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Washington County Republican Committee · P.O. Box 81, Machias, ME info@washingtoncountyrepublicancommittee.com · 207-664-4446

Governing documents

The Washington County Republican Committee Bylaws

  • Revised November 17, 2017
  • Amended March 17, 2018
  • Amended March 16, 2019
  • Standing Rules Addendum October 23, 2020
  • Amended August 14, 2025
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Article I

Name

This organization shall be known as the Washington County Republican Committee and shall be the official county wide organization for the Republicans of Washington County, Maine.

The Washington County Republican Committee shall be governed according to these Bylaws by its duly elected officers and hereinafter shall be referred to as WCRC.

Article II

Objective

The Objective of this Committee shall be to lead and support the Maine Republican Party in Washington County:

  • To assure that the WCRC is open and accessible to all enrolled Republicans residing in Washington County and to encourage the broadest possible participation;
  • To cooperate with the Maine Republican Party in promoting principles and ideals of the Republican Party;
  • To act as the communications link with Municipal Republican Committees and with grassroot Republicans in Washington County;
  • To inform the Maine Republican Party of concerns of the people of Washington County;
  • To strongly encourage and assist municipalities in Washington County to hold caucuses and remain active on a year round basis;
  • To ensure that qualified candidates are recruited and supported for all elective offices whether Local, County, State, or National, with advice, campaign assistance or possible funding;
  • To raise funds to support the work of the WCRC including but not limited to group expenses, participation in public venues, donations to organizations or campaigns;
  • To carry out voter registration efforts and work to enroll Republican voters continually and;
  • To ensure that political operations are carried out effectively in support of Republican candidates for National, State, County, and Municipal offices.

Article III

Voting Members

Section 1. Elected Voting Members

Each municipal caucus may nominate enrolled Republicans from its own membership as follows:

  1. One committee member (man or woman) for the first one hundred registered Republican voters in their community (or any portion thereof) and a second committee member (man or woman) for the second one hundred registered Republican voters in their community (or any portion thereof).
  2. One committee member for every two hundred registered Republican voters or portion thereof, in excess of the first two hundred registered Republican voters, according to the most recent figures currently available in writing from the office of the Maine State Republican Committee on the date designated in The Rules of the Maine Republican Party Article 1, Section 5.
  3. The election of nominees shall take place at the Washington County Caucus at the biennial meeting of the Republican State Convention.

Section 2. Ex-officio Members

  1. The Chair of each Municipal Republican Committee in Washington County is an ex-officio voting member of the WCRC.
  2. Officers of the WCRC are ex-officio voting members of the WCRC.
  3. State Republican House and Senate members who represent citizens in Washington County are ex-officio voting members of the WCRC.

Section 3. Terms of Voting Membership

  1. The WCRC will provide each Member with a copy of the Washington County Bylaws via email to all addresses on file at the first meeting following the State Convention. They will also encourage and assist with the work of the Member’s Municipality in accordance with the Washington County Objectives, as they are able.
  2. Members shall serve for a two-year term or for the balance of the two-year term they are filling. They shall provide updated email and contact information to the County Secretary.
  3. Members serve as the liaison to and from the Municipality in which they reside.
  4. Members shall assist the WCRC with scheduled events and assist in creating plans to support the Washington County Objectives listed at the beginning of the Bylaws as they are personally able and to encourage involvement of others of like mind.
  5. If a member is no longer able to serve, they should submit a written notice of resignation to their Municipal Chair and the County Secretary.
  6. Members are expected to attend all scheduled WCRC meetings. If a member is unable to attend a meeting, they should locate a proxy and notify, in writing/email, the WCRC Secretary the name and address of their proxy before the said meeting. The proxy is to be an enrolled Republican residing in the same municipality and cannot be a voting member of the WCRC. A proxy may be appointed no more than five meetings per year. Missing five consecutive meetings in person or by proxy may result in loss of voting member status. Exceptions and excused absences may be approved without the attendance penalty by the Executive Committee.
  7. The Secretary of the WCRC shall remind the member, after three consecutive absences, that attendance is expected and that five such absences may result in loss of voting status.
  8. The Secretary of the WCRC shall maintain an accurate list of meeting attendees, in order to comply with these membership provisions.
  9. When a member has missed five consecutive meetings the WCRC Secretary shall report the position vacant and notify the WCRC Chair, copying the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Vacancies

