We, as members of the Morgan County Republican Party, grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, desiring to perpetuate principles of free government and the blessings of liberty to our posterity, do establish and adopt this Constitution. This Constitution and Bylaws, are the exclusive governing rules of the Morgan County Republican Party.
 

A. General Purposes:
The Morgan County Republican Party(Party) shall nominate and support the election of Republican candidates in partisan races for public office, seek to promote the principles set forth in the county, state and national Republican Party Platforms by performing Party functions set forth in the election laws of the State of Utah, and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Party. The Party Central Committee may call attention to actions, policies and programs which may not be in line with the Party Platform or the Utah Constitution.

Party membership is open to any registered voter in Morgan County who declares affiliation with the Republican Party and wishes to participate at Republican 30 functions, including neighborhood caucuses or county/state conventions. Membership includes support for Party policies and principles. Party members may not be an officer, delegate, or registered affiliated voter of any other registered political party. 34 (Democrat, Libertarian, Constitutionalist, etc.)

We, the duly elected and qualified members of the County Central Committee of the Morgan County Republican Party of Utah (Party), in accordance with law, do hereby adopt the following Bylaws:

A. Bylaws:

The Morgan County Central Committee may adopt Bylaws to govern subjects not covered by this Constitution.
 
B. Adoption and Modifications:
 
1. Bylaws adopted or modified by the County Central Committee shall be binding and in full force and effect when adopted by a majority of a quorum of the County Central Committee and brought before to be voted on by the County Delegates at the County Convention.
 
2. County delegates at the County Convention may adopt or modify Bylaws by a 2/3 vote.

A. County Party Officers:

The Officers of the County Party shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and State  Central Committee Representative. The County Party Officers form the Executive Committee.
 
B. Duties of Officers:

1. Chair: The County Party Chair shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the County Party and as the Chair of the County Central Committee and may serve as a member of any additional committees. The Chair shall execute the policies determined by the County Central Committee and its subcommittees. The Chair may vote in any committee to make or break a tie. The Chair may make necessary appointments subject to the approval of the county Party Central Committee. The term of office shall be two years. The Chair shall be a member of the State Central Committee, attend the State Central Committee Meetings, and shall be an Automatic Delegate to the County and State Conventions. The Chair shall remain neutral in all races until after the primary election, actively promote the purposes of the Party and be responsible for all Party fundraising.

2. Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair of the County Central Committee shall assist the Chair in his/her duties and perform the Chair’s duties in the Chair’s absence. The term of office shall be two years. The Vice-Chair shall perform other duties assigned by the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall be a member of the State Central Committee, attend the State Central Committee Meetings, and shall be an Automatic Delegate to the County Conventions. The Vice-Chair shall remain neutral in all races until after the primary election and actively promote the purposes of the Party.
 
3. Secretary. The Secretary of the County Party Central Committee shall provide timely notices of all meetings and take and maintain minutes and attendance records of the County Central Committee meetings. The Secretary shall be custodian of the files and records of the Party, Executive Committee and Central Committee meetings and insure that all files, records and lists be disclosed in accordance with State Party rules, and shall be an Automatic Delegate to the County Conventions. He/She will be Chair of the Advertising Committee. The term of office shall be two years.
 
4. Treasurer. The County Party Treasurer shall be Chair of the Party Finance Committee and, with the County Chair or Vice-Chair, shall receive and account for all monies of the Party. He/She shall keep regular accurate records of all contributions to the Party and expenses of the Party, and submit a report to the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Central Committee, and shall be an automatic delegate to the County Conventions. When directed to do so by the Executive Committee or Central Committee, the Treasurer shall submit financial records and vouchers for examination or audit. No payment shall be made without the approval of all members of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall file all necessary financial reports required by Utah Code. The term of office shall be two years.
 
5. State Central Committee Representative. The State Central Committee Representative shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Central Committee and automatic delegate to the state convention. The duties of the State Central Committee Representative are set forth in the Utah Republican Party Constitution and Bylaws. The State Central Committee Representative is Rules Committee Chair for the County Party. The term of office shall be two years.
 
C. Election of Officers.

Delegates to the County Party organizing convention held on odd-numbered years shall elect the County Party Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and State Central Committee Representative.
 
D. Election Procedures for Officers.

Candidates for Party Office must reside in Morgan County and may file for only one Party office. Party Officers shall be elected by a majority vote. Unsuccessful candidates in one race may be nominated from the floor for another position. Nominations for any office or position in the Party may be made from the floor at any meeting at which elections are held, but names of persons nominated from the floor will not appear on pre-printed ballots. If a printed ballot is to be used for any office, Republicans whose names have been submitted to the Chair for nomination to that office ten (10) days before the scheduled election shall appear on the official printed ballot. Election records retained by the Party Secretary shall be available for examination by any candidate involved in that election within 10 days of a written request from the candidate to the Party Chair. Examinations of such election records shall be witnessed by the Party Secretary and at least two other members of the Executive Committee. Examined records are to be resealed by the Party Secretary upon completion of the examination.
 
E. Replacement of County or Precinct Officers

1. Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in any of the County Offices, the County Central Committee shall meet as soon as possible, but within (60) days. A majority vote is needed and the appointment shall be for the remainder of the term for the office vacated.
 
2. Removal. Any officer may be removed by 60% of all the voting members of the County Central Committee. The officer to be removed shall be given at least fourteen (14) days advance written notice of intent to remove and the grounds for which removal is sought. Notice will be given by the Chair, or the Vice-Chair if the Chair is to be removed. Prior to a removal vote, the officer shall also be given an opportunity for a fair hearing at a County Central Committee meeting. The decision of the County Central Committee shall be final.

A. Powers: The County Central Committee shall be the governing and policy-making body of the Party.
 
B. Membership: The voting members of the County Central Committee shall consist of the County Party Chair, the County Party Vice-Chair, the County Party Secretary, the County Party Treasurer, and the Chair or Vice-Chair of each Republican Party Precinct in Morgan County. Party business shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
 
C. Meetings: The County Central Committee shall meet quarterly, unless otherwise recommended by the Executive Committee. The Chair, or 25% of all the voting members of the County Central Committee, may call special County Central Committee meetings.
 
D. Quorum: A quorum of the County Central Committee is a majority of all the voting members of the County Central  Committee. In order to conduct binding business, the County Central Committee must have a quorum in attendance.

A. Constitution and Bylaws: Each Precinct shall follow the County Party Constitution and/or Bylaws.
 
B. Precinct Party Officers: Precinct Party Officers are elected on even numbered years at Neighborhood Caucus
Meetings. Caucus attendees shall elect a Precinct Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, or combined positions as jointly decided by Central Committee and individual Precincts, so long as there are at least (3) Precinct Officers.
 
C. Function of Precinct Parties. The Precinct Parties and the County Party shall cooperate in working to elect Republicans  to public office, raising funds, holding annual conventions, and in promoting the Republican Party Platform. The Precinct Officers shall conduct the "Get Out the Vote" campaign in their Precinct. Precinct Officers shall submit all funds collected at the Precinct Caucus to the Party. Precinct chairs and vice-chairs shall attend County Central Committee meetings and other assigned training, unless excused.

County Delegates: County Delegates are elected, by simple majority vote, in the Voting Precinct Caucus Meeting held in even numbered years for a term of two (2) years. The total number of County Delegates shall be decided by the Central Committee and individual Precinct Chairs. County Delegates shall attend the County Convention each year and help support Republican candidates.
Alternate Delegates: Alternate County delegates may not be appointed.
 
State Delegates: State Delegates are elected in their Voting Precinct Caucus Meeting held in even numbered years for a term of two (2) years. The State Party designates the number of delegates each County may have. This number is then allocated to the voting precincts in accordance with the number of Republican votes cast for the top four (4) candidates (Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, and State Treasurer, excluding the vote for any candidate who had no opposition) in the most recent general election. State Delegates are also county delegates and are to attend the State and County Convention each year. Alternate State Delegates may not be appointed.
 
Vacancies: In the event that a Delegate is unable to serve due to death, resignation, moving from the Precinct, or is disqualified due to other party affiliations, a replacement may be selected by the Precinct Officers from that precinct, with a majority vote, within (30) days of vacancies.

A. County Party Budget: The County Party fiscal year shall run from July 1 through the next June 30. The County Central Committee shall approve a county budget.

A. Ratification: These Constitution/By-laws shall be binding when approved by a majority vote of the delegates present at a County Party Convention.
 
B. Review: These Constitution/Bylaws shall be reviewed by the County Central Committee at least every odd numbered year prior to the Organizing Convention.
 
C. Amendments: These Constitution/Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members at a County Central Committee present at any meeting with a quorum present, if subsequently ratified by a majority vote of the Delegates at the County Convention. The Constitution/Bylaws may be amended by 2/3 vote of Delegates at the County Convention.
 
D. Severability: If any portion of these Constitution/Bylaws is ever declared void, all other portions shall remain binding and effective.

Section 1. Party Caucuses:

A. Each Precinct Party shall designate a location for Party Caucuses to be held on a date designated by the State Republican Party of each even-numbered year. The Neighborhood Caucus shall convene at 7:00 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30.
 
B. The County Party shall give notice of each individual caucus meeting by notifying the local news media and requiring three notices be posted in the precinct.
 
C. Only registered Republicans will be eligible to vote in county caucuses, as per RNC Rules: “Only persons eligible to vote who are deemed as a matter of public record to be Republicans pursuant to state law or, if voters are not enrolled by party, by Republican party rules of a state, shall participate in any primary election held for the purpose of electing delegates or alternate delegates to the national convention or in any Republican caucus, mass meeting, or mass convention held for the purpose of selecting delegates to the county, district, or state conventions. And only such legal and qualified voters shall be elected as delegates to county, district, and state conventions.” Voter
registration forms will be available at the caucus meeting. Participants may register as Republicans at that time.
 
D. Delegates shall be selected at each caucus to represent the precinct at State and County Conventions. Relative Republican strength shall be calculated by aggregating the total combined county Republican votes at the previous election for governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor, and state treasurer, excluding the vote for any candidate who had no opposition. Each precinct’s portion of the aggregate vote shall be calculated on a strict percentage basis.
 
E. If any precinct fails to elect sufficient delegates on Caucus night, the County Central Committee may designate delegates to the County Convention from qualified members residing in the precinct.
 
F. The number of delegates to the state convention shall be set by the State Central Committee and all state convention delegates shall be chosen at the neighborhood caucus meetings.
 
G. A Call to Convention shall be mailed no later than ten (10) days before the County Convention noting the date, time and location along with the Convention Rules, Credentials and any other pertinent information to the following:
 
1. Executive Committee
2. Republican Elected Officials
3. County Delegates
 
Section 2. Organizing Conventions
 
A. On or before May 15th each odd-numbered year, a county organizing convention shall be held in the county.
 
B. The Precinct Party Secretary shall mail a notice regarding the county organizing convention to all current county delegates.
C. At the time and place designated by the County Central Committee, the County organizing convention shall be held to elect a county chair, vice-chair, a secretary, treasurer and State Central Committee Representative.
 
Section 3. Nominating Convention

A. The Morgan County Republican Party Nominating Convention shall be held during the month of April or May of each even-numbered year and before the State Republican Party Nominating Convention, for the purpose of selecting party candidates for the County Elections. Oral notice of the convention shall be given at each Voting Precinct Caucus meeting and written notice shall be mailed to each delegate. The Convention shall convene at the time and place designated by the Executive Committee and shall conduct party business as directed by the Executive Committee.

B. The Morgan County Republican Party Nominating Convention business shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Credentialing of County Delegates to the Convention.

2. Nomination of Candidates: Nominating and seconding speeches may be made on behalf of any legally qualified candidate who has properly filed a declaration of candidacy or an acceptance thereof with the County Clerk.

C. Election Balloting Methods & Results at Nominating Convention will be by Instant Runoff Voting defined here in part IX,3,C,2 or Multi-Round Voting defined in part IX,3,C,3. The default method is Instant Runoff Voting, unless, the alternate, Multi-Round Voting is selected at Convention by a motion made, seconded and carried by 50% +1 of the credentialed County Delegates. Ballots shall be counted by election judges selected by the Convention Committee (IX,3,B,4).

