The following Bylaws of the Blair County Republican Committee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are the result of many hours of dedicated hard work by the members of the Bylaws Committee. The members of the Bylaws Committee were appointed by Blair County Republican Committee Chairman John Urban to serve from June 2002 through June 2004.
This is a living document designed to grow and to be changed as time and circumstances require. The Bylaws are to provide the rules and guidelines for the Blair County Republican Committee and to serve the Republican Party in Blair County.
The Blair County Republican Committee adopted these Bylaws of the Blair County Republican Committee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on June 17, 2004. This version of the Bylaws, adopted by vote of the Blair County Republican Committee on June 17, 2004, supersedes any and all other prior versions of the Blair County Republican Committee Bylaws.
The Blair County Republican Committee amended these Bylaws of Blair County Republican Committee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on October 23, 2008 This version of the Bylaws, adopted by vote of the Blair County Republican Committee on October 23, 2008, supersedes any and all other prior versions of the Blair County Republican Committee Bylaws.
Bruce Kelley, Chairman
David G. Behe
Donald E. Belsey
Jackie Bernard, Esq.
L. Jay Burlingame, D.Ed
William J. Haberstroh, Esq.
Wayne Hippo Jr., Esq.
Jacqueline McClellan
Jimmie G. Miller
Roy A. Raugh
Darrell L. Shildt Jr.
John P. Urban, Esq. (ex-officio)
I Name
II. Object
III. Membership
IV. Officers
V. Duties of Officers
VI. Executive Board
VII. Standing Committees
VIII. Organizational Meeting
IX. Blair County Republican Committee Meetings
X. Vacancies on the Ballot
XI. Parliamentary Authority
XII. Amendments
Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Blair County Republican Committee. It may be referred to as the BCRC in these bylaws.
Article II - Object
The object of this organization shall be to supervise, regulate and direct the Republican Party of Blair County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Article III - Membership
Section 1. The membership of this organization shall consist of two registered Republicans from each precinct or voting district within the county, as well as the Blair County State Committeemen. No person shall have more than one vote.
Section 2. Members will be elected at the spring primary in even-numbered years, shall commence their office at the Organizational Meeting, and shall serve through the next Organizational Meeting.
Section 3. Each Republican elector shall vote for not more than two candidates, and the two receiving the largest number of votes shall be declared elected.
Section 4. Whenever it appears that any member of the BCRC is charged with not being a qualified Republican elector, or publicly opposes the Republican Party, or acts contrary to the Bylaws and purposes of the BCRC, or who neglects or refuses to attend the duties of office; that member shall be subject to removal pursuant to the grievance procedure set forth in these bylaws.
Section 5. In the event of a vacancy on the BCRC for any reason, the Chairman may appoint a registered Republican from that precinct to fill the vacancy. The appointment shall be subject to approval by a BCRC membership majority vote at a BCRC meeting in which a quorum is present. Any member appointed by the Chairman and approved by the BCRC pursuant to this section shall not be eligible to vote on any matters until the next meeting following the BCRC approval of the appointment.
Section 6. In the event of the elimination of any precinct or voting district, the BCRC members of said precinct or voting district shall continue to serve until the next election of BCRC members.
Article IV - Officers
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be a Chairman, one vice chairman from each state legislative district that includes one or more precincts in Blair County, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer. All officers shall be chosen from among the members of the BCRC; however, no State Committee person shall serve as an officer of the BCRC.
Section 2. The Chairman shall appoint the Treasurer within thirty (30) days after the Chairman is elected. All other officers shall be elected at an Organizational Meeting held within thirty (30) days after certification of the Committee Persons by the Board of Elections.
Section 3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Chairman, the BCRC shall fill the vacancy at the next regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose, with a ten (10)-day notice sent to all members by electronic and or regular mail.
Section 4. In the event of a vacancy in office other than Chairman or Treasurer, the Executive Board shall temporarily fill such a vacancy with an eligible candidate at its next meeting. The BCRC will then fill the vacancy with an eligible candidate at its next meeting. Only those members from a particular legislative district can vote for a respective Vice-Chairman.
Article V - Duties of Officers
Section 1. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the BCRC and of the Executive Board. The BCRC Chairman shall appoint the chairman and members of each standing committee and to special committees as may be authorized. The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, standing or otherwise.
Section 2. The Vice-Chairmen shall assist the BCRC Chairman with such duties, as he/she shall prescribe. The Vice-Chairmen shall be elected, one each, from the Pennsylvania House of Representative’s districts represented in the county. The Committeemen of their respective districts shall elect them. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman from the district with the highest number of registered Republicans in Blair County shall preside.
Section 3. The Recording Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the minutes of all meetings of the BCRC and of the Executive Board, and shall maintain the records in perpetuity. The Recording Secretary shall keep a full and up-to-date roster, shall call the roll of officers and members when so required, and shall certify the existence of a quorum.
Section 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall send out proper advance notices of all BCRC and Executive Board meetings. He/she shall assist the Chairman in the preparation of the order of business to be considered at each meeting, and shall conduct all correspondence, unless otherwise provided or ordered.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the BCRC’s funds. The Treasurer shall deposit the same in such banking institutions as the Executive Board shall authorize, and the account shall be in the Blair County Republican Committee’s name. The Treasurer shall be a member ex-officio of the Finance Committee, shall render an annual report, and shall report at such other times as the BCRC may authorize. The books of account shall be opened to the Chairman, Executive Committee, Finance Committee or any entity authorized by the Chairman of the BCRC. The Treasurer shall be responsible for preparation and filing of all financial reports and tax returns as required by law.
Section 6. In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, the Recording Secretary shall assume the Chair, call the meeting to order and preside until a Chairman Pro-tempore has been elected. Upon the appearance of the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman, either the Recording Secretary or Chairman Pro-tempore, shall cease to preside and the Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall take over.
Article VI - Executive Board
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Board consisting of the BCRC officers; the chairmen of the standing committees; the state committeemen; a representative from and chosen by any affiliated Republican organization recognized by the Executive Board; and up to six (6) additional members, appointed by the Chairman as additional Executive Board members, provided that no more than three (3) of these persons are not elected BCRC members; but who become ex-officio members of the BCRC and its Executive Board, with full voting rights, upon fulfillment of the following qualifiers.
Section 2. Only Executive Board members who are members of the BCRC or who are ex-officio members are entitled to vote. Members of the Executive Board shall have only one vote. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 3. A majority of the voting members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall meet at least once quarterly.
Section 5. Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the BCRC Chairman or shall be called at the written request of not less than seven (7) members of the Board. No business other than that for which a special meeting is called shall be transacted.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall determine the official depository of BCRC funds.
Section 7. The Executive Board shall approve the official signatories for all checks. No fewer than two signatures shall be required on all checks.
Section 8. Any member of the Executive Board missing three meetings in a twelve (12) month period may be subject to dismissal.
Section 9. The Executive Board shall hear and rule on all grievances in accordance with the following:
Article VII - Standing Committees
Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees: Finance, Events, Candidates and Campaigns, Publicity, and Registration.
Section 2. Standing committee chairmen and members shall serve for a two-year period commencing with the Organizational Meeting. Standing committees shall be composed of not less than three members. All standing committee decisions shall be by a majority vote of the standing committee members present.
Section 3. The Finance Committee shall prepare the annual operating budget and review the financial operations of the BCRC. They shall conduct an annual audit and prepare such financial documents as the Executive Board shall require. The Finance Committee will assist in any fundraisers necessary to meet the annual operating budget.
Section 4. The Events Committee shall be responsible for planning and organizing BCRC events.
Section 5. The Candidates and Campaigns Committee shall be responsible for identifying and recruiting Republican candidates to run for all offices in Blair County. This committee shall also be responsible for any candidate training and for supporting the Republican candidates in the General Election.
Section 6. The Publicity Committee shall promote the efforts of the BCRC and the Republican Party to the membership, to elected Republican officials, and to the general public.
Section 7. The Registration Committee shall work to increase the number of registered Republican voters in Blair County.
Article VIII - Organizational Meeting
Section 1. There shall be an Organizational Meeting of the BCRC held within thirty (30) days after certification of the Committee Persons by the Board of Elections.
Section 2. The order of business at the Organizational Meeting shall be as follows:
ARTICLE IX - Blair County Republican Committee Meetings
Section 1. There shall be at least three meetings of the BCRC per year to be held in February, June and October; provided, however, that in years in which an Organizational Meeting is held, the Organizational Meeting shall serve as the June meeting. Prior to regular BCRC meetings, a ten (10)-day notice sent to all members by electronic and or regular mail.
Section 2. Special meetings may be held as deemed necessary by the Chairman, by a majority vote of the Executive Board, or by a written request and call to the Recording Secretary by one-fifth (1/5) of the members of the BCRC stating the business of such meeting. No business other than that specified shall be transacted or considered at such meetings. Notice of these meetings will be sent in a timely manner.
Section 3. One-fourth (1/4) of the total membership shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 5. The order of business at regular meetings shall be as follows:
Article X - Vacancies on the Ballot
Section 1. In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Republican ballot in any general or special election, in any electoral district composed of more than one county, but less than state-wide, the vacancy shall be filled by the BCRC, in partnership with the other Committees in the affected counties. Pursuant to the Bylaws of the Republican Party of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, each county will select conferees to attend a conference at which the candidate to fill the ballot vacancy will be selected. The members of the BCRC shall choose by majority vote their desired candidate to fill the ballot vacancy, and then the chosen candidate may choose the conferees. Voting shall be by written ballot. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 2. In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Republican ballot in any general or special election, for any county-wide office, the vacancy shall be filled by the BCRC, which will have full authority to make and certify said nomination as prescribed by law. Voting shall be by written ballot. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Section 3. In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Republican ballot in any general or special election, for any office to be voted on only by Blair County electors representing less than the full county, the vacancy shall be filled by those members of the BCRC serving in the voting district or districts in which such ballot vacancy exists. Those BCRC members entitled to vote to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section shall be given full authority to make and certify said nomination as prescribed by law. A meeting of the BCRC members entitled to vote to fill a vacancy pursuant to this section shall be called in accordance with the notice requirements for a BCRC meeting. Attendance at the meeting by one-fourth (1/4) of the BCRC members entitled to vote to fill the vacancy shall constitute a quorum. Voting shall be by written ballot. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
Article XI - Parliamentary Authority
The Rules of the Republican Party of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be the parliamentary authority in all cases not covered by these Bylaws.
Article XII - Amendments
Any member of the Blair County Republican Committee may propose an amendment to these Bylaws provided they are submitted in writing to the Corresponding Secretary or Chairman. The amendment shall be considered at the next regular BCRC meeting and require a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the members present for approval. The Corresponding Secretary shall provide the membership with copies of the proposed change(s) at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting.