Bylaws
As adopted June 19, 2018.
TRAVIS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Travis County Republican Executive Committee, herein after referred to as the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
Section 1. For the purpose of advancing the political interests and effectiveness of Travis County Republicans and complying with laws governing parties nominating by primary, the Executive Committee shall:
A) Promote and support the election of Republican candidates to public office;
B) Perform the duties specified in the Texas Election Code [TEC] for a county executive committee; and
C) Cooperate with the Republican Party of Texas and the national Republican Party in carrying out programs that support the Republican Party of Texas Platform, Republican candidates and policies.
D) Raise sufficient funds to support the activities of the Travis County Republican Party.
Section 2. Consistent with the objectives stated in this Article, the Rules of the Republican Party of Texas, and state election laws governing the organization of parties [TEC 171], the Executive Committee is charged with the responsibilities of maintaining
an orderly nomination process by:
A) Providing for training and standards in election law and procedure for judges serving in its elections [TEC 32F];
B) Supervising the overall conduct of the primary election [TEC 172];
C) Administering a biennial county primary and managing the county primary fund [TEC 173B];
D) Managing the biennial senatorial district convention fund;
E) Observing all state and federal election laws; and
F) Performing other statutory duties consistent with the objectives stated in this Article.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERS
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the County Chairman, who is the presiding officer, and the Precinct Chairmen of the respective election precincts in the county, all of whom are elected biennially [TEC 171.022].
Section 2. To be eligible to be a candidate for or to serve as a precinct chairman or county chairman, a person must be a qualified voter residing within the bounds of the entity represented and must have voted in the most recent Republican primary [TEC 161.005; 162.001; 162.012; 171.023].
Section 3. Each committee member serves for a term of two (2) years beginning the 20th day after the primary runoff election day [TEC 171.022(c)].
Section 4. Any vacancy in the office of precinct chairman may be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee. To fill a vacancy, a person must receive a majority vote of the committee members voting [TEC 171.024] and must be eligible to serve as a precinct chairman. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the executive committee must participate in the election to fill a vacancy in the office of precinct chair. [TEC 171.024(c) and RPT Rule 9.a] If there is only one candidate to fill a vacancy and that person was elected as a precinct chairman in the most recent primary election in Travis County and is eligible to serve in the office, twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the executive committee must participate in the election to fill the vacancy. [TEC 171.024(c); RPT Rule 9.a]
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS
Section 1. In addition to the County Chairman, the Elected Officers of the Executive Committee shall be the Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The County Chairman may also appoint or retain a Parliamentarian and a Sergeant-at-Arms, as required.
A) The Elected Officers shall be nominated by any member of the Executive Committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. Voting may be conducted by secret paper ballot. Officers are not required to be members of the Executive Committee; but officers who are not members may not vote on business before the body.
B) Elected Officers may only be dismissed by the County Chairman with the approval of the Executive Committee. Appointed officers shall serve at the pleasure of the County Chairman.
Section 2. The term of office of the officers shall be concurrent with that of the Executive Committee, except that in the event of a vacancy in the office of County Chairman, the appointed officers shall serve only until the election of a new County Chairman.
Section 3. A vacancy in the office of County Chairman must be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Texas Election Code [TEC 171.025]. A majority of the membership of the Executive Committee must participate in an election to fill a vacancy in the office of county chair [TEC 171.024(b)].
Section 4. Duties of the officers shall be:
A) County Chairman – shall coordinate all activities of the Executive Committee, serve as presiding officer of the Executive Committee, be the spokesman of the Travis County Republican Party, and ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, the Rules of the Republican Party of Texas and these by-laws. The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of the standing
and special committees of the Executive Committee.
B) Vice Chairman – shall assist the Chairman as requested. In the event of the Chairman’s absence or inability to serve, the Vice Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and serve as acting Chairman in all other respects until the Chairman resumes his or her duties or until a new Chairman is elected.
