SREC – Senate District 12

Tom Washington and Jean McIver from SD12 traveled together to the Second Quarterly Meeting of 2013. We attended all of the meetings to which we were assigned, including the Officials Committee, Rules Committee, Policies & Procedures Ad Hoc Committee (for Tom) and the General Session.

The principal issues that the members of the Republican Party of Texas State Republican Executive Committee worked on dealt with:

• Proposed RPT Rules changes and SREC Bylaws changes permitted by Texas Election Law changes promulgated by the Texas Legislature in multiple passed bills but primarily HB 3102 and HB 630
• Discussion of pending changes in 2016 RNC National Convention dates and the effect on the Republican Party of Texas
• Discussion of RNC offers to fund portions of the 2014 RPT Texas Victory campaign and community inclusion programs
• Approval of the 2014 RPT State Convention budget and approval to sign vendor contracts
• Approval of the 2012 RPT Audit Report
• Debate of a proposed SREC Standing Rule from the SREC Rules Committee

As usual for the 2012-2013 SREC Term, this was a full menu of items to discuss, debate and decide.

We will go through and describe how the SREC worked on each of the six issues, in order, although realize that there may be a mixture of committee meetings and general session in these accounts.

Proposed RPT Rules Changes and SREC Bylaws Changes Due to
Changes in Election Law

None of the promulgated bills sent to the Governor for signature were signed before the date of the SREC meeting, and our Parliamentarian Butch Davis ruled that these rules changes could not be considered at this meeting.  The proposed rules changes will be part of our September meetings, if these bills are signed by the Governor.

In the Rules Committee, SD21 Eric Opiela reviewed some proposals that he has drawn up to match the Election Law changes from the 83rd Legislative Session.  Eric worked closely with legislators in the passage of these bills.  The bills were designed to return to both the Republican Party of Texas and the Texas Democrat Party decisions that had formerly been decided by the Texas Legislature in Election Law.

Should these bills pass, there will be a new category of rules within the RPT Rules called Permanent State Executive Committee Rules, which can only be decided by vote in favor by two-thirds of the State Executive Committee members present and voting and are not available for change or revision by the delegates of a State Convention.  These rules will supersede any rule passed by the State Convention on the subjects covered by these rules, similar to the way that the Texas Election Code is superior.

Other proposed changes in response to these bills include the ability by the State Executive Committee to: establish the date, time and place for State Conventions: establish a quorum for County Executive Committees when they appoint precinct chairs; establish the date, time and place of precinct conventions and county and district conventions; establish permanent chairs for precinct conventions, county conventions and district conventions; allow electronic records for convention reporting;  establish delegate rules and delegate allocation rules for conventions; and to establish delegate seating and voting rules at conventions.   The SREC may decide to delegate some of these decisions to action of the County Executive Committees where it is felt appropriate to have differences in rules among the counties.

This is a significant change in the power of the Republican Party of Texas to control its own conventions.

Pending Changes in 2016 RNC National Convention Dates & National Primary Dates

RNC Chair Reince Priebus has notified the RPT that there is a 75% chance that the RNC will move up the date of the 2016 RNC National Convention to as early as the third week of June 2016.  The RNC is interested in shortening the long primary process for its Presidential nominees.  Existing Texas Election Law fixes the dates of the RPT State Convention to a date occurring in either June or July in even-numbered years.  Since the deadline for submitting National Delegates to the RNC is typically 45 days, this sets up an impossible situation for the Republican Party of Texas.

Should redistricting still be an issue in 2016, this could also affect this process, but let’s assume that the Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in accordance with current Texas law.  Our county and district conventions would occur Saturday, March 19, 2016, under current Texas law.  This leaves only two months in which to hold a State Convention to elect our Texas National Delegation.

