Plan of Organization

PLAN OF ORGANIZATION

BRUNSWICK COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY

Adopted February 10, 2005

Preamble

We, the Members of the Republican Party of Brunswick County North Carolina, dedicated to the sound principles fostered by that party, conscious of our civic responsibilities and rights, firm in our determination to give our strength to preserving the American principle that government ought and must be of all the people, by all of the people and for all of the people do, for the purpose of uniting and coordinating our efforts for maximum power and efficiency, herewith establish this instrument, The Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Brunswick County North Carolina.

ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP

A. MEMBERS

All citizens of Brunswick County North Carolina who are registered Republicans are Members of the Republican Party of Brunswick County and shall have the right to participate in the official affairs of the Republican Party in accordance with these rules. All reference herein to Delegates, Alternates, Officers and Members shall, in all cases, mean persons identified and registered with the Republican Party in the Precinct of their residence. Any person running for an office within the state, district, legislative, county or precinct Republican Party shall be a resident of the jurisdiction in which he seeks office.

ARTICLE II
PRECINCT ORGANIZATION

A. ANNUAL PRECINCT MEETINGS

1. Call for Meeting

In every year, the County Chairman shall call Precinct Meetings during the month of February or the first 10 days of March, after giving 10 days written notice to each Precinct Chairman and by notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County as provided for in Article V A.3. The County Chairman shall also inform the Precinct Chairs as to the number of registered Republicans entitled to cast votes at the precinct meeting. Failure of the County Chairman to act in compliance with the provision above shall be cause for any Member of the County Executive Committee to call said Precinct Meetings by notice in newspapers of general circulation within the County as provided for in Article V A.3. Every Republican registered prior to January 31 preceding the Meetings shall be entitled to cast 1 vote, except that the January 31 requirement shall not apply to residents who have moved into the Precinct within 30 days of the Precinct Meeting. If an annual Precinct Meeting is rescheduled, the same procedures shall apply.

2. Election of Precinct Officers

At odd-year Precinct Meetings, at which a quorum is one person, attendees shall elect a Precinct Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and as many Members-at-Large as deemed necessary to conduct the business of the Precinct. Members of the Precinct Committee shall hold their offices for 2 years or until their successors are chosen. There shall be no proxy voting.

3. Election of Delegates

The annual Precinct Meetings shall elect 1 Delegate and 1 Alternate to the County Convention. They shall also elect 1 additional Delegate and Alternate for each 100 registered Republican voters in the precinct in the last General Election.

4. Certification of Officials and Delegates

The Chairman and Secretary of each Precinct shall certify the election of Officers, Committee Members, and Delegates and Alternates to the County Convention, on forms stipulated by the State Central Committee and furnished by the County Chairman. Complete credentials shall be in the hands of the County Secretary by the deadline set by the County Chairman, which shall be at least 2 days prior to the Credentials Committee Meeting. No Delegates or Alternates shall be added to the Credentials List following the adjournment of the Precinct Meeting. The delegate list shall be made immediately available to any Republican candidate for Party office, at that candidate’s reasonable expense, along with a confidentiality and use agreement that said list will be used only for Republican activities related to that candidate’s run for office.

5. Other Precinct Meetings

a. Other Meetings of the Precinct general Membership may be held at such time as shall be designated by the Chairman of the Precinct Committee after giving 5 days notice of such Meeting in a newspaper of general circulation within the County, or upon similar call of 1/3 of the Members of the Precinct Committee, or 10 Members of the general Precinct Membership. There shall be no proxy voting.

b. In the event a Precinct fails to properly organize or the Precinct Chairman fails to act, the County Chairman shall appoint a Temporary Precinct Chairman who shall serve for a period not to exceed 30 days, during which time a general Membership Meeting shall be called and a new Chairman elected.

B. PRECINCT COMMITTEE

1. Duties of Committee

The Precinct Committee shall cooperate with the County Executive Committee in all elections and Party activities, provide the Region and County Chairmen with a list of Precinct Officers, a list of Party Members within the Precinct suitable for appointment as Election Officials, and promote the objectives of the Party within the Precinct.