  1. The County Chair shall, in concurrence with the Executive Committee, notify the Municipal Chair within fifteen days about the vacancy, and request a nomination within thirty days from the Municipality to complete the two-year term. A person may also be nominated from said Municipality at a WCRC meeting.
  2. The Municipal Chair or Secretary will notify the County Chair of said nomination of an enrolled Republican within thirty days.
  3. Should a nomination not occur within thirty days written notice from the County Chair in concurrence with the Executive Committee to the Chair of said Municipality, the Executive Committee of the WCRC or a subcommittee will fill any vacancy for the remainder of the term by nominating an enrolled Republican from said Municipality.
  4. A vote will be taken by the WCRC members in attendance at the next regularly scheduled WCRC meeting to confirm said nominee.
  5. In the event that a Municipality eligible to nominate members to the WCRC has no Municipal Committee nor held a legal caucus, the WCRC shall nominate enrolled Republicans from such municipality to fill the vacancies according to The Rules of Maine Republican Party using documents provided by said Party.
  6. The County Secretary will notify the State Committee Secretary of membership changes including current contact information.

Section 5. Special Cases

Special cases arising under Article III may be referred to the Executive Committee for action.

Article IV

Officers

Section 1. Officers

  1. The officers of the Washington County Republican Committee shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. (See Standing Rules Addendum for officer’s responsibilities.)
  2. These officers shall have the power to perform the duties, which customarily apply to the respective offices, as prescribed by these Bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by this Committee. It should be noted that the Chair, the State Committeeman and the State Committeewoman are also voting members of the Maine Republican State Committee.

Section 2. Elections

  1. The Officers shall be elected by voting members of the WCRC at the regular meeting in January of said Committee following the biennial general election for the State of Maine elective offices.
  2. Such meeting shall be called to order by the senior (in length of continuous service) State Committeeman or Committeewoman for Washington County or, in the case of absence or, inability to act, by the alternate Committee person and conduct the election of officers. If either Committee person is unable to serve, a moderator will be chosen by those present with a majority consensus.
  3. Notice by email will be sent to the members of the Committee noting the time and place of said meeting. Notice will be given at least ten days prior to the meeting, a reasonable time to assure a quorum.

Section 3. Eligibility

The officers need not have been voting members of the WCRC prior to the election but will become such upon election without affecting the Municipal entitlement prescribed in Article III.

Section 4. Terms

  1. The elected Officers shall serve a term of two years or until their successors are elected and their term of office will begin at the close of the meeting at which they are elected.
  2. Should the Office of Chair become vacant within the term, a special meeting shall be called in the manner provided in Section 2 above, to elect a successor preferably within thirty days.
  3. For other elected offices, the Chair shall conduct such meeting.

Article V

Meetings

Section 1. Calling of Meetings

  1. The Chair of the WCRC shall call at least ten monthly meetings during each year.
  2. Additionally, a meeting may be held at any time upon the call of the Chair, or in his absence or inability to act, by the Vice-Chair, or upon written petition of at least ten members of the WCRC filed with any member of the Executive Committee.
  3. Said Committee member may instruct the Secretary to call such a meeting, or, failing such call, do so personally. Any expenses are to be paid by the WCRC. Email notices are acceptable.

