ARTICLE I
Section 1. Statutory Construction: These rules are written pursuant to the provision of Title 1, Article 3, Section 101, et.seq., Colorado Revised Statutes. In any instance where these by-laws conflict with provisions of said Statutes; statutory provisions, as they may be amended from time to time shall take procedure.
Section 2. State By-Laws: Should these by-laws be silent, and no statutory provision exist, the by-laws of the Colorado Republican State Central Committee shall apply. In any instance where a conflict may exist between the rules and said by-laws, or should these rules fail to provide, State rules shall be deemed to take precedence.
Section 3. Name: The name of this organization shall be the Otero County Republican Central Committee, hereinafter referred to as "the central committee".
Section 4. Purpose: The purpose of this organization shall be to perform the functions set forth in the election laws of the State of Colorado and to exert every effort to achieve the objective of the Republican Party of Otero County. Accordingly, these rules are written to provide for the orderly and equitable administration of business by the central committee.
ARTICLE II
Section 1. Membership: All precinct committee people of Otero County and together with the county party officers selected in accordance with these by-laws, all elected county public officials, state senators, and representatives, United States Senators and Representatives, elected state public officials, and elected judicial district officials who are members of the Republican Party and who reside within Otero County, shall form the membership of the central committee. Multiple offices shall not entitle a person to more than one vote.
Subsection (a) Republican Auxiliaries: The president of the Republican Women's Club located in Otero County and affiliated with the National Federation of Republican Women, if not otherwise a member, shall be a voting member of the central committee.
Subsection (b) Vacancies: Vacancies in the offices of precinct committee people shall be filled by appointment by the country chair.
Section 2. Meetings: Meetings of the central committee may be called by any officer of the central committee who shall further be required to call a meeting if presented with a written petition by no less than 10% of the central committee membership. No meeting may be held unless a quorum of not less than five (5) members is present. NO less than ten (10) days notice of all meetings shall be given to all central committee members, either by letter or publication.
Subsection (a) Conduct: Except as otherwise provided in these by-laws, a majority vote of those present shall be the determinative of any issue arising during such meetings. Voting by proxy shall NOT be permitted. Robert's Rules of Order, as revised, shall be the authority for any parliamentary question which may arise.
Subsection (b) Organizational Meeting: The central committee shall meet between the first day of February and the fifteenth day of February of the odd numbered years, or as otherwise required by Colorado Law, to organize by election a chair, a vice-chair or co-vice-chair, and a secretary, and such other officers as provided for in these by-laws. Meetings of the central committee shall be no fewer than three (3) times during any two (2) year period.
Subsection (c) Pre-assembly Meeting: The central committee shall meet before the fifteenth day of March of even numbered years to plan the precinct caucuses and the county assembly.
ARTICLE III
Section 1. Officers: There shall be a minimum of four officers of the central committee; the chair, a vice-chair or co-vice-chars, a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom will be elected at large by the central committee at the organizational meeting to serve a term of two years or until a successor has been elected or appointed.
Section 2. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of 1) All Officers elected by the central committee, plus 2) such additional members as the county chair may deem advisable. The Executive Committee for the sake of morale, and the promotion of party unity, is to plan and direct party affairs to include passing upon routine matters of organization and procedure.
Section 3. Election: No person shall be eligible for election to an office who has not been a registered Republican and a resident of Otero County for not less than one year prior to the election. Voting for all offices shall be by secret ballot unless there is only one nominee for the office. In that case, election shall be by voice vote. Nomination shall be accepted from the floor, but each nominee must indicate his/her willingness to serve prior to voting for that office. IN order to be elected, a nominee must receive a majority of the ballots cast. If no candidate receives a majority on the first ballot, a runoff election will be held between the nominees receiving the highest number of votes on the previous ballot.
Section 4. Removal: Any officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of those present at a regularly called central committee meeting, provided that the call specify that one of the purpose of the meeting is to consider the removal of said officer from office.
Section 5. Duties of Officers: The duties of the officers shall be to provide organization and leadership to the central committee in carrying out the purposes of the organization, and to represent Otero County on such higher committees and bodies as provided for in Colorado Law or by the by-laws of said committees and bodies. The chair shall not be permitted to endorse any candidate for designation or nomination.
Subsection (a) Chair: The chair shall be the chief executive officer of the central committee. The chair shall issue the call for and preside at all meetings of the central committee, and enforce these by-laws and such other rules as may be adopted by the central committee. The chair shall preside at all county assemblies or conventions until the permanent chair of the assembly or convention has been chosen. Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the chair from serving as permanent chair of the assembly or convention. The chair may appoint executive committee members, staff members or committees as the chair deems necessary, providing that such appointees shall be registered Republicans residing in Otero County. Immediately following the organizational meeting of the central committee, the chair shall provide the State Chair a list of officers, elected, together with their post office addresses, zip codes and telephone numbers. Immediately following the county assembly or convention, the chair shall provide to the State Chair a list in writing authenticating all delegates and alternate delegates elected to any state, congressional, judicial, senatorial, or representative assembly or any state or congressional convention. The chair shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by these by-laws or he by-laws of the Republican State Central Committee, or Colorado Law.
Subsection (b) Vice Chair/Co-Vice Chair: The Vice-Chair/Co-Vice-Chair shall exercise the functions of the Chair during temporary absence from the county or disability of the Chair. The Vice-Chair/Co-Vice-Chair shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or prescribed by these by-laws, the by-laws of the Republican State Central Committee, or Colorado Law.
Subsection (c) Secretary: The secretary shall be the chief clerical officer of the central committee and shall prepare and maintain a complete record of all proceedings of the central committee. The secretary shall attest all calls for meetings of the central committee, county assemblies, or conventions. The secretary shall prepare and have in readiness upon the convening of any county assembly or convention a temporary roll of delegates entitled to participate in the temporary organization thereof. Said roll call shall be prepared from the credentials of the uncontested delegates filed with the secretary following the precinct caucus, and shall include all such contested delegates as have been temporarily awarded seats in the assembly or convention by the central committee. The secretary shall act as secretary upon the convening of any county assembly or convention, until a permanent secretary of the assembly or convention has been chosen. Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the secretary from serving as the permanent secretary of the assembly or convention. The secretary shall prepare and have authenticated all credentials for delegates selected at a county assembly to represent Otero County at another assembly or convention. The secretary shall prepare and have authenticated certificates of designation for all candidates designated at a county assembly or convention. The secretary shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or prescribed by these bylaws, the by-laws of the Republican State Central Committee, or Colorado Law.
Subsection (d) Treasurer: The treasurer shall maintain complete and accurate records of the financial transactions of the central committee. The Treasurer shall receive and deposit donations made to the central committee, issuing a proper receipt therefor. The treasurer shall present all bills owed by the central committee at each meeting of the central committee. The treasurer shall not pay out or transfer any funds belonging to the central committee unless and until the treasurer is authorized to do so by a majority vote of the central committee officers. The treasurer shall insure that all disbursements authorize by the central committee are made, preparing and signing all checks and forwarded them for payment. The treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or prescribed by these by-laws, the by-laws of the Republican State Central Committee, or Colorado Law.
Section 6. Vacancies: In the event any officer of the central committee should die, resign, or otherwise be unable to perform their duties, a vacancy shall be declared by the Chair, Vice-Chair, or remaining officers, and a meeting of the central committee shall be called to elect a replacement for the balance of the unexpired term.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1. Precinct Caucuses: Precinct caucus shall be held on a date as directed by Colorado Law. The time and place for each caucus shall be determined by the central committee and posted as required by Colorado Law. The county secretary shall notify each precinct committeeperson of the date, time, location, and order of business for the caucus.
Section 2. Certification: At the conclusion of each caucus, the caucus chair and secretary shall certify to the county secretary the names of the delegates and alternates chosen to represent the precinct at the county assembly or convention, and the names of the nominees for precinct committee people. Certification of election judges shall be made by the county Chair.
ARTICLE V
Section 1. County Assembly: Proposed rules for the conduct of the county assembly and convention shall be proposed by the central committee at a pre-assembly meeting and made available to all members of the central committee prior to the precinct caucuses.
Subsection (a) Apportionment: The number of delegates to the county assembly and convention shall be uniform so that each precinct shall be entitled to at least two delegates at large plus additional delegates based upon the vote cast for the Republican candidate for governor or president at the last general election. Each precinct shall be entitled to elect alternates equal in numbers to its delegates.
Section 2. Delegate Contests: The central committee will, in accordance with such rules as it may adopt from time to time, temporarily resolve any dispute or contest concerning the credentials or delegates to the county assembly and convention by placing names on the temporary roll of delegates.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1. Amendment: The by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at two consecutive central committee meetings, or by a simple majority vote of the committee membership at one central committee meeting.
Section 2. Precedence: These by-laws take precedence over all previous rules or by-laws of the central committee, which are hereby repealed.
Section 3. Effective Date: These by-laws shall go into effect immediately upon their adoption by the central committee.
