RULE 5 - Election of Precinct Committeemen and Women¶
Each precinct within each county shall, except as otherwise provided in this rule, the party constitution, or state law, elect one man, who is a registered Republican, and one woman, who is a registered Republican, to serve as Precinct Committeeman and Precinct Committeewoman. However, any precinct with a total registration equal to or greater than 1000 registered voters shall be entitled to an additional Precinct Committeeman and Precinct Committeewoman for every increment of 1000 registered voters in the precinct, who shall serve for the full term of the office regardless of change in precinct population.
The number of registered voters shall be determined at or just prior to the commencement of the qualifying period for such office as shown by the most recent voter registration records of the Supervisor of Elections in such County. At any time thereafter, should the number of registered voters increase so as to exceed 1000 voters, the County Executive Committee shall elect one additional Precinct Committeeman and Precinct Committeewoman in accordance with the procedures set forth below for the filling of vacancies and who shall serve until the commencement of the term of his or her successor, if any.
In counties divided into 40 or more precincts, the State Executive Committee may adopt a district unit of representation for such county Executive Committees. Upon adoption of a district unit of representation, the State Executive Committee shall request the supervisor of elections of that county, with approval of the Board of County Commissioners, to provide for an appropriate number of election districts as nearly equal in number of registered voters as possible. Where the district unit of representation has been adopted, district representatives shall be elected in the same manner as Precinct Committeemen and Committeewomen, and shall serve in place of precinct men and women.
The Precinct Committeemen and women or the district men and women elected in accordance with this rule shall constitute the County Executive Committee. Pursuant to the party constitution, and Florida Statutes, the State Committeeman and State Committeewoman, and all members of the Florida legislature who are residents of the county and members of the Republican Party, shall be voting members of the County Executive Committee. County Executive Committees shall not extend voting membership status to any other individuals. Each member of the committee shall be entitled to one vote.
Pursuant to Florida Statutes 103.091(5), in the event no county committeeman or committeewoman is elected or a vacancy occurs from any other cause in the County Executive Committee, the vacancy shall be filled by a majority vote of those present at a regular meeting at which a quorum is present. Such vacancy shall be filled by a qualified member of the political party residing in the precinct or district where the vacancy occurred and for the unexpired portion of the term and shall not be deemed a member until the name has been duly recorded with the Supervisor of Elections by the secretary of the County Executive Committee.
Each County Executive Committee must abide by the following procedures when filling a vacancy:
A prospective member must have the ability to complete and submit an initial membership application to fill the vacancy at the first County Executive Committee meeting they attend. The initial application shall consist of the RPOF Loyalty Oath and a Candidate Oath.
Following the submission of the initial membership application and prior to the next County Executive Committee meeting, the County Secretary must verify the eligibility of the prospective member including that he or she is currently a registered Republican voter in the State of Florida and has been a registered Republican for the previous 365 days, whether in Florida or another state, and whether the prospective member resides in a precinct or district where a vacancy exists. Ineligible prospective members may not be voted on by the County Executive Committee. A County Secretary’s inability to verify a prospective member’s eligibility is not a valid basis for withholding the prospective member from being voted upon by the County Executive Committee if the prospective member completes an RPOF Loyalty Oath and a Candidate Oath swearing that they meet the qualifications for membership.
Following the submission of an eligible prospective member’s initial membership application, the County Executive Committee must hold a vote at the next County Executive Committee meeting that the eligible prospective member attends, but if the eligible prospective member is not in attendance for three meetings following the submission of their initial membership application, then their application expires and they must restart the process.
A County Executive Committee is prohibited from imposing additional requirements for membership beyond those requirements contained in Florida law, the RPOF Constitution, the RPOF Rules, and the RPOF County Model Constitution including any attendance requirements at REC meetings or new member orientations or similar training or programs. The County Executive Committee may provide optional new member training and orientation.
Following an affirmative vote on a prospective member by the County Executive Committee, the notarized Candidate Oath must be promptly submitted to the County Secretary or, alternatively, executed at the County Executive Committee meeting. The County Secretary must promptly provide the Loyalty Oath and current membership roster to the Republican Party of Florida within 30 days of the vote and the Candidate Oath to the Supervisor of Elections.
In accordance with Section 103.091, Florida Statutes, Precinct Committeemen and Precinct Committeewomen shall be elected for four-year terms which shall commence on the first day of the month following each general election (December 1). Within thirty days of the primary election, Precinct Committeemen and Precinct Committeewomen shall sign and file a loyalty oath as prescribed in Rule 9. Failure to file a completed loyalty oath is cause for immediate removal from office.
Candidates for Precinct Committeemen and Precinct Committeewomen shall qualify for office in accordance with Section 103.091, Florida Statutes.
The outgoing chairman of each County Executive Committee shall hold an organizational meeting of all newly elected precinct committee members and for the purpose of electing officers and said meeting shall take place within 30 days of the date the new members take office.