In the previous section, note that the Texas Legislature passed a bill, HB 3102, which would allow the Republican Party of Texas to set a date, time and place for the 2016 RPT State Convention free of the current confines of Texas Election Law.  Should Governor Perry veto and not sign that bill, the RPT would be in a big quandary.  If the bill is signed, it is likely that the date of the 2016 State Convention would be moved up to early May by the State Republican Executive Committee.

We do not know if the RNC is considering changes in the order or dates that states would be permitted to hold their Primary elections.  One concept under discussion would be a regional Primary Election approach, which could group states into required primary election dates.  This approach would require state law changes in Texas and in other states.  Stay tuned.

RNC offers to Fund Portions of the 2014 RPT Texas Victory Campaign
and RPT Community Inclusion Programs

With the recently announced Democrat plan called Battleground Texas to try to be competitive in Texas for the 2014 election cycle, the RNC realized that Texas could require RNC funding to ramp up to meet this challenge.  Texas with 38 electoral votes, soon to be 40 electoral votes, is the linchpin and cornerstone to the Republican Party’s hopes of returning to the Presidency.  If these electoral votes switched to the Democrat column, it is a loss that cannot be made up easily with other states.

The Republican Party of Texas has continued to increase its fundraising under State Chair Steve Munisteri.  The RPT raised over 6 million dollars in the 2012 election cycle.  The RPT plans to greatly increase its field operations for the 2014 election cycle, and the RNC will fund portions of this plan.  Current RPT staff members will soon be named as RNC State Director of Victory and of Outreach or Community Immersion.  Five to six RPT field offices will be opened permanently in the major population centers of the state.  These offices will be staffed with permanent field staff and will contain resources for our Republican volunteers.

The Republican National Committee has pledged to deliver a comprehensive digital platform equal or better to the platform used successfully by the Democrat Party in the past election cycle.  This digital platform will be delivered fully functional to the states in six months, according to RNC promises.  RNC Chair Reince Priebus recently met with members of the Republican Party of Texas in Houston to make this promise personally and to discuss the details of the RNC commitment to Texas.

2014 RPT State Convention and Presidential Straw Poll in Fort Worth

Planning continues for the 2014 RPT State Convention opening at the Fort Worth Convention Center on Thursday, June 5, 2014.  As previously reported, the RPT is holding a three-day convention in 2014.  Normally in an off-year, non-Presidential cycle, we would meet for two days.  However, the SREC decided to increase the convention by one day to allow more time for debate.  Make your plans to attend and save your pennies and nickels!

We have another exciting announcement for the 2014 convention!  The RPT will hold a non-binding Presidential Straw Poll at the 2014 State Convention.  The details are being worked out, but suffice to say that all of the delegates will have a vote, and guests will be able to vote as well.  We expect some early non-declared Presidential candidates to attend our 2014 RPT State Convention.

The budget for the 2014 State Convention was approved by the Officials Committee and recommended to the SREC.  The SREC then approved that the Officials Committee shall execute the budget and approve vendor contracts and authorized the non-binding Presidential Straw Poll.

2012 Republican Party of Texas Audit Report

The CPA firm of Atchley and Associates conducted an audit of the 2012 books and records of the Republican Party of Texas.  Financial statements for 2012 and accompanying footnotes were presented in the audit report, along with an unqualified opinion that the financial statements fairly presented the financial condition of the Republican Party of Texas in all material respects.  The audit report was presented to the SREC, and the SREC approved the audit report unanimously.

Your party is in sound financial condition. An SREC Bylaw Change was proposed and passed which will allow the SREC to post all or a portion of this Audit Report on the website for viewing if they so choose.

Standing Rule Proposal by the SREC Rules Committee

SREC Rules Committee member Bill Eastland SD9 proposed a standing rule to the Rules Committee that would allow visitors to record all SREC meetings by audio or video with no restrictions.  There was virtually no support for this proposal among the members of the Rules Committee.  Ben Zeller SD18 proposed a standing rule that would prohibit any and all recording by visitors attending the SREC meetings.  This proposal also had virtually no support on the Rules Committee.

Tom Washington SD12 proposed a compromise standing rule, as follows with amendments, which passed the SREC Rules Committee unanimously.

“Staff shall record all SREC meetings, except Executive Session, by audio and video and shall live stream such video recordings and archive them on the RPT website for viewing.  Guests attending meetings of the SREC or its committees shall not be permitted to record or live stream audio or video of any proceedings.”

This is the proposal laid before the SREC by the Rules Committee for consideration and debate.

The lively debate included numerous amendments and consumed almost two hours of the meeting.  It is fair to say that the proposal was amended almost every possible way, but the Rules Committee compromise was holding until the following amendment by Johnny Lovejoy SD26.

Striking the phrase, “and shall live stream such video recordings and archive them on the RPT website for viewing”.  This amendment passed on a standing vote by the vote of 29 to 28.  Both of your SD12 representatives voted against the amendment.

The remaining standing rule passed overwhelmingly by standing vote with only a few votes in opposition.  The new standing rule is as follows.

“Staff shall record all SREC meetings, except Executive Session, by audio and video.  Guests attending meetings of the SREC or its committees shall not be permitted to record or live stream audio or video of any proceedings.”

By applying the Lovejoy Amendment, audio and video recordings of the SREC meetings are available from the RPT staff by request.

Texas Asian Republican Assembly

The Texas Asian Republican Assembly is the newest official RPT auxiliary and was approved by the SREC this past Saturday. This is the first-ever Asian auxiliary of RPT and an exciting addition.

Appointing County Chairs

The State Executive Committee reviewed the qualifications of the candidates and appointed four new GOP County Chairs for Hall, Irion, Reeves and Zavala counties.  There are GOP County Chairs serving in 253 of Texas’s 254 counties. (Zapata is the one remaining county needing a GOP County Chair.)

A Presentation to State Chair Steve Munisteri

We also had an opportunity for a little fun with State Chair Steve Munisteri, who is a “double Longhorn” graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas Law School.  Steve is a huge fan of the Texas Longhorns.There are also a few Texas Aggies serving the Republican Party of Texas and Steve, being a good sport, made a bet at a Harris County Republican Party fundraiser on an autographed picture of Texas Aggie football Coach Kevin Sumlin. Steve accepted a bet that the picture would not raise a certain very large sum of money, with Steve agreeing to hang the picture  in his office for one year.The good Texas Aggies in attendance at the fundraiser made sure that the bet was won and Steve accepted his autographed picture of Texas Aggie football Coach Kevin Sumlin at this meeting of the SREC.  With the Aggie War Hymn blaring in the room, Steve was presented with his prize.  A few Aggies also “sawed off the Horns” in the meeting room.  A good time was had by all (and we hope Steve as well).

RPT Hosts RNC Grass Roots Town Hall

Chairman Priebus met with over 250 grassroots leaders in Houston for a grass roots town hall recently.   The RNC has pledged funds to hire 12 Hispanic Outreach Field Staff and 6 Victory Field Staff in Texas over the next year.  That allows RPT to hire a full-time Asian American Outreach Director and a full-time African American Outreach Director. Click  RPT Hosts Grass Roots Town Hall

We value the great honor of serving on the State Republican Executive Committee representing Senate District 12.

Tom Washington and Jean McIver

Tom Washington

Elected officials from the Republican Party of Texas hold all of the statewide elected offices in Texas and hold comfortable majorities in the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate.  Yet in our seven most populous counties, we are running neck and neck with the Democrats.  This has implications for our majorities because population is increasing in  the urban areas of the state and decreasing in the rural areas, especially in East Texas and West Texas, which are Republican Party strongholds.

2012 Texas General Election Results for President/Vice President Race *  

*(TX Secy. of State)

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The RPT State Convention in Fort Worth was a great success!  Many hours of planning and organizing over the past two years by our SREC Convention Committee resulted in one of the best conventions ever.

Thank you, Chairman Steve Munisteri, for making our Party what it is today!

At the same time the RPT staff was preparing for the May 29th Primary, they also had to work on the State Convention along with the Convention Committee, chaired by Hal Talton and co-chaired by Becky Berger. Despite only having half the time to put the Convention together, a full range of events and activities was scheduled.

Here’s the Pre-Convention Report from Chairman Munisteri which previewed all the exciting events of the Convention. (You’ll see what a busy schedule it was!)

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It’s only three weeks until the Texas GOP Convention! The SREC Convention Committee is working very hard with RPT staff and volunteers to pull together all of the final details for the Convention.

Last week, the RPT mailed a Pre-Registration form and flyer to all delegates and alternates who had not yet pre-registered online for the State Convention. We encourage all attendees to PRE-REGISTER for the Convention to help avoid long lines and delays on-site.

All pre-registered attendees will be able to pick up their credentials in a quick and easy registration setup separate from the on-site registration. Register today!

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Primary Election Day (Tuesday, May 29)

Early Voting – Monday, May 14, through May 25.

DENTON County Voters:

Early Voting Dates, Times, Locations

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Redistricting Update XI: It Is All Up To The Courts

The fate of the redistricting maps now rests solely with the three-judge panel in San Antonio. As of the time of this update, a global agreement between all parties has not been reached relative to the Texas House and Texas Congressional districts. Therefore, the final decisions as to where the lines will be are in the hands of the three-judge panel. The panel set deadlines for parties to submit final briefs on various issues and that deadline has now passed. This now means that all the arguments are over and all we are waiting for now is for the Court to rule.

If the Court issues maps on or before March 3rd, then the May 29th primary date can be accomplished – assuming a re-opened filing period can be accomplished within a few days. If the Court issues new maps after March 3rd, then the next and final available primary date would be June 26th. To accomplish a June 26th primary, maps would still need to be issued by March 30th to meet the June 26th date.

There is a possibility that the San Antonio three-judge panel (which handles Section 2 challenges of the Voting Rights Act) will wait to see what the Washington D.C. three-judge panel (who handles Section 5 challenges of the Voting Rights Act) rules, and that subsequently, the San Antonio panel incorporates the D.C. panel’s findings into new maps. The D.C. panel indicated that it would not rule prior to March. Consequently, if the San Antonio panel is waiting on the D.C. panel, a May 29th primary could only be accomplished if the D.C. panel rules at the very start of March and the rulings can be incorporated into alterations of the maps within a few days. Otherwise, only the June 26th primary date is an option.

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PROPOSED TEMPORARY AND EMERGENCY CHANGES TO RPT RULES

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

        The various orders of the federal three-judge panel in Perez v. Perry have postponed the 2012 general primary election to a date which makes it impossible for the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) to conduct the convention procedure set forth in the Texas Election Code and the Rules of the Republican Party of Texas (RPT Rules). RPT Rule 1 allows the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) to make temporary and emergency changes to the RPT Rules in the event judicial action makes the “conduct, operation, or implementation of [the] Rules … frustrated or impracticable, or contrary to their intent and purpose.” RULES OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS, Rule 1(c). These changes, if approved by the SREC, will be valid until such time they are ratified by the State Convention, or until the adjournment of the State Convention, whichever comes first. Id. However, pursuant to Section 163.006, Texas Election Code, any further amendments made to these Rules made by the State Convention which govern or affect the Republican Party of Texas’ general or runoff primary elections, conventions or nominees, would not be effective until January 1, 2013.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends RPT Rule 13 to eliminate the quorum requirement to convene a County or Senatorial District Convention. Allows the maintenance of a quorum so long as the persons in attendance comprise more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting strength of the Convention and a majority of the seated precincts are present.

