC member at the time of their nomination and, if elected, must continue to be members during their terms of office.

3. Nominees for office must demonstrate their understanding of these bylaws and express their commitment to their adherence.

4. Officers shall be elected by a majority of the members voting in person or by proxy at the statutory meeting for a two-year term and until their successors are qualified. Note that State Committeemen are also elected at the GCRC statutory meeting to serve the same two year term. (See Article IV Meetings)

5. At each Statutory organizational meeting, where there is to be an election of officers, each seated officer on the Executive Board must bring to the meeting all records pertaining to his/her office. As a result of the meeting each outgoing officer must surrender all documents/records to the newly elected Executive Board. The outgoing officers must arrange for and provide adequate and appropriate briefing and training, in a timely fashion, to the incoming officer of his/her seat before the next Executive Board meeting.

Section B: Duties

1. The GCRC Chairman shall be the recognized leader of the Republican Party in Gila County, and shall:

Preside at all meetings of the GCRC and its Executive Board
Shall be a member of the State Committee and an official member of all county committees except the nominating committee.
Provide the Gila County Board of Supervisors and County Recorder the names of Republicans qualified to fill existing Precinct Committeemen vacancies.
Advise the State Republican Chairman of any vacancies in Gila County’s State Committee and recommend county members to fill those vacancies.
Appoint the Committee Chairman as outlined in the Policy Manual and non-voting officials as needed.
Ensure the GCRC Policy Manual is reviewed and updated, as needed, every two years on odd years.
Maintain direct liaison and coordination with all committee chairs to maintain awareness and overview of the GCRC committees.
Provide AZGOP list of elected State Committeemen.
Appointments requested by the State Chairman are made by the County
Chairman, after considering suggestions by the GCRC Executive Board.

2. The First Vice Chairman shall:

Maintain liaison and coordination with those committees as assigned by the GCRC Chairman.
Perform duties as assigned by the County Chairman.
Perform the duties of GCRC Chairman in his absence, or if the office of Chairman becomes vacant.

3. The Second Vice Chairman shall:

Maintain liaison and coordination with those committees as assigned by the GCRC Chairman
Perform duties as assigned by the County Chairman.
Perform the duties of Chairman in the absence of both the GCRC Chairman and the First Vice Chairman, or if both of these offices become vacant.

4. The Secretary shall:

Keep minutes of all GCRC General and Executive Board meetings.
Ensure minutes are prepared and distributed to the Executive Board within two weeks after each GCRC meeting.
Send notice of date, time, and place of all meetings, including the agenda to each Precinct Committeeman and others who may be appointed under Section E following.
Preserve all permanent records of the GCRC and relinquish them in good order to his/her successor at the expiration of his/her term of office, and
Perform other functions incidental to the office or as assigned by the GCRC Chairman.

5. The Treasurer shall:

Be the custodian of all monies received by the GCRC.
Disburse funds for reimbursement of expenditures supported by receipts not exceeding $200. Payments over $200 must be approved by the Executive Board.
Obtain approval from the GCRC Executive Board to expend funds on donations and campaign expenditures.
Report to the GCRC and Executive Board the current financial status of the GCRC at every meeting.
Present the books, at the expiration of his/her term of office, or other special circumstance defined by the GCRC, Executive Board, or Chairman for audit by a person or persons designated by the County Chairman.
File state and county required financial reports.
Cooperate with an audit of the financial records:

Upon replacement of seated treasurer.
Within 45 days of the start of a new year.
At the request of the Executive Board.

6. Precinct Committeemen shall:

Attend the GCRC meetings.
Assist the Republican Party in all activities to train, educate and assist voters on Election Day.
Demonstrate support for Republican candidates.
To the best of their ability perform the PC duties as described in the GCRC policy manual.

7. The GCRC is responsible for maintaining a GCRC Policy manual.
Section C: Filling Vacancies

GCRC Chairman – If this position becomes vacant, the First Vice Chairman shall call a meeting within forty-five days to elect a new GCRC Chairman.

If a vacancy occurs in the office of First or Second Vice Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer, the GCRC Chairman, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, shall promptly appoint in writing a replacement from among the GCRC members to serve until the next GCRC special meeting, at which time a permanent replacement shall be elected.

Section D: Removal of Elected Officers

An elected GCRC officer may be removed at any time by a vote to that effect by the membership of the GCRC present in person or by proxy at a special meeting, provided that the total number of such votes constitutes a two-thirds majority of the total membership of the GCRC.

Section E: Area Chairmen

Area Chairmen support the GCRC Executive Board and are elected by their peer precinct committeemen in their assigned area.

