Plan of Organization

Gaston County Republican Party Plan of Organization (Adopted 3/9/19)

PREAMBLE

We, the Members of the Gaston County Republican Party, dedicated to the sound principles fostered by that Party and in the Constitutions of the United States and the Great State of North Carolina, 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 the people, for the people and by the people do, for the purpose of uniting and coordinating our efforts for maximum power and efficiency, herewith agree to organize under the current Plan of Organization of the North Carolina Republican Party, with additions specific to the Gaston County Republican Party as established below.

MEMBERS

All residents of Gaston County who are registered Republican voters are Members of the Gaston County Republican Party and shall have the right to participate in the official affairs of the Republican Party in Gaston County in accordance with the rules of the North Carolina Republican Party Plan of Organization (hereafter called “NCGOP Plan”) and of this document.  All reference herein to Delegates, Members and Officers shall, in all cases, mean persons identified and registered as Republican voters in their precincts of residence.

ANNUAL CONVENTION

A County Convention shall be called every year by the Chairman of the County Executive Committee, at a suitable location within the county, within the month of March, at least 10 days prior to the scheduled District Convention(s), and following procedures given in Article VII of the NCGOP Plan.  All convention rules, regulations and procedures are outlined in the NCGOP Plan.

DELEGATES IN ABSENTIA

Any person unable to attend the annual convention of the Gaston County Republican Party but wishing to attend the NCGOP or congressional district convention may do so by requesting to have their name added to the convention delegate list.  However, this must be done prior to the convening of the county convention and the requisite delegate fee must still be paid. No requests can be honored after the start of the convention.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Membership

In accordance with the NCGOP Plan Article III, the Gaston County Republican Party Executive Committee Shall consist of:

1. The five County Party Officers (Chairman, First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, Secretary & Treasurer)
2. The Immediate-Past Chairman of the County Party
3. The County Party Finance Chairman
4. All duly-elected Precinct Chairmen
5. The seven Township Chairmen (Cherryville, Crowders Mountain, Dallas, Gastonia-east, Gastonia-west, Riverbend and South Point)
   1. Gastonia-east (Precincts: 8,9,10,12,13,14,15,16,18)
   2. Gastonia-west (Precincts: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11,17,19)
6. A minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10 At-large Members
7. The local Chairs or Presidents of any duly chartered GOP auxiliary club represented on the NCGOP Executive Committee
8. Any Republican Elected Official currently holding office provided he or she a.) is a resident of Gaston County and b.) was elected in a partisan election
9. Any Officers of the North Carolina Republican Party or NCGOP At-large Executive Committee Members residing in Gaston County

Powers and Duties

The County Executive Committee shall cooperate with the District and State Republican Executive 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 to the County Board of Elections; and shall have active management of Party affairs within the County.

It shall approve a Finance Committee and an Auditing Committee of not less than 3 Members each. The County Chairman and First Vice-Chairman shall be ex-officio Members of all Committees indicated in this paragraph.

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 Executive Committee may amend the County Plan of Organization upon a 2/3 vote after providing written notice via first class United States Mail of the meeting advising members regarding the substance of the proposed amendment and provided a quorum is present or it may be adopted or amended at a County Convention. The County Party shall submit, by certified United States mail, return receipt requested, this Plan of Organization, and amendments thereto, to the NCGOP State Headquarters within 30 days after their adoption, in order for the Plan and/or amendment to be considered valid.

Meetings

The County Executive Committee shall meet at least six times per year upon call of the County

Chairman after giving 10 days notice to all Members (or upon establishing a regularly occurring monthly or bimonthly meeting date); or upon similar call of 1/3 of the Members of the Executive Committee.

Quorum for the transaction of Executive Committee business shall be no less than 25% of the Committee.

Duties of Officers

The Chairman of the County Party shall be Chairman of the County Executive Committee, and 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 and the County Convention, and Executive Committee Meetings, and shall preside at all the Meetings of the County Executive Committee (unless he or she sees fit to appoint a temporary meeting chairman). The Chairman shall appoint a Finance Committee, Auditing Committee (subject to the advice and consent of the County Executive 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 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 this Plan.

The First Vice-Chairman shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman and shall have such other duties as may be prescribed by the Chairman and the County Executive Committee.  The First Vice-Chairman shall be an ex-officio Member of all Committees unless otherwise designated in the County Plan of Organization.

The Second Vice Chairman (optional) shall function as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman and First Vice Chairman and shall have such other duties as may be prescribed by the Chairman and the County Executive Committee.

The Secretary shall keep all minutes and records and shall maintain a roster of all Precinct Officers and Executive Committee Members. At a minimum, these records shall contain the name and address for each Precinct Officer 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.  

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.  

Vacancies and Removal of Officers or Executive Committee Members

Vacancy due to death, resignation, discontinuance of residency within the County, removal of any Officer or Member of the County Committee, or for any other reason, shall be filled by the remaining members of the Executive Committee at the next regularly called meeting.  Should a vacancy occur in the office of Chairman, the First Vice Chairman shall serve as Acting-Chairman until the next Executive Committee Meeting when a new Chairman shall be elected.

The procedure for removal of any Member or Officer is defined in NCGOP Plan Article IX.

Such removal may be appealed to the State Central Committee within 20 days and their decision shall be final.

COUNTY FINANCE AND AUDITING COMMITTEES

Finance Committee

The County Finance Committee shall be composed of the County Finance Chairman, the

County Chairman, County First 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.

Auditing Committee

The members of the Auditing Committee shall be nominated by the County Chairman and the names shall be presented for the advice and consent of the County Executive Committee. The Auditing Committee, once approved, shall conduct a yearly review of the financial records of the County and report such review to the County Executive Committee for approval. The report may be made at the County Convention.  The review to be conducted shall be of the type and nature which the Auditing Committee, in its discretion, deems appropriate.

BIENNIAL BUDGET

The Chairman, in coordination with the Treasurer and other Officers, shall present a biennial budget for adoption by the Executive Committee no later than June of odd-numbered years.  The budget may be amended by the Executive Committee at any point should circumstances dictate. All expenditures should fall within the budget and should be approved by the County Executive Committee.  The Officers Board (Chairman, First and Second Vice Chairmen, Treasurer, Secretary and Immediate Past Chairman) may, by majority vote, make emergency expenditures between Executive Committee meetings; however, such expenditures must be reported and explained to the Executive Committee at the next meeting.

ENDORSEMENTS

In accordance with NCGOP Plan Article IX, endorsements may be made by the Executive Committee in non-partisan elections or in partisan elections where there is no primary election. The Committee may vote to endorse some, none, or all of the Republican candidates in such an election.  Meetings to consider endorsements must be called in accordance with the NCGOP Plan and must not be held until after the close of the official filing period (set by the Board of Elections) for the election in which the endorsement is being considered.

ADVANCE PUBLISHING OF MEETING AGENDA

The agenda of all Executive Committee meetings shall be distributed electronically to the Executive Committee no later than five days prior to the meeting.  

ATTACHED ADDENDUMS:

Addendums are preserved as record in the Plan of Organization but can be amended at any time by the officers of the Gaston County Republican Party.

1. Century Club Protocol
2. Republican of the Year Nomination Form
3. Senator James S. Forrester Lifetime achievement Award Nomination Form