Proposed SacCountyGOP Bylaw Amendment Relating to Endorsements

Approved by unanimous vote of the SacCountyGOP Executive Committee on April 5, 2024

Distributed to all Committee Members on April 5, 2024

Article IV. Removals, Resignations, & Vacancies

Section 1. Any Member may be removed for bad conduct or incapacitation by a two-thirds vote of the Central Committee. Prior to the vote, the individual in jeopardy of removal shall receive fourteen days’ notice of the date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting at which the vote is scheduled to take place. If present at that meeting, the individual shall have the right to hear and respond to the charges prior to the vote. Individuals removed from the Central Committee through this procedure shall not be eligible for appointment to positions as Alternates or Associates during the remainder of the term.

Section 2. Any Member may be removed without prior notice by a simple majority vote of the Central Committee at any meeting for:

(a) Affiliating or registering with another party, supporting a non-Republican candidate opposing the Republican candidate who has advanced to the general election, or advocating against support for the same, provided that such actions took place within the Member’s term of office.  An endorsement by the County Party does not constitute the endorsement by an individual elected officer, Member of the Executive Committee, or Ex-Officio, Regular, or Alternate Member of the County Party. Any individual elected officer, Member of the Executive Committee, or Ex-Officio, Regular, or Alternate Member of the County Party may choose to not personally endorse a candidate endorsed by the County Party, provided they remain neutral and do not advocate against the election of the endorsed candidate, and such a choice does not constitute grounds for removal under this section; or

(b) Filing a lawsuit or voluntarily assisting with a lawsuit against the County Party, the Central Committee, or any officer or agent of the Central Committee, unless that Member first addressed the grievances to the Central Committee and participated in good faith arbitration.

(c) Failing to timely surrender all critical records maintained by that Member in his/her capacity as an officer of the Central Committee to the Chairperson or other appropriate Member of the Executive Committee, including, but not limited to: all financial records, website, social media or other digital account usernames and passwords including domain ownership, minutes of all Regular and Special meetings, correspondence (be it traditional or via email) sent or received by or on behalf of the Central Committee, etc.

(d) Except at a properly noticed endorsement meeting or Regular or Special Meeting of the Central Committee or the Executive Committee, publicly advocating against the support for Republican elected officials with districts wholly or partially within Sacramento County, provided that such actions took place within the Member’s and the Official’s term of office and the Member did so while identifying him/herself as a member of the Central Committee, making unauthorized statements on behalf of the Central Committee or utilizing any insignia or property of the Central Committee.

Section 3. Any Regular Member shall be deemed to have resigned by failing to attend four Central Committee meetings in any twelve-month period. Where attendance is disputed, absences shall be determined according to the approved minutes, if any. With prior notice to the Chair or Secretary, a Member may have one or more excused absences due to a personal or family medical emergency, or official meetings in their capacity as an elected official or staff member of an elected official.

Any Regular Member who takes residence in a Supervisorial District other than the one from which he or she was elected shall be deemed to have resigned. Alternates and those Ex-Officio Members who are required to reside in Sacramento County shall be deemed to have resigned by taking residence outside Sacramento County. Any Member of the Central Committee may also resign by submitting a letter of resignation or by publicly resigning at a Central Committee meeting. All resignations shall be accepted automatically without any vote by the Central Committee.

Section 4. When a vacancy occurs among the Regular Members (whether by death, removal, resignation, or attendance), the Chair or presiding officer shall provide notice of the vacancy during a regular Central Committee meeting and call for an election to fill the vacancy at the next regular Central Committee meeting. In such elections, and in all other elections under these Bylaws, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, then a run-off election shall be held immediately between the two candidates who received the most votes. Vacancies may be filled at the Organizing Meeting by a majority vote.