SECTION 2. Strikes RPT Rule 19 and inserts a new RPT Rule 19A allowing for a Local Option Precinct Convention. A county executive committee (CEC), by two-thirds (2/3) vote may elect to hold precinct conventions in their county under the RPT Rules in effect on October 2, 2011, provided that that vote occur not later than fourteen (14) days prior to the date scheduled for county and senatorial district conventions, and further provided that the CEC publicize the local option precinct convention among all Republican voters in the county by, at a minimum, posting the date, time, and location(s) of such convention(s) on the county party’s website and email list, and providing a copy to the State Chairman for posting on the RPT website no later than seven (7) days prior to the date proposed for the local option precinct convention. If the county party has neither a website nor an email list, the CEC must publish an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county by the same deadline. Failure to comply with the notice provision precludes the county from holding a local option precinct convention. In the event a local option precinct convention is held in the county, the RPT Rules in effect on October 2, 2011 that govern precinct conventions and the selection of delegates to county and senatorial district conventions shall be used in that county instead of those Rules as amended in this amendment.

SECTION 3. Strikes RPT Rules governing the conduct of precinct conventions.

SECTION 4. Amends RPT Rule 23 to remove language relating to precinct conventions.

SECTION 5. Amends RPT Rule 23A to clarify that the 2010 General Election precincts will be used in conducting County or Senatorial District Conventions. In the event a senate district splits a 2010 precinct, the State Chairman shall provide maps and delegate allocation totals to County Chairmen for use in the convention process. Provides that if no valid districts exist for senate districts one week prior to the date for senatorial district conventions (as determined by closure of the reopened filing period) all counties shall only have county conventions and delegates/alternates from those counties to the State Convention shall be chosen in a manner that ensures geographic distribution of those delegates/alternates is roughly proportional to the geographic distribution of the votes cast for the Republican nominee in the last gubernatorial election. In this event assignment to senate and congressional districts will be made at the State Convention. Sets out a voting strength of 1 vote for every 25 votes cast for the Republican nominee in the last gubernatorial election for each precinct at the County or Senatorial District Convention regardless of the number of persons present from that precinct. Eliminates the cap on State Convention delegates and alternates, and option for CECs and Senatorial District Executive Committees (SDEC) to modify delegate allotments. Provides that delegates and alternates will be assigned to congressional districts at the State Convention

SECTION 6. Amends RPT Rule 24 to remove language relating to precinct conventions.

SECTION 7. Amends RPT Rule 25 to establish that participants in a convention must be a registered voter who has affiliated with the Republican Party. Affiliation may be accomplished by voting in the Republican General Primary or by oath. Specifies oath prescribed by Texas Election Code, and provides that the oath may be executed orally or in writing, provided however that a written record, including a person’s signature, full name, permanent address, and voter unique identification number (VUID) must be maintained of all persons executing the oath and included in the minutes of a convention. The written record shall be certified by the Permanent Chairman and Permanent Secretary of the convention and three copies prepared and delivered to the County Chairman, State Chairman and chief elections officer of the county. Additionally an electronic list of all VUIDs of participants must be sent to the State Chairman. Provides that the oath must be accompanied by a notice of criminal penalty for participating in another party’s convention or primary in the same voting year. Disqualifies a person who participates in another party’s primary or convention from serving as a delegate, alternate, party officer, or nominee of the Republican Party at any level for the remainder of the voting year. Removes language relating to precinct conventions. Requires each CEC to publicize the County or Senatorial District Convention among all Republican voters in the county by, at a minimum, posting the date, time, and location(s) of such convention(s) on the county party’s website and email list, and providing a copy to the State Chairman for posting on the RPT website no later than seven (7) days prior to the date set for the convention. If the county party has neither a website nor an email list, the CEC must publish an advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county by the same deadline.

SECTION 8. Amends RPT Rule 26 to remove language relating to precinct conventions.

SECTION 9. Amends RPT Rule 27 to remove language relating to credential challenges of precinct delegates. Provides that credential challenges of county/senatorial district delegates must be made within seven (7) days of the county or senatorial district convention.

