FLORIDA: Your Upcoming December REC Chair and Board Elections

Know the Rules, Win the Game; an FNR Editorial (edited 11/19/2022 8:14am)

The purpose of this article is to make you aware of the upcoming election for your County GOP Board Positions, (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) sometime in the month of December 2022. You should be receiving notice of this meeting anytime since the election must be held by December 31, 2022 in accordance with the RPOF County Model of Constitution,  Article IV Section 1.

Why is Your Local Republican Executive Committee Important?

The “county GOPs” are simply local committees that function as the official branch of the GOP. Committee members, called Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen, hold the responsibility to register voters within their precinct. The more Committeemen and Committeewomen, the more registered voters. So, it serves the Party to fill as many precinct positions as possible, but in a lot of Florida counties, filling the empty precinct positions doesn’t seem to be the goal. From REC whistleblowers from around the state, it appears that the Republican Party of Florida only wants “their kind of Republicans” and “their kind of Republicans” doesn’t seem to include America First / MAGA Republican Party members. From lost membership applications to canceling meetings where new members could be sworn in it seems a giant shell game is going on in our state. If we have learned anything this year, nothing could be more important for the protection of our State, our Governor and the growth of our Party than electing principled Republicans with fortitude and integrity at the county level. We need folks elected who mean it when they take the Loyalty Oath and promise to uphold the Republican Party Platform.

The December Elections give you the first chance since the stolen 2020 Presidential Election to make changes at our county level in the GOP direction and leadership.

Even if you have principled leadership but they are operating ineffectually, it’s time to seize this opportunity to elect fresh and energized America First Republicans to get our Party out of the ditch and back on the road. Only then can we get accomplish the goal of adding new Republican members who bring their talent and skills to make our county GOP stronger, work on messaging and actions to make the GOP more appealing to the younger generation and finally, having the majority of the open Precinct Committee positions filled. MOST COUNTY PRECINCT COMMITTEE POSITIONS ARE NOT FILLED and the voters in those unmanned precincts have had no contact with the local Republican Party. The RPOF has made it clear in the Rules that anyone can join their local GOP as long has they have been a Republican for 365 days or longer. There are no other requirements despite several Florida county Chairmen attempting to set up “vetting committees” to create what resembles an intentional bottleneck. Slowing new membership down for whatever reason keeps these Precinct Committee positions unfilled. And that is just not acceptable. Republicans are winning elections DESPITE the Status Quo Republican Establishment in Florida, showing how powerful our Party COULD be if they were removed from power.

Your December Elections Meeting

The main agenda item for this meeting will be individual elections of the Chair, Vice-Chair,  Secretary and Treasurer for two-year terms. Any County Executive Committee member in good standing is qualified to run for any of these offices. This is clearly stated in the RPOF Party Rules of Procedure Republican State Executive Committee, as Revised 6/11/2022 (RPOF Party Rules), Rule 6.

Check your County Bylaws to verify your county election is to be by ballot at the meeting which, as usual, must have a quorum and all nominations are from the floor.

Verify in your County Bylaws that this meeting  requires 10 days notice to members. Furthermore, according to RPOF Party Rules, no  proxy voting is permissible; however, an alternate member who represents a specific precinct  member who is absent may represent and vote for that member. Other specific procedures of  the process are governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, 12th Edition and custom.  

Example of a County Election that Took Place

Each position went through the nomination and election process separately. First the  Chair asked for nominations from the floor for candidates for Chair. Each nomination was seconded by another member and then accepted by the nominee.

There will be no campaigning  at the December meeting. Campaigning must be performed prior to the December meeting. If you are running for an REC position please consider having an offsite meet and greet so your REC members can talk to you about your goals for the REC and why you would be their best choice to achieve those goals.

The election can consist of a roll-call ballot whereby each Executive Committee  member’s name and precinct will be called and the member (who is present at the meeting) walks to the front of the room, receiving a blank slip of paper and writing the name of the candidate they are voting for on that paper, then fold it in half and placed it through a slot in the lid of a ballot box. After all members present vote, the votes will be counted with designated observers watching for each candidate. The winner will be announced. After the election of the Chair, the nominations for Vice-Chair should follow the same election process. 

One Florida County had their voting procedures modified last year at the beginning of the election meeting by member motions which could be seconded and voted upon. That County provided this information:

“Again, our voting procedures are not completely outlined in our Bylaws or RPOF Party rules. As a result, the procedures at the last meeting are in place unless modified at the start of this year’s meeting. Therefore, as of now, we would expect separate nominations and election of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer to follow the above process sequentially at the election meeting.”  

This Will Be The Most Important Meeting Of Your REC This Year

It is very important to attend this meeting so your county can assemble the best leadership team.  We need County Boards that follows the Republican Party Platform, Parliamentary rules, Roberts Rules of Order, promote open discussion of new ideas at  in-person meetings, support education of members, establishes accountability with elected Republicans in their districts and ensure full participation of members in the organization and their precincts.

Never in the history of our  country have we needed our Republican Executive Committee more to serve its purpose and drive full participation of the people in order to save America. 

The Importance of the RPOF Rules

If the rules weren’t important for every single member to know, a recent skirmish would not have taken place outside the Sarasota REC meeting according to member, Sally Nista, who contacted FNR. She reported that she was outside the meeting location and handing out copies of the RPOF Rules and Procedures when she alleges that acting Chairman Jack Brill approached her and threatened to have her arrested. She stated that Brill also threatened to remove her from the Sarasota REC as member FOR HANDING OUT THE RPOF RULES.

