The Bylaws of the CCRC

The name of the organization shall be the Centre County Republican Committee (“CCRC”), constituted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Election Code (the “Election Code”) and other applicable laws, the Rules and Bylaws of the Republican State Committee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (“RPP”) and the Rules of the Republican National Committee (“RNC”).

CCRC shall:

• Serve as the governing body of the Republican Party in Centre County;
• Support the election of qualified Republicans to elected public office in the County and the Commonwealth;
• Foster loyalty to the Republican Party;
• Increase the registration of Republican voters in Centre County and encourage them to exercise their right to vote;
• Promote an informed electorate through political education;
• Seek qualified Republicans to become candidates for local, County, state and federal offices; and,
• Promote and support the nomination or the election of all endorsed Republican candidates (including retention candidates) and endorsed ballot questions in Primary and General elections.

The membership of the CCRC shall consist of two registered Republicans from each precinct or voting district within the County, as well as the CCRC Leadership and the Centre County State Committee representatives. No person shall have more than one vote.

The CCRC Chairman, Vice Chairman and State Committee representatives shall serve a four (4) year term, which shall commence on the first day after the Gubernatorial Primary and shall expire on the day of the next Gubernatorial Primary.

All other members of the CCRC shall be appointed by the Chairman and shall remain in office for as long as the member maintains eligibility, until such time as they resign, or until they are replaced by the Chairman.

When it appears that a member of the CCRC is not a qualified Republican elector, publicly opposes the Republican Party or one of its elected officials or acts contrary to the Bylaws and purposes of the CCRC, or who neglects or refuses to attend the duties of office, that member shall be subject to removal. Removal is at the discretion of the Chairman.

The officers of the Republican Party of Centre County shall be the County Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

The order of succession in the event of death or resignation of the Chairman shall be the Vice Chairman. In the event the position of Vice Chairman should become vacant for any reason, the CCRC shall choose a person to fill the unexpired term of that position. The Chairman shall fill all other vacancies, including the positions of Secretary and Treasurer.

The Chairman may establish subcommittees as deemed necessary or desirable. Members appointed to all subcommittees shall be registered Republicans.

The CCRC shall meet at the call of the Chairman at least twice during the calendar year — once at least thirty (30) days prior to the primary election and once at least thirty (30) days prior to the general election.

Written notice of such regular meetings shall be given to each member of the CCRC at his or her last known address upon rolls to be maintained by the Secretary. Such notice shall state the place, date, hour and general nature of the meeting.

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall have the right to invite guests to meetings of the CCRC who will enhance the Republican Party in Centre County. Guests shall not have a vote. The Chairman may restrict any business meeting to members only as deemed appropriate or necessary for the transaction of business.

Special Meetings of the CCRC may be called by the Chairman, or upon written request signed by twenty-five (25) members of the CCRC. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. Written notice of any Special Meeting shall be given at least seven (7) days before such meeting to each member of the CCRC at his or her last known address. Business to be transacted at all Special Meetings shall be confined to the business stated in the call.

Any number of members present at any General or Special Meeting of the CCRC shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A quorum for the purpose of holding any meeting of any standing subcommittee within the CCRC shall be a simple majority of the members of that body. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

Nominations shall be defined as those candidates receiving the most votes in the Republican primary ballot of any election cycle. Only registered Republicans, duly registered in accordance with the applicable laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, shall be recognized as CCRC Nominated Candidates. The CCRC shall only support Candidates elected on the Republican Primary ballot in the General Election during any given election cycle.

Endorsements shall be defined as those Candidates whom the CCRC chooses to support prior to the Primary of any election cycle.

At the call of the Chairman, the CCRC shall meet for the purpose of endorsing candidates. All votes shall be taken by secret ballot.

Any candidate who receives, on the first ballot (one office per ballot), fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the votes of the Committee Members present and entitled to vote on such nomination shall be declared an endorsed candidate.

In the event that no candidate, or fewer candidates than the number for whom endorsement is sought, receives fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the votes on the first ballot, then a second ballot shall be taken. Any candidate receiving at least twenty percent (20%) of the votes in the first ballot shall be entitled to be considered in the second ballot. Any candidate receiving fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the certified votes on the second ballot shall be declared to be an endorsed candidate.

If a vacancy shall occur on the Republican ballot for an office to be filled by the voters of the County, that vacancy shall be filled at a special meeting of the CCRC. At the call of the Chairman, the CCRC shall meet for purposes of filling the vacancy. The vacancy shall be filled by the vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the members present at such a meeting.

An Urgent Vacancy shall be defined as any Vacant Ballot or Elected Position for which the CCRC is required or requested to suggest or name a candidate in twenty-one (21) calendar days or less. In filling Urgent Vacancies, the Chairman shall make every attempt to contact candidates who have expressed prior interest in the position and to announce the position using whatever means are necessary and appropriate. At the call of the Chairman, the CCRC shall meet for purposes of filling the vacancy. The vacancy shall be filled by the vote of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the members present at such a meeting.

For the purposes of these Bylaws, a Local Vacant Elected or Ballot Position shall refer to any elected or appointed position within Centre County, Pennsylvania, which serves only a portion of the named county. Examples may include, but are not limited to: school boards, municipal, township, or borough elected offices, magisterial district judges, etc.

When the CCRC is required or requested to nominate, name, or recommend a candidate for a Local Vacant Elected or Ballot Position, the same procedure as outlined in the previous section of these Bylaws (Section 2 above) shall be employed, but with the following limitations:

• The Chairman shall still Chair the meeting and shall vote only to make or break a tie.
• Only the Precinct Chairmen, Precinct Vice-Chairmen, Area Chairmen, and Area Vice-Chairmen representing precincts within the area represented by the Vacant Position shall be eligible to vote.¹

In all matters of nomination, election, management, or organization not specifically covered by these Bylaws, the CCRC shall have full power and authority to regulate, oversee, and manage the affairs of the organization. Official business of the CCRC shall only be conducted by a majority vote of the Voting Members (except where greater voting majorities are required by these bylaws) at General or Special Meetings of the organization called in accordance with these Bylaws.

The CCRC may support registered Republican write-in candidates only during any Primary election of any election cycle as deemed necessary or appropriate by the Chairman. After the Primary election, CCRC Members shall support the duly Republican Primary nominated Republican candidates.

In any case, the CCRC may only support registered Republican write-in candidates, duly registered in accordance with the applicable laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The latest revision of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall be constituted as the authority governing the rules of procedure, except as otherwise limited by the laws of Pennsylvania, the Rules and Bylaws of the RPP, the Rules of the National Republican Party and the Bylaws duly adopted by this organization.

Any rule(s) may be temporarily suspended at or during any meeting by the affirmative vote of ninety percent (90%) of CCRC members present and voting at such meeting for which a quorum existed.

These Bylaws may be amended or altered from time to time by a two-thirds vote in the affirmative of the members of the CCRC present at a meeting of the same. Alterations and amendments must be in writing and may be proposed by members of the CCRC only.

The provisions of these Bylaws are hereby declared severable. If any provision of these Bylaws shall ever be deleted or amended, such deletion or amendment shall not affect the validity of any other section or provision thereof.

These Bylaws shall become effective at the conclusion of the meeting at which they are adopted by the CCRC and all former Bylaws or rules shall be superseded and repealed.

As members of the Republican Party of Centre County, we cherish and support the following beliefs, holding them to be cornerstones of effective representative government and hereby pledging to uphold, promote and defend them as best we are able in our everyday lives: