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2012 REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA STATE CONVENTION

PROPOSED RULES
Preface to Rules i. Several Convention rules are mandated by the Constitution of the Republican Party of Minnesota. The rules appearing bold face can neither be amended nor debated. ii. The Constitution provides in Article V: Conventions and Endorsements - General Provisions, Section 4: Seating of Alternates: Once the temporary organization has been established, the first order of business of a state or Congressional District convention shall be the seating of Alternates. The permanent voting roll of the convention shall be composed of the Delegates of each BPOU who actually are present, and in the absence of any Delegate to the convention, an Alternate shall be seated in his/her stead during his/her absence according to the procedure established by the constitution or bylaws of the BPOU. When a Delegate returns to the floor of the convention, he or she will be seated immediately. Rules I. General 1. The business of this Convention shall be as outlined on the Official Agenda for the Convention and as proposed by the Rules Committee and as adopted by the Convention. 2. The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised 11th edition shall govern the Convention in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Minnesota, the Constitution and Bylaws of the Republican Party of Minnesota, the Official Call of this Convention, or the rules adopted by this Convention. 3. Once adopted, these Rules shall neither be amended nor suspended except by two-thirds of the voting strength of the Convention as reported by the last Credentials Committee Report. 4. The quorum is a majority of the delegates registered and credentialed at the convention, according to the most recent credentials report. A question to the quorum can be made by twenty-five delegates or seated alternates. 5. A minority report of any committee may be presented if concurred on by one-third (33 percent) or more of the members of that committee unless otherwise specified by the Republican Party of Minnesota Constitution. 6. No pages or sergeants-at-arms shall exhibit any outward sign of support for or engage in any activities on behalf of any candidates or issues. 7. Any and all materials displayed, generally distributed, or intended for general distribution at the convention will contain a disclaimer containing the name and address of the organization or individual paying for said material. The sergeant-at-arms will confiscate any material not having such a disclaimer and the person or persons distributing the material may be escorted from the convention, have their credentials revoked and barred from the remainder of the convention, at the discretion of the chair. No signs or banners may be placed on, behind, or above the stage. Cell phones and other mobile devices must be set to silent or off. Any items determined to be a disruption of the convention by the Chair may be confiscated or removed from the convention floor by the Sergeant-At-Arms. Individuals who participate in any activity to disrupt the business of the convention may be permanently removed

from the convention facility at the sole discretion of the Convention Chair. In the case of the removal of a registered delegate or seated alternate a decision to remove requires a two thirds vote of the convention. 8. Any video presentations broadcast to delegates on the floor of the convention must be screened by the State Chair or designee to prevent offensive material from being shown. 9. Any individual who, as determined by an affirmative vote of the Credentials Committee, holds an official position for a political party that fields candidates in opposition to endorsed Republican candidates shall not be credentialed, seated or entitled to vote on any matter as a delegate or alternate to this convention. II. Seating 10. If a Basic Political Organizational Unit (BPOU) or Affiliate Organization does not have a procedure for establishing the seating order of alternates in its constitution, bylaws, or by convention action, the seating order of alternates shall be determined by the BPOU Chair/Co-Chairs or their designee. If no BPOU Chair/Co-Chair is present or no designee appointed, the seating of alternates shall be determined by a vote of the delegation. In a BPOU or Affiliate Organization which does have such a procedure in its constitution, bylaws, or as determined by convention action, a higher priority alternate shall be entitled to be seated in the place of a lower priority alternate. a. The voting strength of each BPOU or Affiliate Organization shall be the number of seated delegates and alternates present and voting. b. The Credentials Committee Chair shall certify to the Convention Chair those Official Affiliate delegates and alternates specified in Article VI, Section 1B of the State Party Constitution and listed in the addendum to the State Party Bylaws. On any roll call or written vote, those Official Affiliate delegates shall vote as a separate group and only the vote of those present and voting shall be counted. 11. The Credentials Committee Chair shall report any changes in the delegations prior to an endorsement, election, when requested by the Chair or when requested by a majority of seated delegates and alternates. III. Speaking 12. A delegate or seated alternate wishing to speak shall rise, address the Chair from a microphone, state his/her name, BPOU, and the purpose for which he/she rises. 13. Debate on any motion or subject shall be limited to one (1) minute by each speaker. No person shall be allowed to speak more than twice upon the same subject. No person shall be allowed to speak a second time until all those desiring to speak have had a first opportunity to do so. Total time for debate of each motion shall not exceed six (6) minutes with equal opportunity afforded to affirmative and negative speakers. Each speaker must identify whether they speak in the affirmative or the negative before being allowed to speak on a motion or subject. After there have been two speakers on one side and the chair has asked three times for a speaker on the opposing side, if there is no speaker on the opposing side, the debate will be ended. 14. The Chair shall appoint a timekeeper for the purpose of timing debate and speeches during the Convention. 15. The Chair at any time may invite any distinguished guests to address the Convention from the podium for a period not to exceed three (3) minutes except as follows: endorsed Republican Congressional candidates shall address the floor for a period not to exceed five (5) minutes. Speakers indicated on the official agenda shall not exceed ten (10) minutes. Convention keynote speaker(s) shall be exempt from any time restriction. IV. Voting 16. There shall be no voting by proxy or under unit rule in this Convention.

