Bylaws
of the Senate District 34 Republican Committee
Passed on March 26, 2022
Reviewed and passed February 25, 2023
Proposed Edits 2025
In General
These Bylaws are intended to extend and clarify the Senate District Constitution and may not be in conflict with it. These Bylaws may be modified by the Executive Committee with the approval of two-thirds of the Full Committee. “BPOU” is defined as the Basic Political Organizing Unit and is generally interchangeable with Senate District or Senate District Committee, or Senate District 34 Republican Committee.
Index
● Affirmation
● List Access Agreement
● Role of those holding Public Office
● Permanent Candidate Search Committee
● Endorsement and Recommendation of Candidates
● Guidelines for Expenditures of Senate District Funds
● Appointments by the Executive Committee
● Leadership Positions Qualifications
● Conventions (local)
In Detail
Affirmation
All candidates for positions of Officer, Vice Chair, or membership on the Full Committee, all those seeking appointment to various positions on the Executive Committee, those seeking to be elected as delegates to higher level conventions, those representing the BPOU at higher level committees, and all candidates seeking Endorsement or Recommendation (whether or not such Endorsement or Recommendation shall be granted) shall agree with the following
Affirmation:
● I support the Platform of the Republican Party of Minnesota.
● I will work for Victory for Republican Candidates and Principles.
● I will not publicly support any opponent of a Republican Candidate.
● I expect the same of Republican Candidates, Elected Officials, and Party Leadership at all levels. Note: “support” does not mean “agree with every aspect of.” Support means that you consider the Republican party platform to be most in line with your own political beliefs and that you will work through procedures established by the Republican party to modify it as may be necessary from time to time.
List Access Agreement
The Senate District 34 Republican Committee shall maintain a spreadsheet or other data management structure containing information about caucus attendees, delegates, alternates, volunteers and other local citizens in order to advance the purpose of the Senate District. Such dataset shall be referred to as “The List.” Access to The List is granted ONLY for the purposes of advancing the goals of the SD34 Republican Party and by extension the goals of the Republican Party of Minnesota. A separate agreement may be created to enforce the intent of this section, and its contents shall be as valid as these Bylaws.
Role of those holding Public Office
A primary purpose of the Senate District 34 Republican Committee is to elect Republicans to public office. Once in public office, that duty shall be the primary political focus of the office holder. Therefore, those holding public office may not hold any elected or appointed position within the BPOU. Republicans holding public office are eligible to participate on the Full Committee, consistent with the Senate District Constitution, and in general to keep local Republicans apprised of current public policy issues.
Permanent Candidate Search Committee
The Senate District Republican Committee shall maintain a permanent committee of between 5 and 12 members, including the BPOU Chair, whose role shall be to seek out and vet candidates at all levels, including the Minnesota Legislature, city councils, school boards, city commissions, Soil & Water and any other elected or appointed positions which Republicans might fill. Members of this committee may be approved at conventions or Full Committee meetings and may serve indefinitely at the pleasure of the BPOU Chair.
Endorsement and Recommendation of Candidates
Candidates for the legislature shall be Endorsed in the manner specified in the Senate District 34 Republican Committee Constitution, after evaluation by and approval of the Permanent Candidate Search Committee.
Candidates for local office may be Recommended by the Full Committee in collaboration with the Permanent Candidate Search Committee and neighboring BPOUs.
Endorsements and Recommendations are valid from the moment they are made until the conclusion of the election contest for which they were made, whether a Primary, General or Special Election.
Endorsements and Recommendations may be rescinded per Article V, Section 1 of the Senate District 34 Constitution.
Endorsements and Recommendations for regular elections may not occur prior to the first BPOU convention of the calendar year in which the election will occur. Special elections may be addressed on an ad hoc basis.
Campaign contributions from the BPOU shall be made only to those currently Endorsed or Recommended candidates in the manner described above. Neither those who have been previously Endorsed or Recommended nor those currently seeking Endorsement or Recommendation shall be permitted to receive BPOU funds.
Additional financial assistance may be provided to support post-election challenges such as recounts, as determined by the Full Committee.
Current office holders who gained that status while Endorsed or Recommended by the Senate District 34 Republican Committee shall be granted access to our delegate list and may use it to solicit contributions, subject to the following guidelines:
● Agreement with the terms of the List Access Agreement,
● Intention to seek Endorsement or Recommendation for re-election to the same office,
● Continuing to abide by the preceding Affirmation, and
● With the ongoing consent of the Executive Committee
Guidelines for Expenditures of Senate District 34 Republican Committee Funds
In choosing how to use Senate district funds, priority shall be given to projects that advance the Republican brand or that support our candidates broadly, in addition to contributing directly to candidate's campaigns.
The Treasurer must be informed prior to the establishment of any Senate District financial activity.
The Treasurer will be responsible for keeping an up-to-date list of all usernames and passwords for all Senate District financial activities and websites, and to share said information with the Chair, Deputy Chair, and Secretary for record keeping purposes only.
The Chair will have emergency powers to direct the Treasurer to commit up to $250 when such time constraints would prevent a vote of the Executive Committee. The funds would then need to be approved at the next meeting of the Executive Committee.
Appointments by the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee may appoint as many individuals to as many positions as may be deemed necessary to achieve its purpose. These positions serve at the pleasure of the Chair and may include:
● Volunteer Coordinator
● Fundraising Director
● Data Support Coordinator
● GOTV (Get out the vote) Kingpin
● Election Integrity Manager
● Event Planner / Hospitality Lead
● Credentials Coordinator
● Social Networking Geek
● LTE (Letters To the Editor) Overseer
The Executive Committee may appoint individuals within specific precincts to assist with, or if necessary, assume the duties of precinct officers. Such an appointment shall be affirmed at the next Senate District convention.
Leadership Positions Qualifications
All members of the full committee must meet common sense residency requirements.
“Delegates” in this section shall be understood to include Alternates.
Executive Committee primary Officers (Chair, Deputy Chair, Treasurer and Secretary must also be Delegates to the Senate District Convention.
Vice Chairs should be delegates, unless no delegate can be found willing to so serve.
Appointed positions need not be filled by delegates.
Precinct level officers need not be delegates.
Conventions (local)
Prior to conventions, the following committees may be necessary:
● Rules
● Resolutions
● Credentials and Registration
● Constitution & Bylaws
● Candidate Search
● Officer Search
● Delegate Search
● Tellers (may assume the functions of the Delegate Search Committee)
Delegates and Alternates are expected to pay the full price of attending conventions, regardless of any volunteer task assumed during that same convention.
There shall be no charge for out of district volunteers at BPOU conventions, including no charge for meals.
A pool of volunteers for upstream conventions should be maintained.
The Chair and Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that the lists of delegates to the senate district, to CD3 and state, and also state central, are maintained throughout the respective terms, and that the lists are provided to CD3 leadership.