Using Article XII: Temporary Emergency Provisions, the State Central Committee (SCC) of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) can now meet electronically to figure out how Republicans can nominate our candidates for the November election, elect delegates to the Republican National Convention, and elect Republican Party officials. Our meetings are held on Zoom and are invitation only. However, the public can watch a live stream of our meetings through a link that is available at the Republican Party of Virginia website – Virginia.gop.
To accomplish what we need to, two amendments to Article XII were proposed for discussion at our April 18 (10:00 a.m.) electronic meeting. The first proposal would change one word. The last line of Article XII says, “Provided that this Article shall expire upon the expiration of orders referenced above or July 31, 2020, whichever is earlier.” RPV leadership want to change “earlier” to “later.” They reason that an electronic meeting called before the emergency ends could not be held if the emergency ended prior to the scheduled meeting date. Because the emergency article was thrown together so quickly, grassroots conservatives on the SCC felt that it was better to limit the timeframe of the Article, since it could always be renewed if the declared emergency continued beyond July. Grassroots conservatives prefer leaving “earlier” in the sentence. Elements of our Party Plan should not be left at the mercy of a Democratic governor. We prefer language that allows a meeting properly called before the end of the emergency to go ahead and take place even after the emergency is lifted. This resolves both concerns.
The second amendment adds a third section to Article XII. The third section would allow an official committee to hold its quadrennial convention by either an “unassembled convention” or a “bifurcated convention.”
In an “unassembled convention,” the official committee that called the convention would, as a committee of the whole or by dividing itself into subcommittees, serve as the Credentials, Nominations, and Rules Committees for the convention. The entire official committee would then, on behalf of the convention delegates, vote on whether to accept the recommendations of the three committees. The original proposed amendment did not allow for subcommittees, but grassroots conservatives believe that the subcommittee language is important. It just makes the job easier to accomplish if an official committee is allowed to split the work between its members.
Delegates would not congregate at a single convention site but would cast ballots at “one or more polling locations.” Military delegates would still participate as provided in Article VIII of the Party Plan.
The original amendment allows for either ranked choice voting to provide for a majority vote winner or for a winner to be selected by plurality. I found that second option interesting since some people in the Sixth District and RPV almost blew a gasket when a plurality vote was suggested for the 2018 convention. (For the record, I voted against it.) Now it is sanctioned by the RPV. Curious.
Grassroots conservatives believe that, for the sake of smaller units, an additional option should be provided. We propose to also allow for multiple ballot votes to reach a majority winner. Without the added language, conventions would have only two options. We want them to have all three. Regardless, the method of voting must be clearly stated in the supplemental call that provides for the unassembled convention.
In contests where there is a tie, the winner will be chosen by lot.
A “bifurcated convention” would allow for Congressional nominees to be elected as is done at an unassembled convention, but then the convention would be adjourned to a time, date, and place determined by the official committee – after the conclusion of the declared emergency – in order to complete the required business of the convention.
Either way the delegates get to choose. Absolutely no one wants official committees to nominate candidates. We have several lawsuits in the works to extend legal deadlines so that we have more time in which to work. But when it comes right down to it, someone has to make a decision by the legal deadlines, or Republicans won’t have candidates on the November ballot. Let’s hope these unusual convention rules work as planned.
Help Us Make It Work
