USVI Public Records

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Rules, Principles and Policies of the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands PREAMBLE The Rules, Principles and Policies Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands (hereinafter “Rules”) shall constitute the sole and exclusive governing rules of the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands, a private association which is dedicated to serving the purposes of nominating and electing persons affiliated with the Republican Party to public offices at the federal, state and territory levels. RULE 1. NAME AND ORGANIZATION Section 1. The official name of the Republican National Committee-recognized state party for the territory of the United States Virgin Islands shall be the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands (hereinafter “VIGOP”). Section 2. With respect to matters of VIGOP governance and, to the extent provided for herein, these Rules shall govern and take precedence over United States Virgin Islands election law or other provision of law to the contrary. The VIGOP, its officeholders and their designees, the State Committee, and any other entity of the VIGOP shall not follow any provision of law that purports to authorize either the Legislature of the Virgin Islands or the territorial boards of election to adopt laws governing the organization and election of political parties as applied to the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands. Section 3. The VIGOP’s rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution include the right to freely speak and associate, which includes the right to determine for itself the ways and means of nominating candidates as Republican nominees for federal and territorial offices, nominating and electing candidates for VIGOP offices, and electing delegates and alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention. Section 4. The VIGOP further reserves the exercise of its federal constitutional rights to represent, speak, and otherwise advocate for its members and officers on all matters of public policy. Section 5. The VIGOP, retains the common law right to control and authorize the use of “Republican,” “GOP,” or any derivative of the VIGOP name in connection with official political activity within the United States Virgin Islands. Any use of the name or any derivative of the name that in any way implies, states or misrepresents an affiliation or relationship with or endorsement by the VIGOP is strictly prohibited and shall not be recognized. Any prior use of the name or any derivative of the name within the territory of the United States Virgin Islands shall not be recognized as a waiver of the VIGOP’s right to claim exclusive use of its name within the territory of the United States Virgin Islands. Section 6. The VIGOP further retains the common law right to control and authorize the use of the Republican symbol—the commonly used elephant—as well as any other symbol or logo associated with the Republican Party in connection with official political activity within the United States Virgin Islands. Any use of the Republican symbol or any other symbol or logo associated with the Republican Party that in any way implies, states or misrepresents an affiliation or relationship with or endorsement by the VIGOP is strictly prohibited and shall not be recognized. Any prior use of the name or any derivative of the Republican symbol or any other symbol or logo associated with the Republican Party within the territory of the United States Virgin Islands shall not be recognized as a waiver of the VIGOP’s right to claim exclusive use within the territory of the United States Virgin Islands. RULE 2. VIGOP MEMBERSHIP Section 1. Membership in the VIGOP shall be open to those persons in good standing with the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands and are registered Republicans. Section 2. All VIGOP officeholders and members must be actively registered Republican voters, be on the electoral rolls of the United States Virgin Islands, and be bona fide residents of the United States Virgin Islands. No person convicted of a felony or other high crime and misdemeanor shall be eligible to hold VIGOP office or serve as a member of the State Committee. Section 3. All VIGOP candidates for nomination to federal or territorial office must be actively registered Republican voters, be on the electoral rolls of the United States Virgin Islands, and be bona fide residents of the United States Virgin Islands. Additionally, all VIGOP candidates for federal or territorial office must adhere to the eligibility requirements of the office they seek as established by Constitution or territorial law. Section 4. No tax or fee shall be levied upon any person to vote.