As a member of the NH GOP Committee, I get to vote for this inside baseball Republican style stuff. Two folks have put forward amendments: Sylvia Smith and Diane Bitter. Both are about the same subject matter – how a sitting NH GOP Chair can be removed from their position. Right now, it is the entire Committee (almost 500 strong) vote in a new Chair (or keep one in the seat) but only requires the vote of the Executive Board officers to remove the Chair. And frankly, both stem from the ugly event when the Executive Board was about to remove Jack Kimball (instead, he resigned, much to the dismay of many including we Groksters). Sylvia smith
By Diane Bitter:
CHANGE – Add: Article II, Section 1:
“Any officer may be removed for just cause, after a hearing process has been conducted, by a majority of the State Committee or by 2/3 of the Executive Committee, provided each member is notified of the proposed action by mail at least five days before the vote is taken. Following a vote to remove an officer, said officer has a right to appeal this action and that right may be exercised within one month of the vote to remove. In the event that the office of Chairman is vacated for any reason, the Vice Chairman will assume the position of Chairman until a new election is held, either at the next scheduled meeting of the State Committee or at a Special Meeting of the State Committee called for that purpose.”
By Sylvia Smith:
Having been voted in by a majority of all delegates, the chairman of the state committee can only be voted out of office by a majority of those same delegates and not by a majority of the executive committee alone.
Summary of Change
“This change returns representation in such an important decision to ALL delegates where it rightfully belongs.”
These most likely will be merged together but remain the same in intent. My advice is to vote for it – it keeps the power closer to the people and out of the hands of the “elites”.