2. Duties of Officers

The Chairman of the Precinct Committee, with the advice and consent of the Precinct Committee, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Party within the Precinct, shall preside at all Meetings of the Precinct, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Precinct Committee, the Region Chairman, the County Chairman, or the County Executive Committee. The Precinct Chairman is a member of the Region Committee and the County Executive Committee and shall attend their meetings. The Vice-Chairman shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. The Secretary shall keep all minutes and records and shall maintain a list of registered Republican voters and workers within the Precinct, unless otherwise provided by the Precinct Committee or the County Executive Committee.

3. Vacancies and Removals

a. Vacancy due to death, resignation, discontinuance of residency within the Precinct, removal of any Officer, or Member of the Precinct Committee, or for any other reason, shall be filled by the remaining Members of the Precinct Committee.

b. The procedure for removal of any Member or Officer of the Precinct Committee is defined in Article V.C. Such removal maybe appealed to the County Executive Committee within 20 days and their decision shall be final.

ARTICLE III
REGION ORGANIZATION

A.REGION COMMITTEE

1.Membership. The County Executive Committee shall form six (6) Administrative Regions (“Regions”) each composed of no less than three (3) or more than five (5) Electoral Precincts. Each Region shall be administered by a Region Committee composed of a Region Chairman and the Chairmen of the precincts within the Region.

2.Precinct Chairmen members of a Region Committee have direct primary responsibility for their respective precincts but shall be amenable to the Region Chairman concerning region functions and activities. Precinct Chairmen shall cooperate with the Region Chairman and provide needed information on the status of precinct organization, training and needs.

B. REGION CHAIRMAN

1.Powers and Duties

Region Chairmen are responsible for all Region functions. These include precinct organization and training, volunteer recruitment, coordination of registration drives, fund raisers, candidate search, Region rallies, Meet the Candidate rallies, and any other duties prescribed by the County Chairman or the County Executive Committee. Region Chairmen are members of the County Executive Committee and its Precinct Operations Committee.

b.The Region Chairman shall provide leadership, direction and coordination for all political activities within the Region by acting with and through the Region’s Precinct Chairmen. The Region Chairman shall convene and preside over all Region meetings which shall be held at least semi-annually. The Region Chairman shall periodically report the status of the Region and its Precincts to the Executive Committee.

2. Appointment

Region Chairmen shall be appointed by the County Chairman with the concurrence of the Executive Committee and shall hold their offices for 2 years or until their successors are appointed.

3. Vacancies and Removals

a. Vacancy in the Region Chairman position due to death, resignation, discontinuance of residency within the County , removal, or for any other reason, shall be filled by the County Chairman with the concurrence of the County Executive Committee.

b. The procedure for removal of any Region Chairman is defined in Article V.C. Such removal may be appealed within 20 days to the County Executive Committee and their decision shall be final.

ARTICLE IV
COUNTY ORGANIZATION

A. ANNUAL CONVENTION

1. Call of Convention

a. A County Convention shall be called every year by the Chairman of the County Executive Committee, and held at County Headquarters, within the month of March, at least 10 days prior to the scheduled District Convention, and following procedures given in Article V. A.

b. At the time of the call of the Convention, the County Chairman, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a Credentials Committee consisting of no less than 3 people, which will meet and issue its report on Delegates and Alternates certified to that Convention at least 3 days in advance of the convening of the Convention. All Delegates and Alternates challenged in the report of the Credentials Committee shall be notified prior to the day of the Convention and allowed to present their case to the Credentials Committee prior to the convening of the Convention. The Delegates and Alternates elected at the Precinct Meetings, unless successfully challenged, shall sit as Delegates and Alternates to the County Convention.

c. If the County Chairman fails, refuses or neglects to call a County Convention as required by this Article, it shall become the duty of the Vice-Chairman to act in this capacity. The Vice-Chairman shall give 5 days notice thereof to all Township and Precinct Chairmen and County Executive Committee Members and shall follow procedures given in Article V A. If the County Chairman or Vice-Chairman does not call such a Meeting, it shall be cause for any Member of the County Executive Committee, with the approval of the Congressional District Chairman, or Chairmen, to call such County Convention.

