Constitution of the 55th District Republican Party of Minnesota

February 24th, 2022

ARTICLE I

NAME, PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Section 1. This organization shall be the “55th District Republican Party of Minnesota.”

Section 2. This Constitution contains the guidelines and rules governing the operation of the Republican Party of Minnesota in Senate District 55 (“District 55”) and House Districts 55A (“District 55A”) and 55B (“District 55B”) as defined by Minnesota Statutes and all final state and federal court orders relating to the most recent redistricting. This organization shall have all powers granted to it under the laws of Minnesota, including all delegations of power and limits of authority described in the constitution and bylaws of the Republican Party of Minnesota and the Second Congressional District Republican Party. Any resident of Senate District 55, or any representative of the Republican Party of Minnesota or of its CD2 party unit, shall be entitled to a current copy of this Constitution upon request.

Section 3. The affairs of District 55 shall be under the governance of its officers, executive committee and full committee as provided in this constitution. District 55 shall:

  1. Organize, or cause to be organized, the senate district and each voting precinct or other voting unit within the district;
  2. Coordinate the campaigns of and seek election of party endorsed candidates from within the district to the state senate and house of representatives;
  3. Assist in the election of all other Republican endorsed candidates for public office whose constituencies, when elected, will include residents of the district; and
  4. Encourage the election of candidates who support the principles of the Republican Party in all other public offices whose constituencies, when elected, will include residents of the district, including nonpartisan races.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of Senate District 55 and House Districts 55A and 55B shall be:

  1. District 55 chair,
  2. District 55 secretary,
  3. District 55 treasurer,
  4. House District 55A chair,
  5. House District 55B chair,
  6. Up to four executive committee Directors elected by House District 55A,
  7. Up to four executive committee Directors elected by House District 55B.

Section 2. The duties and authority of officers shall be those usually associated with the titles given their respective offices plus any additional duties and authority properly conferred by the executive committee, full committee, a district convention, the Republican Party of Minnesota or the laws of Minnesota. A House District Chair (chosen by lot if necessary) may perform the duties of an absent District Chair. A House District Director (chosen by lot if necessary) may perform the duties of an absent House District Chair.

Section 3. Officers shall be elected for terms (ordinarily two years) that shall end with the election of their successors. Officers are elected at the regular District 55 convention held in odd numbered years; elections to fill vacancies take place at the convention in even numbered years.

Section 4. If an officer of a precinct, house district, or District 55 has two (2) unexcused absences from meetings of the full committee and/or executive committee, the District Chair shall notify the officer and the executive committee that removal of the officer from office will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the executive committee. The executive committee may fill a vacancy occurring for any reason by selecting a replacement officer for a term ending with the election of a successor at the next convention.

ARTICLE III

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The executive committee shall have ultimate responsibility for carrying out the activities and programs of the party between conventions of District 55, including finance, candidate search, and voter identification. It shall meet at least three times a year and at such other times as may seem advisable. Executive committee meetings may be called by the District 55 Chair or by any five (5) members of the executive committee.

Section 2. The voting members of the committee shall be the district officers.

Section 3. Ex-officio members, without vote, shall be any person residing within the district and who is not a district officer, who meets any of the following conditions:

  1. Any Republican member of the legislature;
  2. Any officer of the Republican Party of Minnesota or the Second Congressional District Republican Party;
  3. Any member of the Republican state central committee; or
  4. Any member of a County Republican executive committee.

Section 4. Meetings of the executive committee and full committee ordinarily require written notice sent by mail or electronically at least five (5) calendar days in advance. In emergency situations, the notice period for an executive committee meeting may be waived by the District 55 Chair, provided that all members of the executive committee have been notified by phone or email. A majority of the voting members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transaction of business.

ARTICLE IV

THE FULL COMMITTEE

Section 1. The full committee shall be composed of the executive committee and the two highest ranking officers of each precinct within District 55.

Section 2. The full committee shall meet at least once in each calendar year and twice in a general election year. The purpose of these meetings shall be primarily to provide information and instruction to precinct chairs on such party activities as fund raising, voter identification, and getting out the vote.

ARTICLE V

PRECINCT ORGANIZATION

Section 1. In accordance with state law and party procedure a caucus shall be held in each precinct within District 55 in each general election year.

Section 2. At each said caucus a precinct chair, and such other precinct officers as may seem desirable, shall be elected for a two-year term. If a vacancy occurs in any precinct officer position, the appropriate House District chair, with the advice and consent of the executive committee, may fill the vacancy by appointment.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the precinct chair and officers to perfect the organization of the precinct, recruit and direct area and block workers, conduct training sessions, complete voter surveys, and other authorized finance drives, get out the party vote on election days, and do such other tasks as may be assigned them by, and all in cooperation with, the district executive committee.