The Executive Board will define the geographic precinct areas by the end of the first quarter following the Statutory Organizational meeting.
An odd number of areas is required.
The Precinct Coordinator shall convene a caucus of each area’s Precinct Committeemen for the purpose of electing the Area Chairperson. Each caucus shall occur by the end of the second quarter following the Statutory Organizational meeting.
The Area Chairmen shall also serve as the Nominating Committee (see Article V, section B, Nominating Committee). They shall meet and select, among themselves, a chairperson.
Area Chairmen shall provide liaison among their areas and the County Chairman. They shall coordinate recruiting, training and fundraising activities and upon approval by the Executive Board adopt specific projects for execution.

Section F: Advisory Council

Advisory Council is comprised of the Chairman of Committees as defined in the policy manual as well as other advisors appointed by the GCRC Chairman.
Duties & responsibly of the Advisory Council are contained in the GCRC Policy Manual.
ARTICLE IV

Meetings

Section A: Statutory Organizational Meeting

1. The GCRC shall meet for the purpose of organizing no earlier than ten days following the general election and no later than the second Saturday in January of the year following the general election. The GCRC shall elect from its membership a Chairman, a First Vice Chairman, a Second Vice Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The same person may fill the latter two offices. Note that State Committeemen are also elected at the GCRC Statutory meeting to serve the same two year term as the elected officers.

2: The Chairman of the GCRC shall give written notice of the time, date, agenda and place of each meeting by U.S. mail and/or electronic mail to each Precinct Committeeman at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting.

3: For this biennial meeting, only elected Precinct Committeemen or those “deemed elected” by the County Supervisors may vote. (per A.R.S. 16-822, Paragraph B) (Further clarified in A.R.S. 16-824, Note 4, under ‘Notes of Decisions’).
Section B: General/Special Meetings

1. Only Precinct Committeemen of the GCRC may vote at General or Special Meetings

2. General Meeting – A general meeting may be called by the Chairman at any time business needs to be conducted by the party. A notification of the call must be made ten days prior to the meeting with date, time and place of the meeting and agenda or list of matters to be addressed.

3. Special Meetings of the GCRC may be held at any time upon:

a. A written call issued by the regularly elected County Chairman, or a written call signed by twenty percent or more of the membership of the GCRC, or by forty percent of the Executive Board.

b. The written notice of the call must be sent by U. S. mail and/or electronic mail at least six days prior to the date of the meeting. This written notice must contain the date, time, and place of the special meeting and the objectives thereof.

c. Only the business stated in the notice of call shall be transacted at a special meeting. If other pertinent business should be brought to the membership, it may be discussed, but can only be addressed as official business at another meeting called by the chairman, or called in compliance with Section B, 3, a.

Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at the call of the Chairman. Such meetings may provide for telephone conferences or other electronic conference means to enable more effective meetings. Minutes of these meetings shall be distributed to the Executive Board no more than two weeks after the meeting. Electronic distribution is authorized, or U.S. mail when a recipient may not have access to electronic mail.
Section C:  Caucus Meeting

1. The Gila County Republican Committee may choose to implement a Caucus Meeting to select Republican candidates to support in an upcoming Election.  Rules for such a Caucus shall be adopted at a General/Special meeting of the Gila County Republican Committee before a Caucus can take place.
2. Proxies will not be allowed for a Caucus meeting of the Gila County Republican Committee.

Section D: Quorum

A quorum for the transaction of any business of the GCRC shall be 30% of the seated Precinct Committeemen of the GCRC in person or by proxy. Whenever there is no quorum present, the official business meeting will be adjourned. The Chairman may continue the meeting as an informational meeting only, and no official business can be conducted. Matters not completed may be addressed at a future meeting properly called and noticed.

Section E Proxies

1. At all meetings listed in Article IV, Sections A and B of the GCRC, the Precinct Committeemen shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy given to a qualified Republican voter from the same precinct.
Ref: ARS 16-828 A.2.

2. The duration of any proxy so given shall extend only for the length of the meeting for which it is given. Ref: ARS 16-828 B

3. Each proxy shall be attested by a notary public or by two witnesses with verifiable contact information.

4. Proxies will not be permitted at a Caucus Meeting

Section F: Conduct of Meetings

1. These Bylaws take precedence over Robert’s Rules of Order being used for the conduct of meetings. For matters not addressed by these bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order are to be the guide.

2. Agenda outline of all GCRC meetings shall be found in the Policy Manual
Section A: Statutory Organizational Meeting

1. The GCRC shall meet for the purpose of organizing no earlier than ten days following the general election and no later than the second Saturday in January of the year following the general election. The GCRC shall elect from its membership a Chairman, a First Vice Chairman, a Second Vice Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The same person may fill the latter two offices. Note that State Committeemen are also elected at the GCRC Statutory meeting to serve the same two year term as the elected officers.

