July Leadership Webinar

2016 Filing Period Precinct Chair Filing Period September 15th – December 14th All Other Offices Filing Period Saturday, November 14th – Monday, December 14th Includes County Chair – ALL County Chairs must file for reelection! 2016 Primary Election Tuesday, March 1, 2016

New Changes in Election Law DISCLAIMER: These do not include all changes and nothing is final until the Texas Secretary of State (SOS) puts out their election law calendar and new law changes.

Candidate Filing Filing Period Ballot Application Nov 14th – Dec 14th (SB 1703) Ballot Application An application is invalid if the candidate paid by check and that check was returned by the bank. (SB 1073) The candidate can re-file before the deadline but only with a different form of payment. (SB 1073)

Primary Election Ballot Application (continued) Ballot Drawing County and state parties must inform the applicant that a candidate’s public mailing address and email address will be listed on the SOS website. (SB 1073) Requires candidates for office to be a registered voter. (SB 484) Repeals the requirement for judicial petitions. Petitions in lieu of filing fee are still an option but no longer required as a supplement with filing fee. (SB 1073) Ballot Drawing No later than 10 days after the close of the filing period (SB 1703) Election Judges & Clerks Restricts disclosure of email and phone number for election judges and clerks. (HB 2160)

Early Voting Gives counties with a population of 100,000 or more additional time by allowing them to begin processing VBM ballots nine days before the end of the early voting period, as opposed to day 9 before Election Day. (SB 383) Allows balloting materials to be sent by email (but returned by US mail) (HB 2778) Regarding the implementation and application of receiving a ballot by mail. These changes will ensure that voters who submit applications for a mail-in ballot are able to vote in every election for which they are eligible. (HB 1927) Amends the election code to conform with open carry (HB 910)

Canvassing County Canvass Precinct by Precinct Canvass Requires notice to be posted on a county party website, if one exists, or on the commissioner’s court bulletin board. (SB 1073) Deletes requirement for the canvass to be conducted in the county seat. (SB 1073) Clarifies that only the county chair, and at least one member of the CEC, if the CEC has selected a CEC member to be present, needs to be available to conduct the canvass for both the precinct canvass and the county canvass. (SB 1073) Precinct by Precinct Canvass Requires the county clerk (not the county chair) to prepare a report of votes received by each candidate by precinct. (SB 1073)

Canvassing Electronic Canvass State Canvass Requires canvass returns to be posted on the SOS website. (SB 1073) Requires county chair to maintain status of each candidate next to their name on the SOS website. (Filed, withdraw, lost primary, in runoff, lost run off, deceased, nominee for General Election) (SB 1073) The SOS will use this information to prepare the General Election ballot. (SB 1073) State Canvass Clarifies that the state chair, not the executive committee, will canvass the election returns. (SB 1073) Requires the state chair to certify candidates on the SOS website. (SB 1073)

Voter Registration & Voter Registrars Allows the Voter Registrar to terminate the a volunteer deputy registrar if it is determined that the volunteer intentionally destroyed or physically altered a registration application or engaged in any other activity that conflicts with the responsibilities of a volunteer deputy voter registrar. (SB 621) Allows counties to adopt a method of appointment for volunteer deputy registrars either prescribed by SOS or developed by the county and approved by the SOS. Requires the SOS to provide on their website training materials for volunteer deputy voter registrar and an exam. Allows counties to hold online trainings without requiring in person training. (142) Requires SOS to cooperate with other states and jurisdictions to develop systems to compare voters, voter history and voter registration lists. (SB 795) Requires vote history kept by the election registrar to including Election Day voting, vote early in person or early vote by mail notations. (HB 2050)

District Executive Committee Defines district committee as members of each CEC who reside in the district. (HB 3456) Requires the state chair, not the county chair, to call the meeting of a District Executive Committee effecting multiple counties to order. (HB 3456) Also clarifies that filling a vacancy in a nomination or to transact business takes place after precinct chairs take office. (HB 3456) Allows State Executive Committee to determine quorum requirements for a District Executive Committee. (HB 3456) Allows State Executive Committee to adopt a deadline for DEC to fill a vacancy. The names and addresses of those members who are involved in filling a vacancy must be posted on the committee’s website. (HB 3456)

Other County Executive Committee Quorum May Election Date Strikes language requiring a State Executive Committee to adopt rules regarding how many members of a CEC constitute quorum for filling a vacancy. Then states that a majority of the committee’s membership must participate in filling a vacancy in the office of county chair. (SB 1296) May Election Date Moves the uniform Election Day from the 2nd Saturday in May to the 1st Saturday in May, eliminating a conflict with the Republican State Convention. (HB 2354)

Removal of County Chairs County Chairs (SB 1072) Finally convicted of a felony Affiliate with another political party Ceases to be a resident of the county from which elected Abandonment of Office (New Law) The SREC may pass a resolution to instruct the State Chair to send a letter Stating reasons Sent by certified mail Request a response not later than the 7th day after the date the County Chair receives the notice. If the County Chair fails to respond the office becomes vacant Takes effect September 1st 2015

Removal of Precinct Chairs Precinct Chairs (SB 1072) Finally convicted of a felony Affiliate with another political party Ceases to be a resident of the precinct from which elected Abandonment of Office (New Law) After missing 4 or consecutive meetings the CEC may pass a resolution to instruct the County Chair to send a letter Stating reasons Sent by certified mail Request a response not later than the 7th day after the date the precinct chair receives the notice. If the Precinct Chair fails to respond the office becomes vacant Takes effect September 1st 2015

RPT Staff Changes Executive Director Finance Director Christin Evans left to work on the Rand Paul Campaign NEW Kelly Glaser kglaser@texasgop.org Asian American Engagement Director Melissa Fwu left and is the new RNC Region Director for Virginia NEW Jacey Jetton will be starting soon. Executive Director Beth Cubriel is leaving RPT to create and develop the Governmental Affairs division of a law firm.

Primary Election Training Secretary of State (SOS) Friday, October 9th http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/seminars/17th-cc.shtml Agenda http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/seminar/2015/17th/17th-cc-preliminary-agenda.pdf Hotels Deadline Thursday, September 17th Host Hotel – Renaissance Austin Single $126 / Double $169 Overflow Hotel – Hyatt House Single or Double $126 Register Deadline – Friday, September 25th https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CountyChairReg Please also register if you are NOT attending Register any other guests attending the training from your county

Primary Election Training Reimbursement Guidelines Travel is covered for one person from each county’s party or that chair’s designee with the chair’s signature. Mileage and hotel rates are based on the Texas state Comptroller’s Travel Reimbursement Rates . Automobile Mileage: 57.5 cents per mile The current state rate for hotel rates per night in Austin is $126 (this rate is subject to change) plus applicable taxes. Overnight lodging for two nights is approved for counties that are more than 200 miles distant from Austin per state mileage guide. EVERYONE is eligible for ONE night (within the approved rate) You must fill out a travel reimbursement form, available at the seminar NON Reimbursed Expenses Non-Payable expenses for the county chair seminar are meals, beverages, tips, valet parking, and car rental unless prior approval has been received.

Primary Election Training RPT Training – Saturday, October 10th Take all the legal mumbo jumbo and show you how it really works Ballot Application Review Candidate Filing Packet Ballot Draw Canvassing Polling Locations Primary Election Finance County Party Finance And much more!

Trainings & Events New County Chair Webinar August 12th – online! Texas Republican County Chairmen’s Association Regional Trainings & Meetings August 1st – Central Region August 15th – TRCCA Board Meeting in Corpus Christi August 28th – Lubbock, TX August 29th – Amarillo, TX Presidential Debates August 6th

SREC SREC Meetings for 2015 New Location September 11th & 12th Volunteer of the Year Dinner Friday, September 11th The Austin Club (downtown) Also a home game for UT so BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM!!! Wyndham Deadline: August 14th Candlewood Suites Deadline: August 28th December 4th & 5th Hotel Rooms Wyndham Deadline: November 6th Candlewood Suites Deadline: November 20th New Location Woodward Conference Center & Wyndham Garden Hotel

County Chairs New County Chairs County Chair Vacancies Guadalupe – Karen Hale Moore – WR Knight County Chair Vacancies Blanco Dawson Hall Kimble

Exclusive Content Location Enter Password: rptcontent12! www.texasgop.org  Leadership  Party Officials  Exclusive Content Enter Password: rptcontent12! Next Leadership Webinar Monday, July 27th @ 6:30p

Conventions A MAJOR function within the Party Precinct Convention Each County determines when and where to be held Must be AFTER polls close on March 1, 2016 County/Senate District Convention – March 19, 2016 County Convention – if the County is entirely in ONE State Senate District Senate District Convention – if the County has more than one State Senate District State Convention – May 12th – 14th 2016 Dallas, TX National Convention – July 18th – 21st Cleveland, Ohio

July Leadership Webinar Cassie Daniel Republican Party of Texas Organization Director cdaniel@texasgop.org 512-879-4060 806-570-7745