​ ​Membership dues may be established by the Finance Committee. Section 5. The State Committee may by resolution establish other requirements for VIGOP membership, provided such requirements do not contravene these Rules. RULE 3. STATE COMMITTEE Section 1. The governing body of the VIGOP shall consist of the ​State Committee. Section 2. ​The membership of the State Committee shall consist of the state chairman, national committeewoman, national committeeman, VIGOP leadership (as defined herein), ten members from the electoral district of St. Thomas–St. John and ten members from the electoral district of St. Croix. The Republican governor, Republican lieutenant governor, Republican member or most recent nominee for Congress, and Republican members of the territorial Legislature shall be additional voting members of the State Committee during their terms of office. Section 3. The state chairman and members of the State Committee serve a term of four years beginning after the certification of their election and continuing until a successor is elected and qualified. The state chairman, national committeewoman, national committeeman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer and members of the State Committee may be removed from office at a special meeting called with at least seven days written notice for just cause, including for acts of malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance, by a two-thirds vote of the duly-serving members of the State Committee. Section 4. The national committeewoman and national committeeman are henceforth elected through the method of selection required under Rule 4 of these Rules and shall serve from the adjournment of the quadrennial Republican National Convention until the adjournment of the following quadrennial Republican National Convention in compliance with ​The Rules of the Republican Party, as adopted by the 2012 Republican National Convention and subsequently amended by the Republican National Committee, or any successive and lawfully promulgated national party rules (“​The Rules of the Republican Party”). The national committeewoman and national committeeman may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the duly-serving members of the State Committee if they refuse to support the Republican nominee for president of the United States of America. Section 5. An organizational meeting of the State Committee shall be convened by the state chairman following the election of VIGOP officeholders at a time, hour, and place as designated by the state chairman in the call to meeting. Section 6. The voting members of the State Committee shall elect the vice chairman, treasurer, and secretary at the organizational meeting. Section 7. Vacancies may arise due to the death, resignation, disqualification, or disability of any officer and ​shall be filled with immediate effect by appointment of the state chairman and ratification of the State Committee. Section 8. In the event a vacancy arises in the office of state chairman, the secretary shall convene, as soon as practicable, a special meeting of the State Committee for the purposes of an election to elect a successor to serve the remainder of the term of office. During the interim, the vice chairman shall assume the state chairman’s duties. Section 9. Any member of the State Committee whose absence is unexcused from three consecutive organizational or regular meetings, shall disqualify themselves from holding office. The ensuing vacancy shall be filled by the state chairman in the manner prescribed by Section 8. Section 10. The incumbent state chairman elected in the 2016 Republican Territorial Caucus shall continue holding office until the election and qualification of a successor in 2020. Section 11. The incumbent members of the Territorial Committee elected in the 2016 Republican Territorial Caucus shall continue holding office until the qualification of persons elected to the State Committee prescribed by Section 2 in 2020. Any vacancy arising due to the death, resignation, disqualification, or disability shall not be filled. Section 12. The State Committee shall be the sole judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members. RULE 4. SELF-DETERMINATION Section 1. The method of selection used for all elections occurring on or after January 1, 2017, shall be considered by a select committee, whose members shall be appointed by the state chairman, for adoption by the State Committee on or before February 1, 2018 RULE 5. MEETINGS Section 1. The secretary, at the direction of the state chairman, shall issue a call to convene regular meetings of State Committee, which shall consist of no less than three regular meetings per calendar year. A call to meeting shall be issued at least three days before any regular meeting. Section 2. A special meeting may be called by the state chairman at the discretion of the state chairman or when demanded by a written petition containing the signatures of a majority of the total membership of the State Committee. Section 3. The agenda for all regular meetings shall be prepared by the state chairman and transmitted to each voting member of the State Committee with the call to meeting. The state chairman shall include in the agenda any matter for which four voting members of the State Committee from each district have requested by written petition. Section 4. The agenda for all special meetings shall be prepared by the state chairman and transmitted to each voting member as soon as practicable. RULE 6. QUORUM Section 1. At any regular meeting or special meeting of the State Committee there must be at least ​three ​voting members from each district physically present or at the site remotely linked through telecommunications technology. RULE 7. PROXIES Section 1. A voting member of the State Committee, not able to participate at a meeting, may assign to another State Committee member their vote by proxy. Proxies must be written and submitted to the secretary prior to the beginning of any votes, using a form prescribed by the state chairman. ​A voting member of the State Committee may only vote by proxy on behalf of three voting members whose absence is excused and recorded by the secretary. Section 2. The holder of a proxy shall vote as directed by the member assigning their proxy. RULE 8. VOTING PROCEDURE Section 1. All business in all regular and special meetings of the State Committee, unless otherwise provided for in these Rules, shall be conducted