2: The Chairman of the GCRC shall give written notice of the time, date, agenda and place of each meeting by U.S. mail and/or electronic mail to each Precinct Committeeman at least ten days prior to the date of the meeting.

3: For this biennial meeting, only elected Precinct Committeemen or those “deemed elected” by the County Supervisors may vote. (per A.R.S. 16-822, Paragraph B) (Further clarified in A.R.S. 16-824, Note 4, under ‘Notes of Decisions’).
Section B: General/Special Meetings

1. Only Precinct Committeemen of the GCRC may vote at General or Special Meetings

2. General Meeting – A general meeting may be called by the Chairman at any time business needs to be conducted by the party. A notification of the call must be made ten days prior to the meeting with date, time and place of the meeting and agenda or list of matters to be addressed.

3. Special Meetings of the GCRC may be held at any time upon:

a. A written call issued by the regularly elected County Chairman, or a written call signed by twenty percent or more of the membership of the GCRC, or by forty percent of the Executive Board.

b. The written notice of the call must be sent by U. S. mail and/or electronic mail at least six days prior to the date of the meeting. This written notice must contain the date, time, and place of the special meeting and the objectives thereof.

c. Only the business stated in the notice of call shall be transacted at a special meeting. If other pertinent business should be brought to the membership, it may be discussed, but can only be addressed as official business at another meeting called by the chairman, or called in compliance with Section B, 3, a.

Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at the call of the Chairman. Such meetings may provide for telephone conferences or other electronic conference means to enable more effective meetings. Minutes of these meetings shall be distributed to the Executive Board no more than two weeks after the meeting. Electronic distribution is authorized, or U.S. mail when a recipient may not have access to electronic mail.

Section C: Quorum

A quorum for the transaction of any business of the GCRC shall be 30% of the seated Precinct Committeemen of the GCRC in person or by proxy. Whenever there is no quorum present, the official business meeting will be adjourned. The Chairman may continue the meeting as an informational meeting only, and no official business can be conducted. Matters not completed may be addressed at a future meeting properly called and noticed.

Section D: Proxies

1. At all meetings of the GCRC, Precinct Committeemen shall be entitled to vote in person or by proxy given to a qualified Republican voter from the same precinct.
Ref: ARS 16-828 A.2

2. The duration of any proxy so given shall extend only for the length of the meeting for which it is given. Ref: ARS 16-828 B

3. Each proxy shall be attested by a notary public or by two witnesses with verifiable contact information.

Section E: Conduct of Meetings

1. These Bylaws take precedence over Robert’s Rules of Order being used for the conduct of meetings. For matters not addressed by these bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order are to be the guide.

2. Agenda outline of all GCRC meetings shall be found in the Policy Manual
ARTICLE V
Committees

Section A: Executive Board
The elected officers and the Party Chairmen shall constitute the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall supervise GCRC business between regular meetings and formulate proposals to be presented at the next GCRC meeting. The Board shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the Chairman, or by call initiated by the Secretary after written request by three or more members of the Executive Board.
Section B: Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Area Chairmen. It recommends nominees for consideration at the next GCRC Statutory Organizational meeting, during which elective offices are to be filled. A list of the nominees shall be included in the notice of call for the meeting. The committee must report to the GCRC members and is then discharged. Their recommendations do not preclude nominations from the floor.

Section C: State Committeemen

One State Committeeman shall be elected at the statutory meeting for every three (3) Elected or Deemed Elected Precinct Committeemen allowed to vote at the statutory meeting. Ref: ARS 16-825

The newly elected County Chairman is also a member of the State Committee Delegation from Gila County.

Included in the call to the statutory meeting shall be the invitation to Precinct Committeemen to become a candidate for State Committeemen.

Gila County State Committeemen are elected from a list of candidates at the Gila County Statutory meeting.

If a Gila County State Committeeman is unable to attend any State Committee Meeting, a proxy can be carried by any Gila County Republican voter. Ref: ARS 16-828 A.1

In the event of a State Committeeman vacancy the County Chairman shall recommend a replacement to be appointed by the State Party Chairman to fill the vacancy.
Section D: Other Committees

The County Chairman shall set up other committees, such as finance, candidate search, etc., as he considers necessary. The Chairman of a committee must be a GCRC member. Committee members must be registered Republicans, but need not be GCRC members. These committee members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the County Chair.

These Bylaws were adopted at the General Meeting of the GCRC held on January 10th, 2015 in Payson, Arizona.

Amended 26 September, 2015