SECTION 10. Amends RPT Rule 28 to provide for county conventions in all counties in the event senatorial districts are not set, as evidenced by the close of filing for the general primary, one week prior to the date set for county or senatorial district conventions.

SECTION 11. Amends RPT Rule 29 to remove language relating to precinct conventions and delegates.

SECTION 12. Amends RPT Rule 30 to require administration of the Oath of Affiliation as the first item of business at the County or Senatorial District Convention. Requires a roll call of precincts represented. Requires the announcement of the separate and combined voting strength of each precinct. Removes the Report of the Credentials Committee as an agenda item.

SECTION 13. Amends RPT Rule 32 to require that state delegate and alternate lists include a VUID for each delegate and alternate and be submitted in electronic form to RPT.

SECTION 14. Amends RPT Rule 33 to allow electronic mailing of convention call to delegates and alternates. Requires SREC members to recommend temporary committee members and caucus chairs within 10 days of the County and Senatorial District Conventions.

SECTION 15. Amends RPT Rule 38 to provide that withdrawn or deceased presidential candidates votes be deemed votes for uncommitted delegates and alternates; deletes language relating to replacement of delegates of withdrawn or deceased presidential candidates. Deletes language relating to assignment of uncommitted and committed delegates and alternates at State Convention. Requires the State Chairman, upon the SREC’s canvass of the presidential primary, to assign delegates in proportion to the statewide presidential vote. Clarifies that RNC members are uncommitted delegates. Provides for announcement of vote at national convention on a directly proportional basis related to the statewide presidential vote, with no poll taken of members for announcement of the vote. Allows for replacement of vacant delegate and alternate positions by the Chairman of the National Nominations Committee of the State Convention. Requires that delegates and alternates affiliate with the Republican Party by oath or voting in the Republican Primary

I continue to listen to lots of discussions on these changes -and am willing to answer questions.

Thanks, again, for your patience as we work through this process.

Many of you have called or phoned — mostly because of rumors floating around
about the necessary rules change to our Convention Process.

An SREC colleague has spoken out of turn and published some misinformation
– costing most of the SREC extra hours in answering questions and
quelling anxiety from our constituents.

Please be cautious in reacting to what you read or hear
– and doubly so in forwarding information.
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Latest communication to the SREC and County Chairs from Beth Cubriel,
RPT Organizational Director:

Last Wednesday, Chairman Munisteri was notified by the three judge panel in San Antonio that we will have to find a new way of electing delegates and hosting our convention process during this election cycle, as we still do not have a date for our primary election to serve as an anchor for our delegate selection process.

The following day (Thursday), Steve had a conference call with the Officials Committee of the SREC to discuss options that might be available to our party, given the challenges presented.  Chairman Munisteri believes that they arrived at a workable, although not ideal, resolution to the problem and on Friday presented the proposed solution by conference call to the SREC.  He would now like the opportunity to share that plan directly with our county chairs, who will be most directly involved in the process of hosting county and senatorial district conventions.

Eric Opiela, Assistant General Counsel, is working on the party rules changes, with input from Rules Committee Chairman Dan Pickens, Rules Committee member Clint Moore and National Committee member and RNC General Counsel Bill Crocker, that will need to be adopted at an emergency meeting of the SREC, scheduled for next Wednesday, February 29th.

In the meantime, the proposal does call for County/ SD conventions on either April 14^th or 21^st, as determined by your CEC, so please don’t cancel your facilities.

NOTE;  Your State Republican Executive Committee and your County Chair have a copy of the proposed rules and are reviewing them. There is much to study and ponder, and perhaps amend. Nothing is determined until we have reviewed — and then the SREC will vote next Wednesday (February 29) in Austin.

Thank you for your courtesy and patience as we work through this mess.
I will be happy to try to answer any questions. I am, after all,
your representative on the State Republican Executive Committee.

Jean McIver

If you’ve somehow just tuned in and are wondering what’s happening,
you can catch up with the updates on this blog or on the
Redistricting Updates on the Republican Party of Texas’ website.