CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF EAU CLAIRE COUNTY
Article I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Republican Party of Eau Claire County.
Article II - Purpose
2.01 The purpose of this organization shall be to coordinate and unify under one central organization the activities of the Republican Party of Eau Claire County, and to advance in every honorable way the fundamental Republican principles and policies; and as a voluntary organization, cooperate and assist in all county, state, and national elections to the end that our republican form of government as created under the constitutions of the United States and the State of Wisconsin be preserved for all the people.
2.05 As a constituent part of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, this organization shall direct, manage, supervise, and control the business, property, and funds of the Republican Party of Eau Claire County.
Article III - Membership
3.01 Membership in this organization shall be open to all Eau Claire County citizens of voting age who believe in the objectives, purposes, and principles of the Republican Party.
3.05 Qualified and voting members of this organization shall be those Republicans in good standing who have paid their current dues to the Republican Party of Eau Claire County and who have been recorded by the Secretary of this organization for at least ten (10) days prior to any meeting or caucus. Individuals who are not Eau Claire County residents or not of voting age may join as non-voting, sustaining members.
3.10 The membership year shall be the calendar year, beginning on January 1st and ending on December 31st.
Article IV – Officers and Executive Committee
4.01 Officers of this organization shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, and such other officers as shall be provided for by the Executive Committee.
4.02 The Executive Committee shall consist of the elective officers. In addition thereto, there shall be at least five (5) members elected at large from the membership.
4.03 Nominees to the Executive Committee who have not been Republicans in Good Standing for at least one full calendar year before nomination must be approved by the Current Committee before any election.
4.05 All officers shall serve without compensation. The County Chairperson may, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint such full or part-time employees who may be paid such compensation as the Chairperson and Executive Committee may determine.
4.10 Duties of Officers:
1. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings or caucuses of the party and of the Executive Committee, and shall have general supervision of the work of the organization.
2. Immediately following the caucus, the Chairperson will send the adopted resolutions to Republican Legislators representing Eau Claire County, requesting that they respond in writing within 30 days of receipt regarding which of the resolutions they choose to sponsor as legislation, with the intent of passing it into law in the State of Wisconsin. During legislative sessions four times per year, the Chairperson will then follow up for a progress update of the aforementioned legislation.
3. The vice-Chairperson, in the absence of the chairperson, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson as assigned by the Chairperson.
4. The Secretary shall keep and read minutes of all meetings or caucuses and shall be the custodian of all records of the party.
5. An officer who fails to attend fifty (50) percent of the Executive Committee meetings during the previous twelve (12) month period may be removed by majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Committee shall then select by a two-thirds (2/3) vote one of the elected members of the Executive Committee to fill the vacant position until the next annual caucus, at which time a replacement shall be elected.
6. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all monies received and disbursed and shall report in full as required by the Chairperson.
7. The Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer shall file all proper reports as required by the law or the state party.
8. The Chairperson shall immediately, upon being newly elected, notify the City Library, Chamber of Commerce, news media, County Clerk, and the City Clerk of his/her status as Chairperson of the party.
4.15 Duties of the Executive Committee:
1. The Executive Committee shall have authority to transact any necessary business between caucuses; to make recommendations as to the policy of the Party; to advise the Chairperson; to fill vacancies in this organization of elected officers and Executive Committee members that occur between caucuses; and to complete slates of delegates and alternates to the State Convention or District Caucus.
4.20 The term of office for the officers and the Executive Committee members shall be two (2) years, or until their successors are elected and qualified.
4.30 All Officers and elected members of the Executive Committee shall be elected in a duly constituted county caucus in the odd-numbered years.
4.35 A member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend fifty (50) percent of the Executive Committee meetings during the previous twelve (12) month period may be removed by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
4.40 No officer, member of the Executive Committee or Caucus, or convention delegate or alternate may hold concurrent membership in another political party.
Article V – Meetings and Caucuses
5.01 Caucuses shall be held upon proper notice, at the call of the Chairperson or at the direction of the Executive Committee or upon the petition of fifteen (15) members in good standing; such petition shall state the exact purpose of the caucus.
5.05 A regular county caucus shall be held annually prior to the date required by the district constitution for;
1. The election of delegates and alternates to the district caucus and the state convention and
2. for the election of officers of this organization in the odd-numbered years.
5.10 The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings at such times as they determine.
5.15 A special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called by the Chairperson or by written request of five (5) members of the Executive Committee and upon notice to all Executive Committee members.
5.20 A county caucus shall be one called and advertised at least twice in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the county twenty (20) days prior, but not more than forty (40) days prior to said caucus.
5.21 The Chairperson may mail a notice of meeting or caucus to all members and shall do so upon the request of three (3) members of the Executive Committee or upon written petition of any ten (10) members of the county organization. The Chairperson shall give similar notice to delegates and alternates to district caucuses and state conventions.
5.22 Voting by proxy shall be prohibited at any regular or special county caucus, or meeting of any committee.
6.01 A nominating committee of not fewer than five (5) members shall be appointed by the Chairperson and approved by the Executive Committee prior to each election. The nominating committee shall report one nominee for each office, at the caucus called for such election, after which nominations from the floor shall be allowed.
6.05 A nominating committee of not fewer than three (3) members shall be appointed by the Chairperson and approved by the Executive Committee for the purpose of nominating delegates and alternates to attend each state convention and district caucus, after which nominations may be made from the floor. Nominees shall be current members at the time of nomination.
6.10 Where there is only one candidate for an office, election may be made by voice vote.
6.15 Where more than one candidate is nominated for an office, election shall be held by secret ballot. A majority of the votes cast shall elect.
6.20 A person may not hold more than one officer position at the same time.
Article VII - Appointments
7.01 The Chairperson shall make all appointments with the approval of the Executive Committee.
7.05 The Chairperson shall appoint a committee of not fewer than three (3) nor more than nine (9) members whose duties shall be to screen all applicants for patronage purposes and report their findings to the Chairperson and Executive Committee.
Article VIII – Quorum
8.01 A quorum for a caucus of this organization shell be twenty-five (25) percent of the number of the authorized delegates of Eau Claire County to the last preceding state convention, but in no instance fewer than ten (10) members.
8.05 A quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the members elected to the Executive Committee.
Article IX – Construction and Ranks of Procedure
9.01 Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings except where inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of this organization.
9.05 In the event of any conflict or ambiguity in this Constitution and Bylaws, the Constitution of the Republican Party of Wisconsin shall prevail.
Article X - Amendments
10.01 Amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by any member. All amendments shall be in writing and copies thereof shall be delivered with the call of the caucus to each member at least eight (8) days prior to consideration.
10.05 Amendments shall require the approval of the State Executive Committee and the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting at any regular or special caucus of the organization called for such purpose.
10.10 All amendments shall take effect upon adoption unless another date is specified therein.
10.15 The Secretary shall cause the Constitution and Bylaws to be retyped, incorporating any amendments after adoption thereof, noting the dates of the amendments.
10.20 The Secretary shall make copies of the Constitution and Bylaws available to any member upon request.
The foregoing Constitution and Bylaws of the Eau Claire County Republican Party were duly adopted by a two-thirds vote of the caucus.