2. Convention Action

a. The County Convention shall adopt or amend a written County Plan of Organization not inconsistent with the State Plan of Organization, if necessary, a current copy of which shall be on file at County Headquarters and at State Headquarters. Failure to comply may result in the County Delegation not being seated at the State Convention by the Credentials Committee. The County Party shall submit, by certified United States mail, return receipt requested, its County Plan of Organization, and amendments thereto, to the NCGOP State Headquarters within 30 days after their adoption, in order for the plan and/or amendments to be considered valid. Failure of the County Party to submit the County Plan to the NCGOP State Headquarters, by certified mail, return receipt requested, shall constitute agreement by the County Party to adopt the State Plan of Organization for that county.

b. Elections

i. In every odd-numbered year the County Convention shall elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other Officers as may be deemed necessary, who shall serve for a term of 2 years or until their successors are elected.

ii. In every odd-numbered year the County Convention shall elect a County Executive Committee consisting of the County Officers, Precinct Chairmen and the immediate Past County Chairman who shall hold their places for a term of 2 years or until their successors are elected.

iii. The County Convention shall elect 1 Delegate and 1 Alternate to Congressional District and State Conventions, plus 1 additional Delegate and Alternate for every 200 votes, or major fraction thereof, cast for the Republican candidate for Governor in the last General Election in Brunswick County in accordance with Article V.A.5.b. The County Convention shall further elect 1 Delegate and Alternate for each Republican elected to the state legislature and to public office on the state or national level from Brunswick County in the last election held for that office.

3. Credentials

The Chairman and Secretary of the County Executive Committee shall certify the election of Officers, Committee Members, Precinct Chairmen, Delegates and Alternates to the District and State Conventions, on forms furnished by the State Central Committee and in conformance with Article V. Completed Credentials shall be in the hands of or mailed to the Congressional District Secretary and the State Headquarters by the deadline set by the State Chairman. All County Credentials for the State Convention should be mailed to State Headquarters no later than 10 days following the date of the County Convention or the deadline set by the State Chairman, whichever date comes first. The postmark date will be used to determine compliance for mailed credentials. Copies of all newspaper notices shall be submitted to the NC Republican Party and the congressional district secretary along with County Credentials. No Delegates or Alternates shall be added to the Credentials list following the adjournment of the County Convention.

4. Convention Fee

For each person who is elected at a County Convention to be either a Delegate or an Alternate to the State Convention, the County shall forward to the State Party a fee set by the State Central Committee to defray the costs of mailing Convention materials to such elected Delegates and Alternates.

B. COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Membership

The County Executive Committee shall consist of the County Officers and other persons elected by the County Convention and any persons elected by the County Executive Committee in accordance with Article IV.B.2, and the County Finance Chairman, who is appointed by the County Chairman and approved by the County Executive Committee. Any person elected as a Republican in County, State or National government who is a registered Republican in Brunswick County shall be an “Ex-officio” and voting member of the County Executive Committee.

2. Powers and Duties

a.The County Executive Committee shall cooperate with the District and State Committees in all elections and Party activities; shall encourage qualified candidates for office within the County; shall adopt a budget; and shall recommend nominees to the State Chairman for appointments for County Board of Election; and shall have active management of Party affairs within the County. It shall approve a Finance Committee Chairman and 3 additional members, and an Audit Committee Chairman and up to 2 additional members, and may approve such other Committees as may be deemed necessary.

b.In the event that it is determined that the County Plan of Organization is not consistent with the State Party Plan of Organization, the County Executive Committee must at the next called meeting bring the County Plan of Organization into compliance with the State Party Plan of Organization. Under any circumstances, the County Plan of Organization must be brought into compliance within 90 days. The County Executive Committee may amend the County Plan of Organization upon a 2/3 vote after providing 10 days notice of the meeting advising members regarding the substance of the proposed amendment and provided a quorum is present. The County Executive Committee shall submit, by certified United States mail, return receipt requested, the County Plan of Organization, and amendments thereto, to the NCGOP State Headquarters within 30 days after their adoption, in order for the Plan to be considered valid.

c. The County Executive Committee may elect up to 6 Region Chairmen and up to 5 Standing Committee Chairmen to the County Executive Committee in addition to those members elected at the County Convention.

3. Meetings

a. The County Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly upon call of the County Chairman after giving 10 days notice to all Members; or upon similar call by 1/3 of the Members of the Committee. Regular meetings shall be held on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Headquarters. Additional meetings may be called by the County Chairman after giving 10 days notice to all Members; or upon similar call of 1/3 of the Members of the Committee. A quorum for the transaction of business shall be 1/4 of the Committee Members. There shall be no proxy voting.

b. If a Precinct Chairman is unable to attend an Executive Committee meeting, he may designate the Precinct Vice Chairman or if that person is unable to attend, the Precinct Secretary to represent the Precinct at that meeting with the authority to vote for the Precinct.

4. Duties of Officers

a. The Chairman of the County Executive Committee, with the advice and consent of the County Executive Committee, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Party within the County. The Chairman shall issue the call for Precinct Meetings,County Conventions, and Executive Committee Meetings, and shall preside at all the Meetings of the County Executive Committee. The Chairman shall appoint a Finance Committee, Audit Committee and any other committees deemed necessary to conduct the business of the County Executive Committee. The Chairman shall further appoint a Temporary Chairman of the County Convention, who may be himself. The Chairman shall make periodic reports on the status of the Party within his County to the District Chairman. The Chairman shall be responsible for the creation and maintenance of a Republican organization in every Precinct within his County. The Chairman shall obtain and preserve a list of all registered Republicans within the County and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the County, District, or State Committees; the County Chairman shall be an "Ex-officio" Member of all Committees unless otherwise designated in the County Plan of Organization. The Chairman is a member of the Congressional District and State Executive Committees.

b. The Vice-Chairman shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman and shall have such other duties as may be prescribed by the County Executive Committee. The Vice-Chairman shall be an "Ex-officio" Member of all Committees unless otherwise designated. The Vice Chairman is a member of the Congressional District and State Executive Committees.

c. The Secretary shall keep all minutes and records and shall maintain a roster of all Precinct Officers and Executive Committee Members. Such records shall be available, including all Credentials Lists upon request, to any registered Republican within the County. The Secretary shall furnish to the Congressional District Chairman and to State Headquarters up-to-date lists of all Precinct Chairmen.

d. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds for Party expenditures pursuant to authority duly given by the County Executive Committee, shall make a financial report at all County Executive Committee Meetings and shall fulfill all financial reports and obligations required under State and Federal election laws.

5. Vacancies and Removals

a. Vacancy due to death, resignation, discontinuance of residency within the County, or removal of any Officer or member of the County Executive Committee, other than Precinct Chairmen, shall be filled by the remaining Members of the County Executive Committee.

The procedure for removal is defined in Article V.C. Such removal may be appealed to the State Central Committee within 20 days and their decision shall be final.

C. COMMITTEES

1. Committees General

The Executive Committee shall create and maintain several Standing Committees to provide functional support to the Executive Committee and the Precincts; an Audit Committee and such other Special Committees as may be deemed necessary. The chairmen and members of these committees shall be registered Republicans residing within Brunswick County and shall be appointed by the County Chairman with the concurrence of the Executive Committee. The Chairman of each Standing Committee shall be a member of the Executive Committee.