Side note, Mr. Brill was not elected Chairman of the Sarasota REC; he’s acting Chair on behalf of RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters. It appears Gruters made a poor choice in his replacement unless it’s by Gruters’ own design, and so far, Gruters hasn’t removed Brill so you be the judge.

FNR is providing the Election Rules below to help empower you and assure your county REC elections are conducted fairly and honestly.

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  The Rules

RPOF County Model of Constitution Article IV, Section 1

The outgoing Chairman shall, within 30  days after December 1, call an organizational meeting for the purpose of electing officers.

The outgoing Chairman shall open the  meeting with the first order of business is  the election of the new Chairman and Vice Chairman under the rules & bylaws as  promulgated by the State Executive Committee.

• Current chairman opens meeting and oversees election of  Chairman and Vice Chairman.

• Thereafter, the new Chairman shall preside and the agenda shall include, but not  limited, to the election of a secretary and a treasurer, the filing of any vacancies on the committee & any other business which may appropriately come before the committee.

• After the new Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected, the new  Chairman oversees the meeting where the election of the secretary and treasurer is the first order of business.

RPOF County Model of Constitution Article IV,  Section 3

• The election of officers and filling of vacancies shall be by ballot.

• In the event there is but one nomination for any officer or office, the ballot may be dispensed with by unanimous vote of the membership present and eligible to vote. 

• All nominations are from the floor.

• No ballot shall be preprinted with the name of any candidate.

RPOF County Model of Constitution Article IV,  Section 5

• All vacancies shall be filled by the majority vote of a quorum present at the duly called meeting of the County Executive Committee.

• Candidate with the majority of votes wins.

RPOF County Model of Constitution Article VI,  Section 1

• Forty percent of the members of the County Executive Committee shall be  present to constitute a quorum.

RPOF Party Rules of Procedure Republican State Executive Committee, as Revised 6/11/202: Rule 3 - Use of Proxies

• Proxy voting is not permissible at any meeting under the authority of the  Republican Party of Florida, County Republican Committees.

• In-person voting only permitted.

RPOF Party Rules of Procedure Republican State Executive Committee; Rule 6 - Officers of County Committees; Roles & Responsibilities

• All officers of a County Executive Committee shall be members of such  committee shall be elected for a two year term.

• Alternative county executive committee members are not eligible to serve as elected officers unless this rule is waived by the Executive Board of the RPOF.

• Only members of the REC can run for office.

• Additional County Executive Board officers shall occur only via the amendment process outlined in the County Model Constitution.

• Notice of the meeting to be sent provided to each member of the executive  committee at least 10 days prior to the meeting.

• D (f) Role of Secretary: Record names of those elected.

RPOF Party Rules of Procedure Republican State Executive Committee, as Revised 6/11/2022; Rule 15 - More than one County Position

• A person can hold only one position as a  County Chairman, County Officer or a  State Committeeman or State Committeewoman, except in counties with less than 750 registered Republicans, unless this rule is waived by the RPOF Executive Board.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly  Revised 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.3: Nominations from the Floor.

• Methods of nomination are: (b) from the floor (open nominations)

• There must be a nomination from the floor, open nominations in accordance with Article IV Section 3 of the RPOF County Constitution Model.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly  Revised 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.6: Nominations from the Floor

• The Chair calls for nominations at the time established by rule or custom of the  organization which may be while the election is pending.

• A member need not be recognized by the chair to make a nomination unless he or  she wishes to speak in debate on it at the same time. In a large meeting a member  should rise when making a nomination from the floor. No second is required but  sometimes one or more members will second a nomination to indicate endorsement.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 47.27: Debate on Nominations

• In large conventions, nominations are sometimes accompanied by a speech  advocating the nominee’s election. The nomination may be seconded by one or  more members also making speeches.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.31: Ballot Election

Two alternative procedures for the  sequence of nominating and voting in  elections by ballot can be prescribed or adopted:

1) All nominations can be completed before any balloting takes place - in which case voting for all offices is commonly done with a single ballot.

2)  Under the usual form of the second  procedure, balloting for each office  immediately follows nominations from the floor for that office. The ballots are  counted for one office & the result is announced - after repeated balloting, if  necessary - before the next office to be voted on is opened for nominations from the floor.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly  Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.42: Roll-Call Election

• Although unusual, an election can be held  by roll-call. Either the first or second procedure described in 46.31 for election by ballot can be generally followed.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly  Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.44: Providing for the Completion of an election

• An election should be completed at the session at which it is taken up, unless it is impossible or impractical to do so.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly  Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.46: Time at Which an  Election Takes  Effect

• An election to an office becomes final immediately if the candidate is present and does not decline, or if he is absent but has consented to his candidacy

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly  Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.47:  

• An officer-elect takes possession of his office immediately upon his election’s  becoming final, unless bylaws or other rules specify a later time.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly  Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.48: Contesting the Announced Result of An Election

• Depending on the circumstances, the voting body may be able to order a  recount if an election was conducted by ballot.

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th Edition, Article VIII, Chapter 46, Nominations and Elections Section 46.50:  

• Because the voting body itself is the ultimate judge of election disputes, only  that body has the authority to resolve them in the absence of a bylaw or special rule of order that specifically grants another body that authority.