Unless the Central Committee adopts differing rules at least sixty (60) days prior to a Convention, the following rules shall apply:

1. Convention Candidate scenarios and balloting thresholds:

a. In contested races, if no candidate has legally qualified for the Primary Election prior to the Convention:
i.    The Party’s nominee shall be any legally qualified candidate who receives at least sixty seven percent [67%] of the delegate vote for the appropriate office. He or she shall become the party's Candidate in the General Election without running in the Primary Election.
ii.    Or if no candidate receives sixty seven percent of the vote, the top two vote receiving candidates using the process indicated below (IX,3,C,2or3), shall proceed to the Primary Election

b. If any candidate has qualified for the Primary Election prior to the election, the candidate who receives a majority of the vote using the process indicated below (IX,3,C,2or3) shall:
i.    qualify for the Primary Election; and
ii.    be endorsed by the Party.

c. Using the process indicated below (IX,3,C,2or3), the convention only candidate who receives the most votes, that equals at least thirty three percent [33%] of the vote, shall qualify for the Primary Election.
i.    The term “convention only candidate” here means any candidate who has not qualified for the MCRP Primary Election prior to the Convention.

2. Instant Runoff Voting

a.    Balloting Methods for one or two candidates:
i. In the event that only one candidate is nominated for a single seat office, the nominated candidate shall be declared the winner without any balloting
ii. In the event that two candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the following ballot procedure shall take place:
●    Delegates shall mark their ballots with the name of their preferred candidate.
●    The candidate who receives the required number of votes (simple majority or other threshold, as defined by requirements IX,3,C,1) will be declared the victor.
●    If the office requires a simple majority of votes and there is a threshold tie as defined (IX,3,C,1), it will be resolved by a coin toss.
b.    In the event that three or more candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the Convention shall use Instant Runoff Voting (IRV). The IRV procedure is as follows:
For the purposes of this section:
●    A candidate shall be deemed "continuing" if the candidate has not been eliminated.
●    A ballot shall be deemed "continuing" if it is not exhausted.
●    A ballot shall be deemed "exhausted," and not counted in further stages of the tabulation either for a particular candidate or in the total of ballots cast for the purposes of vote percentage calculation, if all of the choices have been eliminated or there are no more choices indicated on the ballot.
●    If a ballot gives equal rank to two or more candidates, the ballot shall be declared exhausted when such multiple rankings are reached.
●    If a ballot casts a ranked-choice ballot but skips a rank, the delegate's vote shall be transferred to that delegate’s next ranked choice.
●    "Threshold" shall be defined as in section IX,3,C,1 “Convention Candidate scenarios and balloting thresholds”.
i. Delegates shall rank a number of choices in order of preference not to exceed the total number of candidates

ii. Counting and candidate selection/elimination:
(a) After counting first choices, if a candidate reaches the threshold established in section IX,3,C,1,a that candidate shall be declared the winner.
(b) If no candidate reaches the threshold, the candidate who received the fewest first choices shall be eliminated and each vote cast for that candidate shall be transferred to the next ranked candidate on that delegate's ballot.
(c) If, after this transfer of votes, any candidate reaches the threshold from the continuing ballots, that candidate shall be declared the winner.
(d) If no candidate reaches the threshold from the continuing ballots after a candidate has been eliminated and his or her votes have been transferred to the next-ranked candidate, the continuing candidate with the fewest votes from the continuing ballots shall be eliminated.
(e) All votes cast for that candidate shall be transferred to the next-ranked continuing candidate on each delegate's ballot.
(f) This process of eliminating candidates and transferring their votes to the next- ranked continuing candidates shall be repeated until a candidate reaches the threshold from the continuing ballots, or two candidates remain, with neither candidate reaching the required threshold

iii. In the event two or more candidates are tied with the lowest number of votes, the following procedures shall be followed in the following order to resolve the tie:
(a) If the total number of votes of the two or more candidates credited with the lowest number of votes is less than the number of votes credited to the candidate with the next highest number of votes, those candidates with the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated simultaneously and their votes transferred to the next-ranked continuing candidate on each ballot in a single counting operation as long as the elimination of all tied candidates results in at least two remaining candidates.
(b) The candidate who received the fewest votes in the previous round shall be eliminated.
(c) The candidate who received the fewest first preference votes shall be eliminated.
(d) If the proceeding elimination methods still result in a tie, the tied candidates are eliminated simultaneously and a fresh round of balloting shall proceed with the only remaining candidates eligible for the ballot.

iv.  If two or more candidates remain tied, a coin toss shall determine which candidate is to be eliminated.