2. Standing Committees

a. Finance Committee.The County Finance Committee shall be composed of the County Finance Chairman, the County Chairman, County Vice-Chairman, the County Treasurer, and not less than 3 persons approved by the County Executive Committee. They shall cooperate with the Congressional District and State Finance Committees and shall have active management of fund-raising efforts within the County.

b. Planning Committee. Responsible for preparing the Strategic Plan, including an expense budget, and for coordinating its implementation by all elements of the County Party. The County Treasurer shall be a member of this Committee.

c. Candidate Recruitment and Support Committee. Responsible for identifying, recruiting and developing strong Republican candidates for County, State and National offices and for identifying and recruiting candidates for the Executive Committee.

d. Precinct Operations Committee. Responsible for providing direction, coordination and support to the Regions and Precincts in the areas of planning, organization, recruitment and training of volunteers, and election activities. All Region Chairmen shall be members of this Committee.

e. Information Management Committee. Responsible for acquiring, developing, managing and providing information and intelligence needed by the Executive Committee, the Regions and the Precincts.

3. Audit Committee

An Audit Committee, composed of a Chairman and up to 2 additional Members, shall be appointed by the County Chairman and approved by the Executive Committee. The Audit Committee shall conduct a yearly audit of the financial records of the County Party and report such audit results to the County Executive Committee for approval. The Chairman and Members of the Audit Committee shall not be officers of the Executive Committee.

D. EXECUTIVE BOARD

1.Membership. The Executive Board shall consist of the County Officers and Standing Committee Chairmen.

2.Powers and Duties. The Executive Board shall have the power to transact Party business between meetings of the full Executive Committee. The County Chairman shall report any business transacted by the Executive Board to the full Executive Committee at its next Meeting.

3.Meetings. The Executive Board shall meet upon call of the County Chairman after giving 5 days notice to all Members. A quorem for the transaction of business shall be a majority of the Board Members. There shall be no proxy voting.

ARTICLE V
GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

A. CONVENTION AND MEETING PROCEDURES

1. Annual Conventions and Presidential Election Year Conventions

a. The County Convention shall be called to order by its Chairman, or in the absence of the Chairman, by the Vice-Chairman or Secretary, in order stated, who shall have the power to appoint the necessary Convention Committees and Temporary Officers at or before the convening of the Convention.

b. No member of the credentials committee created by this Plan shall be eligible to be elected to an office or executive committee position at the convention, nor shall a committee member publicly support anyone for an office to be elected by the convention. Except when voting in convention, members of the credentials committee shall strive to maintain the integrity of the convention with impartiality and strict neutrality on the business and elections of said convention.

2. Voting Procedure

a. No Precinct shall cast more votes than it has duly elected Delegates on the floor at the County Convention.

b. No person shall be seated as a Delegate at any County Convention unless such person shall have been duly elected a Delegate or Alternate by the appropriate Precinct Meeting; except, the registered Republican or Republicans, present at a County Convention from an unorganized Precinct, which has not had its credentials accepted, shall have the right to vote 1 vote per Precinct, prorated among those present from that Precinct.

c. Ex-officio members of the committees have the same voting rights as the other committee members, and are not counted in determining if a quorum is present. When an Ex-officio member of a committee ceases to hold the office that entitles him/her to such membership, his/her membership terminates automatically.

3. Newspapers of General Circulation

Notice published in newspapers of general circulation in the County for the purpose of this Plan of Organization shall include either a paid advertisement or a news item, provided it includes the time, date, location and purpose of the Meeting. Such notices shall appear in the newspaper at least 10 days prior to the Meeting or Convention. This in no way relieves the Chairman of the responsibility of providing written notice to party officers.

4. Challenges

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan of Organization, challenges to Delegates and Alternates must be made in their capacity as individual Delegates. The successful challenges to Delegates and Alternates must be made individually as to their capacity as Delegates and Alternates. The successful challenges of individuals in their capacity as Delegates and Alternates shall not affect the seating of other Delegates and Alternates in the same Precinct or County Delegates unless it can be demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that the previous election of such successfully challenged Delegates and Alternates resulted in the election of other Delegates and Alternates within such Delegation who would not otherwise have been elected, but for the votes of the unqualified Delegates or Alternates.