17. The vote on all questions shall be by voice vote except: a. Division of the Assembly may be called for if requested by at least 20 delegates, or at the discretion of the Chair, in which case a vote by voting cards shall be taken. Only delegates and alternates seated on the floor with their delegation shall have their votes counted. Delegates and alternates standing in the aisles or standing on the floor shall not have their votes counted. b. A roll call by BPOU shall be taken at the discretion of the Chair, or, upon the request of twenty-five (25) or more BPOUs, each BPOUs request to be by a majority vote of the delegates present from the BPOU. Such roll call vote shall be taken in alphabetical order followed by numerical order of the BPOUs and the vote of each BPOU announced from the floor by the BPOU leader, or by a person duly designated by the BPOU delegation. If any delegation is not ready to report their vote when called by the convention chair, they will be put to the end of the queue and the next delegation will be called to report. c. Contested elections will be voted by secret ballot and results reported by the Chief Teller. The only individuals allowed in the teller room are the duly appointed tellers, Republican Party of Minnesota staff assisting with the counting of the ballots and up to two (2) representatives from each campaign on that ballot, except for one (1) representative from each candidate for National Delegate, National Alternate, or Presidential Elector on that ballot. 18. If there is a dispute as to the vote of any BPOU, the Chair shall appoint a Chief Teller and a sufficient number of tellers to canvass the vote of said BPOU and the Chief Teller shall report the same to the Convention. V. Platform Resolutions 19. The Platform Committee shall present a proposed platform to the Convention for its consideration. No new resolutions or amendments related to the Platform Committee Report shall be considered on the floor. No debate shall be in order as to whether to consider new resolutions or amendments related to the Platform Committee Report. 20. The Platform Committee report may be considered at any time in the course of the Convention, following adoption of these rules, where any lapse in the agenda or delay for counting votes permits. 21. Voting on platform resolutions shall be as follows: a. At a time to be designated by the Convention Co-Chairs, each delegate and seated alternate shall be given a ballot to vote on each proposed plank with the section moved for adoption. b. Any plank which receives at least seventy (70) percent of the latest Credentials Report voting in favor as printed on the ballot will be accepted as a change to the platform. c. Any plank receiving less than fifty (50) percent of the latest Credentials Report shall not be debated nor adopted. d. Any plank receiving at least fifty (50) percent voting in favor and less than seventy (70) percent voting in favor will be discussed in accordance with Rule 13. Following discussion, a voice vote shall be taken. Any plank receiving at least sixty (60) percent of the latest Credentials Report voting in favor as stated in the Republican Party of Minnesota Constitution will be accepted as a change to the platform. 22. Debate on Platform Resolutions shall only be commenced in accordance with Rule 21d. VI. Endorsement 23. The Constitution of the Republican Party of Minnesota provides as follows: ARTICLE V: Conventions and Endorsements - General Provisions; SECTION 3: Endorsements

