Bylaws › SECTION I

ORGANIZATION OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE


1. Legal Basis: “Each political party shall adopt bylaws pursuant to Section 12-5-1.1 to determine which members of the county central committee shall represent all the party voters at the meetings of the State Central Committee.” (1995 SDCL 12-5-16).

2. Purpose: The purpose of the State Central Committee shall be to coordinate the activities of the Republican Party in South Dakota, to promote the establishment of Republican principles and policies and to give effective assistance in the conduct of national, state and local elections.

3. Powers and Duties: In addition to those duties and functions prescribed by law, the State Central Committee when convened shall have full power and authority in all matters affecting the party organizations and functioning except as to such powers and functions as by law are conferred upon the state party convention. The general management of the affairs of the Republican Party of South Dakota shall be vested in the Republican State Central Committee.

4. Organization: The party electors chosen as party state central committeemen and committeewomen and the county chairman and vice chairman shall represent all the party electors of their county in the regular party state organization, and such party state central committeemen, committeewomen and county chairman and vice chairman so elected from each county, and the state party chairman, state party vice chairman, state party secretary, state party treasurer, National Committeeman and National Committeewoman shall constitute the State Central Committee provided that they are registered Republican voters. However the state party chairman, state party vice chairman, state party secretary, state party treasurer, National Committeeman and National Committeewoman shall not have a vote at any meeting of the State Central Committee called pursuant to SDCL 12-6- 56, 12-6-57, 12-6-58. The State Central Committee shall so organize its operations and designate such officers and other personnel as it may determine necessary to accomplish its purposes and it shall adopt such necessary bylaws as are not in conflict with the laws of the state.

5. Officers: The officers of the State Central Committee are the State Party Chairman and the State Party Vice Chairman, who shall be of opposite sex, the State Secretary and the State Treasurer. These officers shall be elected at the January or February meeting of the Republican State Central Committee held every odd numbered calendar year.

6. Duties of Officers:

A. The State Chairman, as head of the Republican Party in South Dakota, shall have the following duties:

  1. The State Chairman shall have charge of the State Party Headquarters. 

  2. The State Chairman shall submit an annual budget by January 1 of each year to be approved by the State Executive Board. 
(See Section III for details relative to organization and function of a State Party Executive Board.)

  3. The Chairman shall submit an annual plan of party goals and objective to be approved by the State Executive Board.

  4. The Chairman shall preside over meetings of the State Central Committee and the State Executive Board. 

  5. The Chairman shall coordinate and supervise the work of the other officers and of the Republican county organizations.
  6. 
The Chairman shall carry out any instructions given him/her by the State Executive Board and the State Central Committee.

  7. The Chairman shall call meetings of the State Executive Board and the State Central Committee as hereinafter provided. 

  8. Prior to the state convention, the Chairman shall designate the members of the Platform Committee, and such committees shall conduct hearings around the state prior to the state convention. The Chairman shall appoint members to any other committees deemed necessary for the state convention or operation of the Republican Party.
  9. 
The Chairman shall appoint a state Finance Director who shall serve at the pleasure of the Chairman.

  B. Duties of the State Party Vice-Chairman:

  1. The State Party Vice Chairman shall perform the duties of the State Chairman in the absence, or in the case of the inability to serve, of the State Chairman.

  C. Duties of the State Secretary:

  1. 
The State Secretary shall prepare suitable notices of forthcoming meetings of the State Central Committee. 

  2. The State Secretary shall keep records of the attendance and of the meetings of each meeting of the State Central Committee and the Executive Board and prepare the minutes of all such meetings and shall cause copies of the unofficial minutes of such meetings to be distributed to the members within 14 days of the meeting.

  D. Duties of the State Treasurer: 


  1. The State Treasurer shall maintain adequate financial records and provide reports thereon to the State Central Committee. Receipts shall be given for money received upon policies established by the Executive Board. 

  2. The State Treasurer shall make all disbursements for Party expenditures according to a procedure approved by the State Executive Board.

  3. The State Treasurer shall file financial reports as required by law.

  4. The State Treasurer shall post such bonds as are necessary in amount fixed by State Executive Board. 


  E. Vacancies:

  1. 
The Vice Chairman shall automatically become Chairman whenever a vacancy shall occur in that office and shall serve the remainder of the term. With the consent of a majority of the Executive Board, the chairman shall appoint an Assistant Treasurer who shall automatically become Treasurer whenever a vacancy shall occur in that office and who shall serve the remainder of the term.
  2. 
Any vacancy occurring in the position of National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, State Vice Chairman, State Secretary shall be filled in the following manner


a. Upon the vacancy, the State Chairman may appoint a proxy who shall perform the duties of the office until the next meeting of the State Central Committee as provided below.


b. At the next regular State Central Committee meeting or special meeting, provided a minimum of 30 days notice from the date of vacancy is given to voting members of the State Central Committee, an election shall be held to fill the vacancy.


c. The position shall be filled by majority vote of the State Central Committee members who are present at the meeting and that person shall serve the remainder of the term.