Section 2. Notification of Meetings

  1. Except for the meeting called for the election of Officers provided for in Article IV, notice of any meeting of the WCRC shall be given via email at least ten days before the meeting is to be held.
  2. Said notice shall contain the time and place of the meeting, a copy of the agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting.
  3. Any member of the Committee who does not have access to email or the internet may request notification of meetings via traditional paper copy, delivered by postal mail, by providing a current mailing address to the Secretary, and at the cost of the WCRC, be mailed a minimum of ten days before said meeting.

Section 3. Voting and Voting by Proxy

  1. Each voting member of the WCRC shall be entitled to one vote on all the questions or elections at any regular or special meetings in person or represented by a proxy who is an enrolled Republican, who is not a current WCRC voting member, and resides in the same municipality.
  2. As the Executive Committee Officers represent Washington County, they may appoint an enrolled Republican from within the County to serve as their proxy. Said proxy does not carry out the duties of the absentee officer.
  3. The State Committeeman and State Committeewoman may appoint an enrolled Republican from within Washington County to serve as their proxy to the State Committee meetings if they are unable to attend said meeting.
  4. A proxy must be granted for the absent active member to the secretary via email or in writing.
  5. Such notification must be presented to the secretary prior to the start of the meeting, with photo identification showing residency.
  6. One person can cast only one vote as a member or as a proxy.

Section 4. Quorum

Ten members or ten percent of the current membership (whichever is greater) will constitute a quorum for voting purposes at any meeting of the WCRC.

Article VI

The Executive Committee

Section 1. Executive Committee Membership

The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members:

  • The Officers of the WCRC.
  • The Washington County State Committeeman and State Committeewoman.

Section 2. Exception

Members of the Executive Committee identified in Article VI, Section 1, who are not otherwise members of the WCRC, become such upon election or appointment to the identified positions without affecting the Municipal entitlements prescribed in Article III above.

Section 3. Powers

  1. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the WCRC between its business meetings, fix the hour and place of such meetings, make recommendations to the full Committee, and shall perform such other duties as are specified by these Bylaws.
  2. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the WCRC and none of its acts shall conflict with the actions taken by the Committee.

Section 4. Financial Authority

  1. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to disburse all funds of the WCRC for political purposes. The Treasurer shall pay no bill or disburse no money amounting to more than two hundred dollars unless such disbursement shall have been approved by the Executive Committee as attested by the Chair or, in his absence or inability to act, by the Vice Chair.
  2. The Chair and Treasurer shall be the authorized signers of the bank account.
  3. An audit shall be performed in January for the preceding one-year period of the Treasurer’s accounts and the bank accounts. The audit team shall be composed of the State Committeeman and Committeewoman.
  4. An audit shall be performed on the Treasurer’s accounts when said Treasurer leaves his position within two weeks of his departure.

Section 5. Meetings of the Executive Committee

  1. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall occur as called by the Chair or Vice Chair in his stead, provided that members of the Executive Committee shall have actual personal, postal or email notice at least seventy-two hours before such meeting, with such notice provided by the Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary.
  2. The Secretary shall record and keep on file the minutes of the proceedings of the Executive Committee.

Section 6. Quorum

A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Committee and must include the Chair or Vice Chair or, in the absence or inability of both to act, a Chair pro tem appointed by the majority of the remaining members of the Executive Committee.

Section 7. Vacancies

In the event any office of the WCRC is vacated, and vacant office cannot be repopulated otherwise within these Bylaws, then at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Washington County Republican Committee, successor nominees will be accepted and an election, by that full quorum, held to fill the vacated position.

Article VII

Committees

Committees standing or special shall be appointed by the Chair of the WCRC or as the Executive Committee shall, from time to time, deem necessary.

Article VIII

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern the WCRC in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules that the WCRC may adopt.

Article IX

Amendment of the Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended at any Regular WCRC meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of the voting members present, provided that a notice of the proposed amendment, in writing, has been emailed or mailed to each member as appropriate at least ten days in advance of the next scheduled meeting.