A. General Rules. 1. It shall first be determined by a majority vote whether endorsement shall be considered for an office. 2. Voting on a candidate for endorsement for an office shall be by secret ballot. The convention or committee may decide by a two-thirds vote to endorse by a rising vote for any office for which there is only one candidate. 3. Votes may be cast for any person who by law is eligible for election to the office under consideration and who is eligible under this constitution to seek the endorsement, even though he/she has not been nominated or has withdrawn from nomination. Ballots may also be cast stating no preference or undecided, or indicating no endorsement. Blank ballots or abstentions, unintelligible ballots, ballots marked only or X, or ballots cast for an ineligible person or a fictional character shall not be included in determining the 60% vote needed for endorsement. No preprinted ballot shall be allowed unless options for 'no preference', 'undecided' and 'no endorsement' are included. 4. A motion of no endorsement may be adopted by a majority vote. The rules of a convention may limit how often or when such a motion may be made. However on any round of voting for endorsement, a motion of no endorsement shall be considered adopted if a majority of the ballots (excluding blanks) or a majority of the votes on a voice vote (excluding abstentions) is for no, none or no endorsement. 24. The rules for nomination and endorsement of statewide candidates, except judicial candidates, shall be as follows: ARTICLE VI: State Convention, SECTION 3: Nominations Committee. A. To be eligible to be considered for endorsement or election, candidates for statewide non judicial endorsement and candidates for National Delegate or Alternate must meet all legal requirements and submit nominating petitions to the Nominating Committee containing the printed names and signatures of a minimum of 2% of the State Convention Delegates. B. The Nominations Committee shall report to the convention those candidates who have met the petition and legal requirements at Section 3A and whether the Nominating Committee deems the candidates to be qualified or unqualified to receive endorsement or be elected. a. No person may be nominated for the endorsement for public office unless, prior to the submission of his/her name in nomination, he/she has been reported out as a qualified candidate by the Nominating Committee. Any report that deems a candidate as unqualified shall include the cause for which the candidate was deemed to be unqualified. b. The convention shall consider a motion to endorse each office separately, such question to be decided by a majority vote. c. There will be no nominations from the floor. A candidate shall be considered nominated once he or she has met with the requirements in Rule 24a. d. Qualified candidates for all statewide offices shall have a total of twenty (20) minutes for nominating and seconding speeches, his/her speech to the convention, and demonstrations on his/her behalf. Unqualified candidates for all statewide offices shall have a total of five (5) minutes for nominating and seconding speeches, his/her speech to the convention, and demonstrations on his/her behalf. All candidates shall speak prior to balloting and are limited to one appearance before the convention during the endorsement procedure, except as provided in Rules 24g and 24i below.

e. Balloting shall continue until a candidate has been endorsed by receiving at least 60% of the voting strength of the convention as reported by the Credentials Committee preceding such vote. f. A motion for no endorsement shall be in order during the endorsement process after the tenth ballot and every fifth ballot there after. Such a motion need not be made by a delegate or seated alternate who voted with the majority on the original motion to endorse for that office.

g. Any candidate failing to receive at least 5% of the vote on the first ballot, 10% of the vote on the third ballot, or 20% of the vote on the fourth ballot, or any subsequent ballot, shall cease to be considered a candidate for endorsement. After the fifth ballot and every second ballot thereafter, the Convention Co-Chairs may allow each remaining candidate five minutes to address the convention in an order determined by drawing of lots. h. A motion to adjourn or recess will not be in order during the endorsement process. The only business to be conducted during the endorsement process is motions pertinent to the endorsement process or state party platform resolutions. i. A person seeking the endorsement for any public office to be considered at this convention shall not be allowed to speak from the podium in any capacity other than as a candidate until after the endorsement is decided for the office he/she is seeking. This rule shall not prevent a candidate from participating as a delegate or seated alternate to this convention. Each qualified United States Senate candidate seeking the endorsement may have twenty (20) floor passes for campaign workers who are not delegates or seated alternates.

