Party Officers Speaking Time

For presentation to the Central Committee February 21, 2009.

Those attending the Executive Committee meeting on 1/19/09 unanimously recommends against adopting this amendment for the following reasons: Depending on the number of candidates, a minimum of four or five minutes speaking time may or may not be practical idea. A mandate in a Bylaw does not allow flexibility in the case where there are a large number of candidates. The mandated allowed time is best determined once the number of actual candidates is known. Thus, the allowed time is better proposed by convention rule. Note that, prior to adoption of the convention rules, any delegate can make a motion from the floor to amend the proposed rules to allow for more speaking time for candidates. Likewise, even after the rules setting time allotments are adopted, a similar motion can be made (but would require a 2/3 majority vote to suspend the rules).

The Executive Committee further unanimously recommends that, if the Central Committee determines to adopt this amendment, State Central Committee candidates should be specifically excluded from its application. Otherwise, the proposal would require a minimum of four minutes be given to each and every one of the State Central Committee candidates.

Proposed by Don Larsen.

Proposed Amendment Mandating Minimum Allowed Speaking Times at Organizing Convention for Party Chair and Vice Chair Candidates

Proposed additions are indicated in bold underlined text, and proposed deletions are indicated in strikethrough text.

The intent of this amendment is to establish a minimum time for a candidate to address the Convention and still have sufficient time to put forth their qualifications for office.

The main purpose of the Organizing Convention is the election of the four County Party Officers and the State Central Committee. Therefore, a candidate for one of these four county offices should have priority over other business in having ample speaking time.

Bylaw 7 - Meetings and Conventions

E. Organizing Convention

2. The Utah County Republican Party Organizing Convention shall include the election by ballot of the four County Party Officers and the State Central Committee members as provided in the Bylaws. Only qualified members who filed a declaration of their candidacy with the County Party Secretary at least fourteen days before the convention shall have their names placed on the ballots provided by the Party. Each candidate in a contested election for the office of County Party Chair or Vice Chair shall be allowed five (5) minutes to address the Convention. Each candidate in a contested election for other party offices shall be allowed a total of four (4) minutes of convention time. The Convention Chair shall certify to the Convention the election results.