Article X

Appeal

Actions of the WCRC may be appealed through the process in The Rules of the Republican Party, Article 13.

Addendum · October 23, 2020 · Amended August 14, 2025

Standing Rules Addendum

Chair — Leader responsibilities

  1. Moderate the WCRC meetings (Bylaws direct 10 meetings per year)
  2. Set a vision and follow-through for the WCRC
  3. Prepare and mail meeting notices and agenda (email/Facebook/newspapers)
  4. Authorized to sign checks and deposit funds in the checking account
  5. Attend State Committee meetings as voting member, usually in Augusta
  6. Attend County Chair meetings in Augusta or Zoom when called
  7. Oversee arrangement for guest speakers and meeting locations
  8. Encourage and provide assistance as able to candidate campaigns
  9. Plan for and oversee biennial County caucus as regulated by the State law and Maine GOP code and rules
  10. Assist with Town Committee formation, encourage activity of Town Committees and increase membership
  11. Plan and direct Executive Committee meetings at least twice a year.
  12. Participate in the Washington County Republican business meetings and events (fairs, parades, fund raisers, campaigns, signature collections, etc.) planned by the Committee and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee
  13. Participate in the application of the WCRC Bylaws and Mission Statement and the State Party Platform

Vice-Chair responsibilities

  1. Moderate the Washington County Republican business meeting and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee meeting in the Chair’s absence.
  2. Fulfill the duties of chair as vice-chair until the election of a new chair (preferably within 30 days), should the current chair position become vacant.
  3. Oversee and participate in legislative bill-watchers and bring noteworthy bills to the attention of the WCRC via the email list.
  4. Assist Chair with Municipal Committee formation, encourage activity of Municipal Committees and increase grassroots membership.
  5. Participate in the Washington County Republican business meetings and events (fairs, parades, fund raisers, campaigns, signature collections, etc.) planned by the Committee and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee
  6. Participate in the application of the WCRC Bylaws and Mission Statement and the State Party Platform

Secretary responsibilities

  1. Attend and record the minutes of the WCRC meetings and provide a written record within five (5) days of the meeting to the Chair
  2. Keep accurate attendance records of the voting members and guests (with appropriate contact information).
  3. Send out absentee notifications to members and Town Chairs as needed following Bylaw procedures with copies to the Chair and Executive Committee
  4. Participate in the Washington County Republican business meetings and events (fairs, parades, fund raisers, campaigns, signature collections, etc.) planned by the Committee and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee
  5. Participate in the application of the WCRC Bylaws and Mission Statement and the State Party Platform.

Treasurer responsibilities

  1. Pay bills and keep checking accounts balanced.
  2. Sign checks and keeps records about all deposits as well as payments, such as invoices and/or receipts.
  3. Provide monthly updates to the Chair and WCRC at the meetings
  4. File the appropriate legal reports with the State Ethics Committee and other Regulatory bodies as required
  5. Participate in the Washington County Republican business meetings and events (fairs, parades, fund raisers, campaigns, signature collections, etc.) planned by the Committee and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee
  6. Participate in the application of the WCRC Bylaws and Mission Statement and the State Party Platform.

State Committeeman and Committeewoman

  1. Attend State Committee meetings and provide a written report within five (5) days of the meeting to the Chair
  2. Provide an oral report at the WCRC meetings
  3. Oversee the biennial WCRC Executive Committee elections — see Bylaws
  4. Moderate the WCRC meeting in absence of the vice-chair and chair
  5. Audit the Treasurer records in January of each year.
  6. The longest-serving Committee person is to conduct the election of the Executive Committee officers at the regular meeting in January following the general election.
  7. Participate in the Washington County Republican business meetings and events (fairs, parades, fund raisers, campaigns, signature collections, etc.) planned by the Committee and the Washington County Republican Executive Committee
  8. Participate in the application of the WCRC Bylaws and Mission Statement and the State Party Platform.