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k. Lot shall determine the order of candidate speeches for each office. Each qualified candidate or his/her designee shall draw a number immediately upon the close of nominations for that office. The Convention CoChairs shall ask the Convention Secretary to conduct the drawing. VII. Judicial Nominating Convention Rules ARTICLE V: Conventions and Endorsements - General Provisions; SECTION 3: Endorsements C. Rules for Minnesota Supreme Court and Minnesota Court of Appeals Endorsements. 1. As to candidates for judicial office, the Republican Party of Minnesota shall at its state convention consider whether to endorse candidates for the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. 2. After the report of the judicial election committee, the state convention shall proceed to the vote on whether endorsement should be considered. 3. If the state convention votes affirmative on consideration of endorsement, the Delegates shall vote on endorsement of a person for that particular office of the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Endorsement may be conferred upon any person who by law is eligible for election to the office and who is eligible under this Constitution to seek endorsement, even if such candidate has not sought endorsement by the Republican Party of Minnesota or has communicated that such candidate does not desire and/or will not use Republican Party of Minnesota endorsement. 4. Except where they conflict with the special rules stated in this paragraph, the provisions of Article V, Section 3, A. and B. apply to endorsing candidates for the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. ARTICLE VI: State Convention; SECTION 6: Judicial Election Committee.

C. At the state convention, the judicial election committee will offer its report before it is determined by majority vote whether endorsement shall be considered for each particular office of the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals which is subject to the upcoming election. D. The chair of the judicial election committee (or in the chairs absence, a substitute elected by the members of the committee) shall give the report of the committee for each particular office of the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which is subject to the upcoming election. VIII. National Convention Delegates and Alternates At-Large ARTICLE IV: State Convention; SECTION 3: Nominations Committee. A. To be eligible to be considered for endorsement or election, candidates for statewide non judicial endorsement and candidates for National Delegate or Alternate must meet all legal requirements and submit nominating petitions to the Nominating Committee containing the printed names and signatures of a minimum of 2% of the State Convention Delegates. B. The Nominations Committee shall report to the convention those candidates who have met the petition and legal requirements at Section 3A and whether the Nominating Committee deems the candidates to be qualified or unqualified to receive endorsement or be elected. 25. Election of National Convention Delegates and Alternates At-Large a. The Nominating Committee shall place in nomination the persons reported out of the Nominating Committee who wish to stand for election either as delegate at-large or alternate at-large to the National Convention. All persons wishing to be nominated shall have his/her name, personal resume and nomination form presented to the Nominating Committee prior to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 17th, 2012. Individuals wishing to be considered for the position of National Delegate or Alternate must appear in person before the nominating committee on or before Thursday, May 17th, 2012. The Nominating Committee will meet in St. Cloud, Minnesota on Thursday, May 17th, 2012. A person shall indicate whether he or she seeks election as a delegate or as an alternate delegate. A person cannot seek election for both delegate and alternate. Any report that deems a candidate as unqualified shall include the cause for which the candidate was deemed to be unqualified. The order of presenting names of nominees for delegate and for alternate delegate shall be determined by the Nominating Committee by lot. The names of persons seeking election as delegate shall be presented first. After all candidates have been placed in nomination by the Nominating Committee, each person nominated shall be given one (1) minute to address the Convention. Surrogate speakers shall not be allowed. There shall be no nominations from the floor. b. Each voting delegate must vote for thirteen (13) nominees or the number of available slots remaining. The ballots shall be collected by the BPOU Leaders and given to the convention tellers. Any ballot containing votes for more or fewer than the number of available slots shall be invalid. The tellers shall tabulate and report results to the Chair who will in turn report the results to the convention. c. The first thirteen (13) nominees receiving at least a simple majority of the valid ballots cast for delegate and alternate shall be elected as national delegate or alternate. In the event thirteen (13) nominees fail to reach a simple majority of the valid ballots cast on the first ballot, balloting will continue until all slots are filled with candidates receiving a majority of valid ballots cast excluding those candidates already achieving at least a majority vote. Each subsequent ballot must contain double the number of names to the number of slots available, decided by highest votes received on the first ballot. d. The procedures for nominating, voting and electing alternates to the National Convention shall be the same as that provided for nominating, voting, and electing delegates to the National Convention.