5. General Election Procedure

a. Notwithstanding any other Article in this Plan of Organization, the allocated Delegate slots and then the allocated Alternate slots,allotted under this Plan of Organization to a Precinct or a County shall be filled first by the election of those duly qualified registered Republicans, eligible to vote, present at such Meeting or Convention and desiring to be elected to fill such slots. All duly qualified Republicans registered to vote may then be elected by qualified Republicans attending the meeting to fill slots that have not been filled by Republicans attending the meeting or conventions.

b. When the number of Delegates and Alternates is based on the votes cast for the Republican candidate for Governor in the last General Election, the “votes” shall be the total votes cast. If there are votes within the County that cannot be accurately attributed to specific precincts, the unattributed votes shall be included when calculating the total votes in the county for the Governor, rather than only those votes initially identified with particular precincts.

B. APPOINTMENTS

1. When a vacancy occurs in a governmental office for which a Party recommendation is called for, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina and the terms of this plan. The abovementioned recommendation shall be provided by the committee having jurisdiction over the district which is subject of the vacancy.

2. In multi-county offices or state legislative offices, the responsibility for calling the meeting rests with the state chairman. The state chairman may delegate this authority to the appropriate district or county chairman or the congressional district chairman, if the county or congressional district, as the case may be, encompasses all of the district or county in which the vacancy occurs.

3. Unless otherwise provided by law, notice to committee members of the time, date, location and purpose of the meeting at which a recommendation for filling the vacancy will be considered, must be made by certified United States Mail to the last know address of the committee member. Notice must be mailed at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting, unless good cause exists for shortening the time period. In no case may the meeting be scheduled for a date and time less than 5 days after the mailing of the notice to committee members.

4. In those cases where the state chairman or, by appointment, the county, district, or congressional district chairman calls the meeting, the state chairman shall designate the person to chair the meeting. The vote shall be conducted in a method reasonably calculated to assure accuracy and fairness to all potential candidates for the position.

5. Should any clause or provision found in this section be deemed inconsistent with the laws of the State of North Carolina, those laws shall govern as to that particular clause or provision and the remainder of this section shall apply.

C. RESIGNATIONS AND REMOVALS FROM PARTY OFFICE

1. Any Member of a Committee organized under this Plan may be removed by a 2/3’s vote of the respective Committee after being furnished with notice of the charges against him, signed by not less than 1/3 of the Members of the Committee. Any Republican against whom charges are brought shall be furnished with 20 days notice of said charges and be given an opportunity to present a defense. Removal shall be confined to gross inefficiency, Party disloyalty, or failure to comply with the County, District, or State Party Plans of Organization.

2. For the purposes of this Plan of Organization, "Party disloyalty" shall be defined as actively supporting a candidate of another Party or independent candidate running in opposition to a candidate of the Republican Party or a Republican endorsed by the appropriate executive committee in a non-partisan election.

3. For the purposes of this Plan of Organization, “gross inefficiency” shall include failing to attend three consecutive meetings or more than four of the preceding twelve meetings of the County Executive Committee without contacting the County Chairman requesting to be excused prior to the meeting for good reason.

D. FORFEITURE OF OFFICIAL PRIVILEGES

1. Party Officers as Candidates. In the event that the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Brunswick County Party shall announce his intentions to run for public office or shall file a notice of candidacy with the Board of Elections, that person shall be deemed to have resigned from office within the Party and the then-existing vacancy shall be filled as provided for herein. The official may petition the County Executive Committee for exemption from this Provision and the County Executive Committee may, for good cause shown, grant such an exemption with a two-thirds affirmative vote. This exemption shall be deemed void, if any other Republican files with the Board of Elections for the same public office within that election cycle.

2. Removal or Resignation from Committees. Any current or former officer or member of a precinct committee or the county executive committee who, for any reason is removed or resigned from said position shall forfeit all rights and privileges in any way connected with that position.