3. Multi-round Balloting

● "Threshold" as used below shall be defined as in section IX,3,C,1 “Convention Candidate scenarios and balloting thresholds”.
● If the office requires a simple majority of votes and there is a threshold tie as defined (IX,3,C,1), it will be resolved by a coin toss.

a.    Balloting Methods:
i. In the event that only one candidate is nominated for a single seat office, the nominated candidate shall be declared the winner without any balloting
ii. If there are five or more candidates and no Candidate receives the required threshold of the votes cast in accordance with the scenarios and thresholds defined at IX,3,C,1, the three Candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall be placed on a ballot and voting shall proceed again. If one or more Candidates then receive the required threshold of the votes cast, he or she shall become the party’s Candidate in accordance with the scenarios and thresholds defined at IX,3,C,1.
iii. If there are fewer than five candidates and none receives the required threshold of the votes cast in accordance with the scenarios and thresholds defined at IX,3,C,1, or if no Candidate in the second round of balloting described above receives the required threshold of the votes cast, the two Candidates who receive the highest number of votes shall be placed on a ballot and voting shall proceed again. If one or more candidates then receive the required threshold of the votes cast, he or she shall become the party’s Candidate in accordance with the scenarios and thresholds defined at IX,3,C,1.
b.    If, in the balloting described above, no Candidate receives the required threshold of the votes cast, the two final candidates shall be considered in accordance with the scenarios and thresholds at IX,3,C,1.

3. Balloting: Only certified delegates shall proceed to cast official secret ballots for all contested offices pertaining to the County or State District in which their precinct is assigned. Balloting shall open and close at the discretion of the convention for such time as will afford all duly accredited delegates an opportunity to cast their ballots. Ballots that are not readable or are marked for a candidate not officially nominated will be declared invalid and will not count as an official ballot for the purposes of vote tabulation.

4. Election Judges will be chosen by the Convention Committee.
a.    The Convention Committee shall appoint a sufficient number of impartial election judges who are not candidates or their family members or their campaign workers.
b.    There shall be a minimum number election judges equal to the number of districts multiplied by two.
c.    Of the chosen election judges a maximum of three shall be chosen from any one county district.
d.    Three election judges shall be assigned per ballot count and to those elections outside the district in which they reside.
e.    After ballot counting, ballots shall be organized and placed in envelopes to be sealed in the candidates presence by a member of the Convention Committee and turned over to the Party Secretary, who shall see that they are safely kept for a period of 180 days after the ballots are counted. 

D. Vacancy Provision: In a midterm vacancy of a Republican county office holder within Morgan County and in accordance with Utah Code 20A-1-503.2 and 3, the Party shall call a convention of the district’s county delegates to elect a replacement.
1.     Such election shall follow the same voting procedures and rules used for Nominating Conventions as outlined in Article IX, Section 3 governing the selection of Party candidates, except as modified below.
a.    If, after the round of balloting in which only two candidates remain, neither candidate receives at least sixty seven [67%] percent of the votes cast, the vote totals for each candidate shall be announced and voting proceed one last time. The candidate who then receives the most votes shall be the replacement.
b.    In the case of a tie between the two remaining candidates, the selection shall be determined by a coin toss.
2.    Eligibility. Any candidate who was registered as a Republican in the most recent general election and is currently eligible to file as a Republican candidate may file for a midterm vacancy.
3.    In a midterm vacancy of one of the following Morgan County Republican Elected Officials: Commissioner, Treasurer, Sheriff, Clerk/Auditor, Recorder, or Assessor and in accordance with Utah Code 20A-1-508; the Central Committee shall elect a replacement.
4.    In a midterm vacancy for the County Attorney and in accordance with Utah Code 20A-1-509.2.3, the Central Committee shall select three nominees.
5.    In a “Temporary absence” for a military leave of a Republican elected official and in accordance with Utah Code 20A-1-513. 5.b.ii.A., the replacement shall be elected in the same manner as a midterm vacancy for the office being vacated as noted in this bylaw.
6.    The Party Chair and Secretary, in accordance with Utah Code 20A-1-503-513, shall certify the selection.

Section 4. Interpretative Principles

A. In case of ambiguity, Article IX shall be interpreted to be consistent with the relevant provision/s of current Utah Code.

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the Party in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and any special rules of order the Party may adopt.