by a majority vote of the voting members present or otherwise represented by a properly submitted proxy form. For purposes of these Rules, a majority is defined as one more vote than one-half of all votes cast. RULE 9. DUTIES Section 1. The state chairman shall: (a) Preside at all meetings of the State Committee and preside at all meetings of State Committee committees and subcommittees, unless the chairman of a committee or subcommittee is otherwise designated. (b) Appoint all committees and subcommittees of the State Committee and any other entity established by the VIGOP, unless otherwise designated. (c) Be a member of all State Committee committees and subcommittees with voting power. (d) Have general supervision over the affairs of the State Committee and the VIGOP. (e) Execute documents, contracts, accords, and other agreements under the name and legal personality of the State Committee and VIGOP. (f) Perform the duties usual to the office of state chairman; including performing officeholder duties in the case where another officeholder is unavailable or unwilling to perform his/her duties. (g) Employ, appoint, and designate such officeholders, deputies, and assistants, including, but not limited to, an executive director and general counsel, as deemed necessary for the conduct of business. (h) Propose an annual budget for adoption by the State Committee. The budget should be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Section 2. The vice chairman shall: (a) Assist with the carrying out of VIGOP affairs as directed by the state chairman. (b) Perform the duties of the chairmanship in the state chairman’s absence. (c) Assume the duties of acting state chairman in the event of a vacancy in the office of state chairman until such time as the State Committee convenes in special meeting to elect a successor, pursuant to Rule 3. Section 3. The secretary shall: (a) Keep a true and accurate record of all proceedings of the State Committee and its committees and subcommittees. (b) Issue all notices and calls to meeting, at the direction of the state chairman. (c) Make all certifications necessary for the conduct of business. (d) Maintain the permanent records of the State Committee, which shall be surrendered to the secretary’s successor upon completion of the term of office. (e) Perform all duties usual to the office of secretary. Section 4. The Treasurer shall: (a) Collect and disburse funds subject to the direction of the state chairman or by resolution of the State Committee. (b) Prepare financial statements in keeping with generally accepted financial practices and as requested by the state chairman or State Committee. (c) Comply with requirements of federal and territorial campaign finance laws. RULE 10. PARTY FINANCES Section 1. The state chairman may appoint a Finance Committee, which shall consist of the state chairman, the treasurer of the State Committee, and other members appointed by the state chairman. The state chairman may designate a finance chairman to fulfill the state chairman’s duties. Section 2. The Finance Committee shall coordinate fundraising for the VIGOP. RULE 11. TERRITORIAL CONVENTION OR CAUCUS Section 1. The state chairman may call a territorial convention or caucus, if approved by a majority vote of the State Committee voting members. Section 2. The state chairman shall call a territorial convention or caucus, if required by a two-thirds vote of the members of the State Committee voting and present. Section 3. For purposes Rule 4, the Rules and business of a territorial convention or caucus shall be determined by the State Committee. RULE 12. DELEGATE SELECTION TO NATIONAL CONVENTION Section 1. The method of selecting delegates to the 2020 Republican National Convention shall be determined pursuant to Rule 4 and in compliance with ​The Rules of the Republican Party. RULE 13. DISTRICT COMMITTEES Section 1. The State Committee may authorize the establishment of district Republican committees to function as a local party in each electoral district of the territory. Section 2. A district committee recognized herein shall make rules for the conduct of the district committee business not contrary to or inconsistent with these Rules. Section 3. Neither the State Committee nor the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands is liable for the actions, debts, or other obligations incurred by a district committee. Section 4. District committee officeholders shall serve ​four​-year terms running concurrently with officeholders of the State Committee and the VIGOP. RULE 14. GENERAL PROVISIONS Section 1. All sessions of the State Committee and any of its committees or subcommittees, be they regular meetings or special meetings, shall be governed firstly by these Rules. The most recently updated version of ​Robert’s Rules of Order, or, if designated by the State Committee, the parliamentary rules of the United States House of Representatives shall guide the rules and procedure of any meeting or gathering of the VIGOP to the extent not covered by these Rules. Section 2. ​The ruling of the chair is final. Any motion appealing the decision of the chair shall be made accordance with parliamentary rules adopted under Section 1. RULE 15. MODIFICATIONS Section 1. These Rules may not be repealed, replaced, or amended without an affirmative two-thirds vote of the State Committee at a meeting called by the state chairman. Adopted by the Territorial Committee of the Republican Party of the United States Virgin Islands on March 24, 1984. Amended April 4, 1998; Amended June 1, 2002; Amended May 6, 2016; Amended July 30, 2016; Amended December 28, 2016.