C) Secretary – shall carry out the usual duties of that office, keeping an up-to-date roll of the Executive Committee members, ensuring that each member receives timely notice of all meetings, keeping minutes of the meetings of theExecutive Committee and maintaining a permanent file of the minutes of all Executive Committee meetings. In the event of a vacancy in the office of County Chairman, the Secretary shall call a meeting of the Executive Committee for the purpose of electing a new Chairman, as required by the Texas Election Code. [TEC 171.025 (a)] The Secretary is authorized to receive and preserve applications for a place on the primary ballot, as required by the Texas Election Code. [TEC 171.022 (a)(2)]
D. Treasurer – shall make and maintain all necessary and appropriate financial records for the Executive Committee, comply with all applicable state and federal statutes and regulations relating to the reporting of contributions and expenditures, shall prepare monthly reports of the financial condition of the Travis County Republican Party for presentation to the Executive Committee as
requested by the Chairman, and shall make such monthly reports available for review by any member of the Executive Committee at a reasonable time and place.
E) Parliamentarian – shall advise the Chairman on the proper procedures for conducting the meetings of the Executive Committee, as requested by the Chairman.
F) Sergeant-at-Arms – shall be responsible for maintaining proper order and decorum at the meetings of the Executive Committee, as requested by the Chairman.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall meet at all times required by the Texas Election Code and shall have at least one regular meeting each quarter.
Section 2. Regular and statutory meetings shall be called by the County Chairman. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the County Chairman. The purpose and order of business of the meeting must be stated in the call for any statutory, regular or special meeting called by the Chairman. Special meetings also may be called by written petition signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Executive Committee and delivered to the Chairman or to the Secretary at least 20 days before the desired meeting date. The purpose and order of business of the meeting must be stated in the petition and the call for any special meeting called by petition of the members.
Section 3. Notice of all meetings shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Executive Committee by mail or e-mail at least 14 days in advance.
Section 4. A quorum for all meetings required by the Texas Election Code in which only statutorily-required business is conducted shall be those members present at the meeting. [RPT Rule 9.b] A quorum for the conduct of any other business except filling vacancies shall be twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the Executive Committee, including the County Chairman. [RPT Rule 9.a and Article III above]
Section 5. The agenda for all regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall include New Business.
ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Chairman shall establish and appoint a Resolutions Committee to review, revise and recommend or reject resolutions proposed by members of the Executive Committee, a Finance Committee to monitor the financial condition of the Travis County Republican Party and raise and maintain funds as necessary for the Travis County Republican Party, a Rules Committee to review and maintain the by-laws of the Executive Committee, and a Nominations Committee as hereinafter more specifically provided, and may establish and appoint such other standing committees as the Chairman deems necessary, subject to the confirmation of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The Chairman may establish and appoint such special committees as the Chairman deems necessary for assistance in carrying out duties not specifically assigned to a standing committee, subject to the confirmation of the Executive Committee.
Section 3. The Chairman shall establish and appoint a Nominations Committee for the purpose of recruiting, screening and nominating individuals to fill vacancies in the office of precinct chair. The membership of the committee is subject to the confirmation of the Executive Committee. An individual interested in serving as the precinct chair in a precinct that is vacant must apply to the County Chairman or Secretary, who shall refer the application to the Nominations Committee for review. The Nominations Committee shall report its nominations to the Executive Committee for its vote. [RPT Rule 8.h]
ARTICLE VII – PUBLICATION OF BY-LAWS
A copy of these by-laws, as adopted or amended by the Executive Committee, shall be posted and maintained on the Travis County Republican Party website.
ARTICLE VIII – STAFF POLICY
Paid staff members shall remain neutral in intraparty contests for both public and Party offices.
ARTICLE IX – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Executive Committee in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws, any special rules the Executive Committee may adopt, the rules of the Republican Party of Texas, or applicable law.
ARTICLE X – AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Amendments to the Bylaws may be made by a two/thirds (2/3) vote of the members present, a quorum being in attendance.
Section 2. Any member of the Executive Committee desiring to propose an amendment to these Bylaws must submit a written copy of the proposed amendment to the Secretary not less than 14 days prior to any statutory, regular or special meeting of the Executive Committee. At such meeting the proposed amendment shall be read to the members present and then referred to the Rules Committee for its consideration.
The Rules Committee shall report its recommendation concerning the proposed amendment to the Executive Committee at its next regular meeting.
Amendments
Art. III sec. 4 was amended on June 21, 2022, reducing the vacancy nomination quorum from 40 to 25%.