3. Party Disloyalty.Any registered Republican attempting to influence or influencing the outcome of any election against a
Republican candidate or Republican endorsed by the appropriate Republican executive committee or legislative caucus may be declared ineligible to hold office under this plan of organization at the state, district, county and precinct level for Party disloyalty by 2/3 vote of the state executive committee. Charges of Party disloyalty may be brought by petition of 50 members of the state executive committee, or by resolution the county or district Republican executive committee. The state executive committee may declare a Republican found to have engaged in Party disloyalty as ineligible to serve in any office under this plan of organization for a period of time between 6 months and 5 years.

E. NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES AND OFFICE HOLDERS

No opportunity shall be offered by the County Party for a candidate for, or current office holder of, a “non-partisan office” who is not a Registered Republican to address a Republican convention or other function sponsored by the North Carolina Republican Party or any of its subdivisions.

F. ENDORSEMENTS IN NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS

1. In non-partisan elections, district and county executive committees shall have the exclusive authority to endorse registered Republicans running in that district or county. Political subdivision executive committees (i.e. county executive committee) shall not issue endorsements in non-partisan races unless the district resides entirely within the county. All Members of the County Executive Committee may vote on the non-partisan endorsements for districts wholly encompassed within the county, regardless of whether Committee Members live within the district in question.

2. In non-partisan, statewide judicial elections, the NCGOP state executive committee shall have the exclusive authority to endorse registered Republicans. Political subdivisions executive committees (i.e. county executive committees, congressional district executive committees, etc.) shall not issue endorsements of non-partisan, state-wide judicial candidates inconsistent with the state executive committee endorsements.

3. With respect to any endorsement provided for in this section (Article V, Section F), and unless otherwise provided by law, notice to committee members of the time, date, location, and purpose of the meeting at which any such endorsement will be considered must be made by United States Mail to the last known address of the committee member. Notice must be mailed at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting, unless good cause exists for shortening the time period. In no case may the meeting be scheduled for a time and date less than 5 days after the mailing of the notice to committee members. Such notice shall also be provided to all registered Republicans who are candidates seeking the office for which the endorsement is made.

4. The vote on the endorsement shall be conducted in a method reasonably calculated to assure accuracy and fairness to all registered Republicans who are candidates seeking the office for which the endorsement is made.

ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENTS, APPLICABILITY AND AUTHORITY

A.AMENDMENTS

1. The County Convention may amend the County Plan of Organization by a majority vote of the delegates present and voting at any County Convention provided, however, that the proposed amendment was mailed to the membership of the County Executive Committee at least 30 days prior to the convening of the County Convention. Proposed amendments to the Plan not mailed to the County Executive Board 30 days prior to the convening of the County Convention must receive a 2/3 vote of the delegates present and voting at any County Convention.

2. Amendments from the Convention floor to the proposed Amendments to the Plan (an amendment to the amendment) which would materially alter the intent of the original proposed amendment must receive a 2/3 vote of the delegates present and voting at any County Convention. This paragraph only applies to Amendments to the Plan that were mailed out to the Executive Committee 30 days prior to the convening of the County Convention.

3. The County Executive Committee may amend this Plan of Organization upon a 2/3 vote after providing 10 days notice of the meeting advising members regarding the substance of the proposed amendment(s) and provided a quorem is present.

B. APPLICABILITY

1.The County Executive Committee and the County Convention may promulgate such additional rules and establish such additional Party Officers and Committees, not inconsistent with NCGOP rules, as deemed necessary.

C. AUTHORITY

1.Parliamentary Authority. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings, except when inconsistent with this Plan of Organization or Convention Rules properly adopted.

2.Gender and Number. The masculine pronoun or title herein includes the feminine and the singular includes the plural, wherever appropriate.

ARTICLE VII

EFFECTIVE DATE

1.This Plan of Organization, as amended, shall become effective and repeal and supercede all other rules except as specifically noted, immediately following the County Convention or County Executive Committee Meeting which approved and adopted it. This adoption shall not invalidate any action properly taken under the previous plan or rules.

02/10/05