IX. Presidential Electors 26. Election of Statewide Presidential Electors. All persons wishing to be nominated for statewide Presidential Elector shall have his/her name, personal resume and nomination form presented to the Nominating Committee prior to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 17th, 2012. If there are more than two candidates for elector, balloting shall be by written ballot. The order of presenting names of nominees for Presidential Elector shall be determined by the Nominating Committee by lot. After all candidates have been placed in nomination by the committee, each person nominated shall be given one (1) minute to address the Convention. There shall be no nominations from the floor. No seconding speeches shall be required or allowed. Each voting delegate must vote for two (2) nominees. Any ballot containing more or fewer than two different nominees names shall be invalid. The first two (2) nominees receiving at least a simple majority of the valid ballots cast will be the two statewide Presidential Electors. In the event two nominees are not selected on the first ballot, balloting shall continue excluding those candidates already achieving at least a majority vote. Any candidate failing to receive at least 20% of the vote on the first ballot, 25% of the vote on the second ballot, or 30% of the vote on subsequent ballots, shall cease to be considered a candidate for statewide Presidential Elector. 27. Election of Congressional District Electors Each Congressional District shall forward one (1) nominee for Presidential Elector to the Secretary of the Convention. The convention body shall vote on whether to ratify each congressional district nominee individually and a majority voice vote shall be required to effect such ratification. In the event a Congressional District nominee is not ratified, the Executive Committee of the congressional district shall forward one (1) new replacement nominee to the Secretary of the Convention, and the convention body shall vote on whether to ratify such nominee as set forth herein. X. Constitution ARTICLE XV: Constitution and Bylaws, Committee and Amendments SECTION 1: Constitution and Bylaws Committee. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall consist of a chair, and two persons from each Congressional District. The state party chair shall appoint the chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. The Congressional District representatives shall be appointed by the Congressional District chair(s), or in the event of a dispute between the chairs regarding the appointment, by the Congressional District Executive Committee. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall give consideration to and may propose appropriate amendments and/or revisions of the Constitution to the state convention. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall also give consideration to and propose appropriate amendments of the bylaws to the State Central Committee. One third of the committee members shall constitute a quorum. Any member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall have the privilege of addressing the state convention or the State Central Committee when any report of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee is being considered. SECTION 2: Amendments to the Constitution. This constitution may be amended by a majority vote at any state convention, provided that any proposal for amendment shall be referred to the state Constitution and Bylaws Committee and reported out of said

committee. Any minority report shall be signed by at least one-third (1/3) of committee members before it shall be submitted to the convention. 28. The Constitution Committee shall present its report of proposed amendments to the Convention for its consideration. No new amendments shall be considered on the floor. No debate shall be in order as to whether to consider new amendments to the Constitution Committee report. 29. Voting on Constitutional amendments shall be as follows: a. At a time to be designated by the Convention Co-Chairs, each delegate and seated alternate shall be given a ballot to vote on each proposed change to the Constitution.

b. Any amendment that receives a majority vote shall be adopted. XI. Adjournment 30. A motion to adjourn the convention shall not be in order until all items on the agenda have been considered on the convention floor. The State Convention shall adjourn no later than a time certain of 5:00 p.m., Saturday, May 19th, 2012.

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