ARTICLE VI

HOUSE DISTRICTS

Section 1. Any convention of Senate District 55 may subdivide itself into separate house district caucuses consisting of all registered delegates and seated alternates residing in District 55A and District 55B, elected at the most recent precinct caucuses who still reside in the precinct from which elected. The provisions below apply to any such separate caucus of District 55A and District 55B, as appropriate.

Section 2. Any endorsement of a candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives shall be done at such a separate house district caucus. A candidate may be endorsed in a general election year, or to fill a vacancy. Any endorsement shall meet the requirements of the Republican Party of Minnesota (currently a 60% vote in a pre-primary caucus and at least a majority of all registered delegates and seated alternates for the separate caucus).

Section 3. A separate house district caucus shall be used to elect House District Chairs and Directors sitting on the executive committee, including election of officers to fill vacancies and expired terms. All such officers shall assist the entire Senate District 55 in carrying out its program.

Section 4. A separate house district caucus may also conduct any other business authorized by the District 55 convention. A two-thirds majority of such a separate house district caucus may suspend or amend the District 55 convention rules, but only as appropriate for the separate house caucus.

ARTICLE VII

SENATE DISTRICT 55 CONVENTIONS

Section 1. In accordance with requirements of the Minnesota Republican party a convention of District 55 shall be held annually. A written convention call must be sent at least ten (10) calendar days in advance of the convention.

Section 2. Minnesota Statutes §202A.16, Subd. 1, requires that “An eligible voter may vote or be elected a delegate or officer only in the precinct where the voter resides at the time of the caucus.” The District 55 convention shall be composed of all delegates and seated alternates properly elected at the most recent precinct caucuses who still reside in the precinct from which elected. Alternates shall be seated to fill in for absent delegates in the manner designated by the precinct caucuses electing them. If no such provision has been made by a caucus, a majority of the seated delegates of a precinct shall elect from among the alternates from that precinct present, one to fill a vacant seat. There shall be no cross-seating of alternates filling in for a precinct from which they have not been elected.

Section 3. No elected delegate or alternate properly registered for a convention shall be denied his/her right to be seated at any time during a convention or separate house district caucus, except that no one shall be seated from the time any written ballots have been distributed until after such ballots have been collected.

Section 4. A quorum at any convention shall consist of 20% of the total number of delegates elected at the precinct caucuses within the district. Once established, a quorum shall prevail until adjournment of the convention.

Section 5. Any endorsement of a candidate for state senate shall be done at a District 55 convention. A candidate for the state senate may be endorsed at a senate district convention in a year during which senators are elected, or to fill a vacancy. Any endorsement shall meet the requirements of the Republican Party of Minnesota (currently a 60% vote in a pre-primary convention and at least a majority of all registered delegates and seated alternates for District 55).

Section 6. Delegates and alternates to the state central committee and to congressional district and state conventions shall be elected as provided in the Article of this Constitution regarding House Districts.

Section 7. At the request of at least 35% of the precinct chairs within a given jurisdiction lying entirely within District 55, the District 55 chair, and/or the executive committee, may call a convention of delegates within said jurisdiction for the purpose of considering endorsement of a candidate for an office in that jurisdiction.

Section 8. Either the executive committee or the Republican Party of Minnesota may call a special convention of District 55. Either the executive committee or the Republican Party of Minnesota also may call a special convention of District 55A or District 55B for endorsement of candidates for special elections for public office, or for other suitable business pertaining only to the applicable House District. Applicable District 55 rules and procedures will be used at such special conventions.

ARTICLE VIII

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RELATIONSHIP

Section 1. Representation from District 55 on the congressional district committee shall be in the following order:

  1. A. District 55 chair;
  1. House District 55A chair and House District 55B chair; if there is position for only one, one shall serve by lot for a period of one year, and then the other shall serve for any remaining term;
  2. District 55 treasurer; and
  3. District 55 secretary.

Section 2. If needed, alternates shall be chosen from the same group and in the same order. Should more alternates be required the district executive committee shall appoint them.

ARTICLE IX

CONSTITUTION, BY LAWS, AND PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1. This constitution shall become effective immediately upon adoption by a majority vote of the District 55 convention.

Section 2. The executive committee shall constitute a standing constitution and bylaws committee. Bylaws may be adopted and amended by a majority vote of the district committee.

Section 3. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of delegates voting at any district convention if notice of the proposed change has been included in the convention call.

Section 4. Precedence of parliamentary procedure shall be the Republican Party of Minnesota constitution and bylaws, the Second Congressional District Republican Party constitution and bylaws, the District 55 constitution and bylaws, and Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.